You'll get my honest read on every home, including when the answer is to walk away.
Luxury · Military & VA · Relocation
Homes Worth
A Closer Look.
San Antonio luxury homes, first-time buyers and VA buyers, guided by REALTOR® Jay Dollente, a 13-year Air Force officer.
The Agent
The Facts, the Risks, and a Clear Recommendation.
Jay Dollente is a San Antonio REALTOR® with Real Broker, LLC and a member of The Rise Group. I spent 13 years in the Air Force as an intelligence officer, and I still serve as a Reservist. The job was to gather the facts, weigh the risks, and brief the decision clearly. That's how I work with buyers and sellers.
I've bought homes on military orders with my own VA loan more than once, and I film the home tours people know me for. Whether you're buying your first home with your VA loan or selling a Hill Country estate, you get the same standard.
Every offer comes with a written brief: what you're paying for, what could go wrong, and what I'd do in your seat.
If I haven't walked a home, I'll tell you. If I have, you'll see what the listing photos left out.
Your report date, your movers, your kids' first day of school. The plan is built around your timeline, not mine.
A VA offer gets the same respect as cash. I'll make sure the seller's side understands why it's a strong one.
You'll hear back from me the same business day, even if it's only to tell you when I'll have the answer.
These are my commitments to every client. They are not client reviews.
The Tours
See the Home Before You Book the Flight.
My tours show what listing photos leave out: how the rooms connect, the light late in the day, and the details that cost money later. Every tour follows the same order.
- OneThe ApproachStreet, curb appeal and the neighbors, plus the drive in from the nearest main road.
- TwoThe FlowA continuous walk through the main living spaces with no jump cuts, so you see how rooms connect.
- ThreeThe Details That Cost MoneyRoof, HVAC, windows, water heater, foundation. What I'd check if it were my offer.
- FourThe VerdictWho this home fits, what it competes with, and what I'd ask the seller.
Watch This Tour on Instagram
Tour by @jaythe210realtor
The Neighborhoods
Where San Antonio's Best Homes Are.
San Antonio's luxury market is concentrated on the north side and in the Hill Country along I-10 and US-281. Each area sells differently. Here's the short version of each. Ask me for the long version, or a tour.
The Dominion
Gated estates, golf and privacy. Large lots and custom builds off I-10.
Alamo Heights & Olmos Park
Mature oaks and a top-rated school district, minutes from downtown and the Pearl.
Terrell Hills
A small, quiet city of its own with large lots, a short drive to Fort Sam Houston.
Stone Oak
Newer luxury builds and gated pockets, with easy access to 281 and 1604.
Fair Oaks Ranch
Hill Country acreage and quiet roads, a short commute to Camp Bullis.
Boerne & Cordillera Ranch
A small-town Main Street, ranch-style estates and some of the best views in the region.
Selling a luxury home
Presented the Way It Deserves.
Buyers at this price point scroll past anything that looks average. Your listing gets production most agents can't offer.
Professional Staging
Furnished and styled so it photographs well and shows well in person.
Zillow Showcase
Zillow's premium listing format, with interactive floor plans and immersive media. It isn't available to every agent.
A Dedicated Home Tour
Your home gets the same treatment as my Instagram tours, made for buyers relocating from out of state.
A National Network
Your listing goes in front of The Rise Group's agents across the country who work with relocating buyers.
Military & VA
Your VA Loan Reaches Further Than You've Been Told.
Most luxury agents don't know how to make a VA offer compete, and most VA agents never show a home in The Dominion. I do both, and I've used my own VA loan more than once.
No cap
No VA Loan Limit With Full Entitlement
Since 2020, eligible buyers with full entitlement can borrow above the conforming limit with no down payment, subject to lender approval.
$0 down
On the Full Purchase Price
As long as the home appraises and you qualify with the lender.
Exempt
From the VA Funding Fee
If you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability.
Strong
Offers That Hold Up
A clean appraisal plan, a VA-savvy lender and smart terms make a VA offer as credible as a conventional one.
General information, not lending advice. The VA and your lender set eligibility, entitlement and approval. I'll connect you with lenders who close VA loans in this price range.
