Meet Your Neighbors

 

A Mother-Daughter Duo
Shaping 78209 from the Ground Up

 

When Alex Altwein, Vice President of leasing and marketing at Wade Interests, discovered her Alamo Heights home in 2018, it was instant kismet. As a single mom looking to start a new chapter with her daughter, Ava, Alex knew exactly what she wanted.

 

“I was driving during my lunch break one day, and I saw the ‘for sale’ sign. I contacted the agent and submitted a contract right away. I loved how the neighborhood kids were riding their bikes down the street, and I wanted Ava to be able to grow up in a community like 78209, ” Alex says.

 

With an impressive track record in commercial real estate that Alex largely attributes to a work ethic instilled in her by her parents from a young age, Alex’s instinct about her Alamo Heights home proved correct.

 

“I didn’t have time to show Ava the house before I bought it. When she first walked in, she loved it. We knew this house was ‘us.’ We bought it together,” Alex says.

 

I loved making the move to Woodridge Elementary and taking advantage of the range of activities. I was in fourth grade when I started at Alamo Heights, and I remember being really impressed with the giant playground,” Ava laughs, who is now a junior at Alamo Heights High School.

 

 

Creating Community Spaces in ‘09

 

As Vice President of Wade Interests and a resident of Alamo Heights herself, Alex is uniquely positioned to help shape neighborhood spaces throughout the broader 78209 community.

 

“I was fortunate to be involved with Kelly Wade Fry’s jewelry store, Kelly Wade Jewelers, through my work with Wade Interests, from completing the real estate deal to overseeing the interior construction finish-out, and ultimately organizing the relocation of her beautiful, spacious store to Sunset Ridge Shopping Center. I am very proud to have helped her find a prime location in the neighborhood,” Alex says.

 

Alex especially values the professional relationships she has built through her tightly interconnected community of Alamo Heights neighbors.

 

“I’ve been able to really connect with a lot of the families here. I often get asked during business meetings: ‘Is your daughter, Ava Altwein? My son or daughter goes to school with her!’ That’s what I love about 78209. It feels like a small town,” Alex says.

 

When asked for her take on the commercial real estate market in Alamo Heights, Alex praises the rich variety of independent businesses in ’09.

 

“We have a treasure trove of local businesses here, despite the tight market,” Alex says.

 

 

A Mother-Daughter Team

 

Ava, a naturally-gifted athlete, is carving her own path as she nears her senior year. Last year, she helped the Alamo Heights Girls Varsity Lacrosse team bring home its first Division III State Championship title. She will continue her love for sports in her career in college, with hopes of breaking into sports media in the future. 

 

“We had an undefeated season last year. I have made best friends with the girls on the team,” Ava says.

 

While Ava’s ambition lies in sports, it is clear that she learned determination and focus from watching Alex work her way up from receptionist to vice president at Wade Interests. When Ava is not practicing lacrosse, she works weekends at local women’s boutique, The Impeccable Pig.

 

“It’s so fun to meet new people from the neighborhood at work,” Ava says.

 

“I have been working since I was very young at my parents’ Mexican restaurant,” Alex laughs. “Getting here as a single mom has been a lot of hard work, and it’s all been to set up Ava for success.”

 

Through it all, Alex and Ava are a dynamic team, and Alamo Heights has provided a welcoming, supportive community to explore their talents and grow their ambitions.

 

“When we first moved into the neighborhood, Ava wanted to walk to Woodridge alone. At first, I said ‘absolutely not.’ But, after finally saying ‘yes,’ and watching her walk from our house with her new friends, I knew I didn’t need to worry. All the kids walked to school together, and I realized: I feel safe here. That’s when I knew we made the right choice,” Alex says.

 

 

By Elizabeth Bobbitt | Photography by David Teran