San Juan's growing melting pot on the Southern US border
Every year, San Juan attracts an array of vibrant birds and Monarch butterflies, an influx of Winter Texans – those that migrate south to escape the cold in northern states – and young professionals from nearby universities. Located in the Rio Grande Valley, its business-friendly location is on the doorstep of Reynosa, a northern Mexico center of trade, accessible by the Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge. San Juan is also in proximity to McAllen, a small city with one of the best retail scenes in South Texas. Its continued growth and expansion have encouraged more amenities and resources for its surrounding, historically underserved colonias. However, San Juan is defined by more than what’s new around town. Murals depicting the community’s Latino heritage are common sights, and the city has long been known as the site of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle church, one of the largest churches in south Texas.
I-2 conveniently located for retail, dining and travel
Several convenient retail options are concentrated around the buzzy business corridor along Interstate 2. Residents can stock up on essentials at the popular Texas-based H-E-B and H-E-B plus!, as well as a Walmart Supercenter in the Las Tiendas shopping center. Main Event Pharr, a restaurant chain that doubles as an arcade and bowling alley, along with Cinemark Pharr Town Center and XD are located in the Pharr Town Center off Interstate 2. For large department stores and other chain restaurants, residents drive to La Plaza Mall, 7 miles away and situated next to the airport. Several prominent flea markets are also along I-2, including Mercadome Flea Market and Alamo Dance Hall.
HEB Plus offers many produce items along with a market offering fresh pork, chicken and beef.
Cabrerras Meat Market is a family owned small business located in San Juan.
Cabrerras Meat Market offers fresh meat and multiple menu items for dinning in San Juan.
Gonzalez Boots located in San Juan offers a grand variety of cowboy boots and clothing.
Big Boys Vintage Toys & Collectibles offers a variety of novelty items along with comic books.
The city of San Juan has easy access to the surrounding cities via Interstate 2.
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Gelman Stained Glass Museum and extravagant church
“People from all over the valley go to Our Lady of San Juan de Valle church,” says Karen Carreno, a Realtor for Star Properties Real Estate who lives in nearby McAllen. Its popularity doesn’t stop at parishioners. Enshrined as a basilica by then-Pope John Paul II in 1999, the church is the centerpiece of a national shrine that features a statue of Our Lady and related artistic homages that draw more than 25,000 visitors per week. The adjacent Gelman Stained Glass Museum houses the most comprehensive collection of stained-glass windows in the United States.
This flamboyant mural is a great cultural representative of the roots of San Juan.
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle national shrine in San Juan.
Beatiful mural on the wall of a mural located next to the New Generation Barbershop in San Juan.
Our Lady of San Juan Del Valle Bronze Statue located in the neighborhood of San Juan.
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Winter Texans flock to sunny San Juan
“It’s a very fast-paced, growing city that is growing upwards because it can’t grow out,” says Cameron Coleman, a Realtor with GRT Realty. “We’ve got a lot of people coming to the area from other states as well as people from in-state moving down south.” San Juan has become a popular spot for winter Texans moving from northern states like Oklahoma and Colorado to escape the cold and experience milder temperatures. The landscape on both sides of Interstate 2 is increasingly taken up by a collection of contemporary custom homes built to keep up with the influx of new residents. Standard features on the new homes include private driveways, attached garages and ample yard space. Overall, home prices typically range from the mid-$100,000s for smaller established homes to the mid-$200,000s for a newly constructed one-story home, often featuring walk-in closets and quartz countertops. However, empty quarter-acre lots still dot the area, offering a clean slate for custom builds with a price somewhere between $80,000 and $111,000. Large plots of land near the San Juan wetlands along South Stewart Road tend to be priced between $450,000 and $1.3 million, depending on acreage.
Multiple variety of modern style homes can be found in San Juan.
Modern style home with brick accent and wood porch located in San Juan.
Spanish style home located in San Juan.
Colonial style home located in the heart of San Juan.
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San Juan is a prominent bird migration corridor
San Juan is an active city, and soccer is the game of choice for many of its residents. Organized soccer on school-related fields and pick-up games at various green spaces throughout the community are prevalent. Baseball is a popular pastime, too, and the lighted diamonds at San Juan Municipal Park attract plenty of regular activity. The park also is a central site of the community’s annual showcase event, Noche De Paz. On North 1st Street, Firemen’s Park is often frequented for its scenic lake. Pedal boats, kayaks and paddleboard rentals are offered through H20Hut and include a life jacket. Hidalgo County Precinct 2 Hike & Bike Trail is less than a mile off San Antonio Street and provides almost 5 miles of paved throughways, uninterrupted by traffic. Along the Mexico border is the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, which is a significant spot for birding and butterfly observation. San Juan and neighboring cities witness over 400 species of birds and butterflies, especially the Monarch butterfly, migrate every year.
Welcome to "Bear Country" on the southern border of Texas
The city is located in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo School District. “The school district is so advanced in modern technology, and the high schools have very good early college programs,” Coleman says. “They offer a lot of resources to students.” One of these resources includes free broadband internet to households with enrolled students in the area. San Juan’s youngest can attend one of several elementary and middle schools in the area, such as Alfred Sorensen Elementary and Stephen F. Austin Middle Schools, which earn a C-plus and C score on Niche, respectively. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High earns a B-plus and is a particular point of pride in San Juan. The mascot is the Bear, and the city’s water tower reminds residents and visitors that they are in “Bear Country.”
Alfred Sorensen Elementary School
The largest Christmas parade in Texas
One of San Juan’s main attractions is the Bert Ogden Arena. The live concert stadium attracts well-known artists like Jennifer Lopez and Jo Koy. Along Oval Park in nearby McAllen is the McAllen Convention Center, a popular spot to host quinceañeras and comic cons, and the McAllen Performing Arts Center. Orchestra and symphony performances grace its large, amphitheater-shaped auditorium stage. McAllen hosts the largest holiday parade in Texas. Daylong festivities start with a toy giveaway at the city’s senior center, followed by an extravagant parade. Brightly illuminated floats and marching bands parade fill the streets and are narrated by celebrity hosts like Mario Lopez. Crowds chant to spin the floats around in circles as they make their way to Municipal Park on Bicentennial Boulevard for a festive carnival celebration.
Getting in and around San Juan
Interstate 2 connects to U.S. Route 281 about a mile west in neighboring Pharr and provides easy travel throughout the region and into Mexico. McAllen is just 7 miles away, without even having to hop on a highway. It is Hidalgo County’s largest city and offers several shopping centers, McAllen International Airport and South Texas Health System Heart. The city of Mission, Texas, is roughly 13 miles away via I-2.
Written By
Corrine Fizer
Photography Contributed By
Mauricio Atilano
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Grace Montalvo,
an experienced agent in this area.
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On average, homes in San Juan, TX sell after 90 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in San Juan, TX over the last 12 months is $236,500, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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