Quick Answer
Your commute is a daily decision, not a weekend one, so test drive it at the exact time you would actually drive it. A calm 45-minute Sunday drive can become 75 minutes at 7:30 on a Tuesday. Check public transit, alternate routes, and planned development nearby. A great home on a brutal commute wears you down fast, so drive the route before you make an offer. Ask Patrick how to weigh the commute when choosing a home.
Your commute is a daily decision, not a weekend one. The home that charms you at a Sunday open house can wear you down by Tuesday, so drive the route at the exact time you would actually drive it. Check public transit, alternate routes, and what the area looks like as it grows.
The commute is a daily decision, not a weekend one
Most buyers test a commute once, on a Sunday afternoon, when the roads are empty and the drive feels easy. Then they move in and discover the same route at 7:30 on a Tuesday is a different animal. The commute is the one part of the house you experience twice a day, every workday, so it deserves the same scrutiny as the foundation.
A great home on a brutal commute wears you down fast, and it is one of the most common regrets I hear from buyers after closing.
Test drive the route at the time you would actually drive it
A 20-minute Sunday drive can easily become a 45-minute crawl on a Tuesday morning. Before you commit to a home, drive the route from the property to your workplace during the actual times you would travel. Do it on a weekday, not a weekend. Consider alternate routes too. If the main highway is jammed, is there a good back road option? Ask neighbors about their commute experiences.
Do the return trip too. The evening drive home is often worse than the morning one, and it is the one you come home to.
The commute test, the way I give it to buyers
- 1Drive the route to work on a normal weekday at the time you would leave.
- 2Do the evening return trip on the same day.
- 3Try the best alternate route and time it too.
- 4Drive the full circuit of school, daycare, and the grocery store.
Sunday afternoon driving times mean nothing if you leave for work at 7:30 AM.
Public transit, alternate routes, and the area's growth
If you plan to use public transit at all, check VIA Metropolitan Transit routes and schedules from the neighborhood. Even if you drive now, easy transit access adds resale value. Also research planned road improvements or new developments that could change traffic patterns. New subdivisions along your route can add significant drive time over the years.
The map you look at today is not the map you will drive in five years. Growth is a feature of San Antonio and the Hill Country, so plan for it.
Match the commute to your life, not the other way around
Think about everyone who will use the roads, not just you. School drop-off, daycare, the gym, and the grocery run all add up. A home that is 15 minutes from work but 40 minutes from the school your kids attend may not save you as much time as it seems.
Write down the places you actually go in a normal week and drive the whole circuit once. That is the commute that matters.
Patrick's take: drive it before you offer
I have seen buyers fall in love with a home during a Sunday open house and regret it when the daily commute takes twice as long. Always drive the route at the time you would actually drive it, Patriot Nation. An extra 20 minutes each way is real time out of your week, every week, for as long as you live there.
Do the drive, do it twice, and make it a great one.
Ask Patrick about commute considerations
Get a straight answer on commute times, traffic, and how far is too far when choosing a home.
