Built in 1999 and lovingly maintained by a single owner since day one, this home offers something increasingly rare in North San Antonio: a truly quiet backyard. The property backs directly to the 53+ acre John O. Yates Estate, giving you an expanse of green space that limits expansion behind you - just open sky, mature trees, and the kind of privacy most subdivisions can only promise. Tucked into the established Encino Forest neighborhood just east of Highway 281, the location strikes a balance that's hard to find. Everyday conveniences are minutes away, including San Antonio's second-largest HEB and a wealth of nearby shopping and dining. Yet 281 carries you north into the Texas Hill Country in no time at all, with Canyon Lake and its weekend recreation within easy reach. Head south and you're on a direct route to downtown San Antonio; head north and 281 connects to Highway 290 for a far more scenic and relaxed drive to Austin than the perpetual crawl of I-35. The pride of ownership shows in the updates. A new roof went on in 2017, followed by upgraded kitchen cabinetry in 2023 and refreshed bathroom cabinets and countertops in 2024. In 2025, both the gas water heater and the complete HVAC system were replaced - meaning the major systems have already been handled, and you can move in with confidence rather than a to-do list.