The PCS Playbook
From Orders to Keys, on Your Timeline.
I've moved on military orders myself. This is the sequence I run for you.
- Step One · Orders in Hand
Strategy Call
Report date, base, BAH, commute, schools, and whether to buy, rent or both.
- Step Two · Before You Fly
Preapproval
VA preapproval with a lender who knows military timelines, then a shortlist built around your must-haves.
- Step Three · Remote or HHT
Tours
Live video walkthroughs from wherever you're stationed, or a full house-hunting trip with every showing lined up.
- Step Four · To Closing
Offer to Keys
Negotiation, inspection, VA appraisal and closing coordinated around your movers and report date.
JBSA–Fort Sam HoustonJBSA–LacklandJBSA–RandolphJBSA–Camp BullisBAMC
Questions
San Antonio Real Estate, Answered.
Straight answers to what buyers and sellers ask Jay most. Updated November 2026.
Who is Jay the 210 Realtor?
Jay the 210 Realtor is Jeremy “Jay” Dollente, a San Antonio REALTOR® licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (license #849810). He is brokered by Real Broker, LLC and is a member of The Rise Group and Rise San Antonio. Jay served 13+ years as a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer and is known for detailed luxury home tours across San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country.
Can I use a VA loan to buy a luxury home in San Antonio?
Yes. Since January 1, 2020, veterans and service members with full VA entitlement have no VA loan limit, so a VA loan can be used above the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750 with no down payment, as long as you qualify and the home appraises. Individual lenders may set their own caps and credit requirements, so work with a lender experienced in VA jumbo loans. Estimate a VA payment.
How do I buy a home in San Antonio before my PCS to Joint Base San Antonio?
Start as soon as you have orders: get a VA preapproval, set a budget around your BAH and commute, tour homes by live video from your current duty station, then use a house-hunting trip for final showings. Jay times inspection, appraisal and closing around your report date and movers.
Which San Antonio neighborhoods are closest to the JBSA bases?
JBSA–Fort Sam Houston and BAMC: Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park and northeast San Antonio. JBSA–Randolph: Universal City, Schertz, Cibolo and Converse. JBSA–Lackland: far west San Antonio, including the Alamo Ranch and Westover Hills areas. JBSA–Camp Bullis: the I-10 corridor north, including The Dominion, Leon Springs, Fair Oaks Ranch and Boerne. Drive times vary with traffic, so tour at commute hours.
What are the best luxury neighborhoods in San Antonio?
The most sought-after luxury areas include The Dominion (guard-gated estates), Alamo Heights and Olmos Park (established, top-rated schools), Terrell Hills, Stone Oak, Shavano Park, Fair Oaks Ranch, and Boerne and Cordillera Ranch in the Hill Country. Each sells differently, so the right fit depends on lot size, schools, commute and HOA rules.
Are there down payment assistance programs in San Antonio?
Yes. Statewide options include TSAHC Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes (which includes veterans), TDHCA My First Texas Home for first-time buyers, and SETH 5-Star Texas Advantage. These typically offer up to about 5% of the loan as a grant or deferred second lien, with credit, income and homebuyer-education requirements. The City of San Antonio's Homeownership Incentive Program (HIP) has been paused at times, so confirm its status with a lender. Model DPA in the calculator.
What does it cost to sell a house in San Antonio?
Texas has no state transfer tax. Typical seller costs are agent compensation (always negotiable), the owner's title insurance policy (customarily paid by the seller in Texas), escrow and closing fees, prorated property taxes, and any repairs or concessions you agree to. Estimate your net proceeds.
Can I buy land and build a home with a VA or conventional loan?
Yes, with the right loan. Options include construction-to-permanent loans (conventional, FHA and some VA lenders) and land loans, which usually need a larger down payment. Jay can help you evaluate lots for utilities, septic, flood zones, deed restrictions and access before you buy.
Contact
Let's Take a Closer Look.
Call, text or email, whichever you prefer. If you're overseas or on a different schedule, send your timeline and I'll work around it.
210-294-9040
jayd@therise.group