Read the national news, and you’ll get the impression that the entire U.S. real estate market is in the toilet. The burst of the housing bubble and the subprime mortgage crisis have led to falling real estate prices and an increasing number of foreclosed homes. But not everywhere.

So you’ve finally decided to take advantage of San Antonio’s healthy housing market and make a solid investment decision. Or you’re sick of living with your smelly roommate. Either way, buying a home takes more work than just driving around and looking at cool houses. Here are the steps you’ll need to take.

Looking to buy a new home? It can be difficult to figure out where in sprawling San Antonio is the best location for you. Consider distance to work or school, whether you want to live in an established neighborhood or a new subdivision, the safety of the neighborhood, traffic and proximity to restaurants and entertainment, among other factors.

If you’re buying a home for the first time, you might be overwhelmed by the lingo and acronyms that sound like a foreign language. Check out our glossary of some of the common real estate and mortgage terms.

For that eager buyer who’s ready to jump into the housing market, first-time homebuyers Tom and Jen Lovell offer some personal advice based on their own purchasing experience.

May is National Bike Month. How much do you know about bicycles and biking?

In Inquiring Minds, 210SA asks local people of various professions the burning questions that everyone wants answers to. Check back at 210SA.com every Monday for a new installment. This week, Lisa Schmidt, a 42-year-old Realtor with Phyllis Browning Company, gives some home-buying tips.

At age 28, Silver Stars center Ruth Riley has accomplished more than most people in a lifetime. The eight-year WNBA veteran, who is gearing up for her second season with the San Antonio franchise, won a national championship with Notre Dame in 2001 and WNBA titles with the Detroit Shock in 2003 (she was named the WNBA Finals MVP) and 2006.

The men wear better watches and get more glam, but the women play the same game. Here’s a look at how San Antonio’s two professional basketball franchises — the Spurs and Silver Stars — stack up.

It has been over a week since a fire burned through the top floor of Our Lady of the Lake’s Main Building. As our campus community tries to settle back into normalcy, we are reminded of how quickly priorities can change. In one day, all of our worries about final exams and essays turned into concerns for our beloved community.