Houston Chronicle Sunday

Time capsule

Westwood, with its shady streets, features ranch houses from the ’50s.

- Nancy.sarnoff@chron.com twitter.com/nsarnoff By Nancy Sarnoff

The 1950s neighborho­od of Westwood hasn’t changed much over the decades, except for a smattering of new homes built in place of some of the modest mid-century ranches.

That redevelopm­ent is likely to continue as buyers continue to search for relatively affordable neighborho­ods not too far from the city center.

Westwood is just outside the South 610 Loop west of Stella Link.

Renovated homes currently listed for sale are priced in the mid-$200,000s.

Data from the Houston Associatio­n of Realtors, which tracks prices per square foot over time, shows values climbing 81 percent from 2010 to 2015.

Westwood is deed- restricted, and its civic associatio­n expects builders and property owners to comply with the rules.

“...just getting a permit from the City of Houston does not mean that the building or alteration complies with deed restrictio­ns,” the associatio­n stated in its latest newsletter, the Babbler.

The group recommends those with building plans to seek approval from the neighborho­od’s Architectu­ral Review Committee.

Lot prices are in the lowto-mid $200,000 range, said Larry Zomper, a homebuilde­r active in the neighborho­od.

He likes the mature trees that shade many of the streets and the variety of schools in the area.

Westwood is served by Shearn Elementary, Corpus Christi Catholic School and Grace Episcopal Day School. The Emery/Weiner School, a Harmony charter school and Trafton Academy are nearby.

“It truly is a sleeper,” Zomper said.

 ?? Nancy Sarnoff / Houston Chronicle ?? Renovated houses in Westwood, which is just outside the South Loop, carry prices in the mid-$200,000 range.
Nancy Sarnoff / Houston Chronicle Renovated houses in Westwood, which is just outside the South Loop, carry prices in the mid-$200,000 range.
 ??  ?? Westwood Homes: 743 Median year built: 1953 Neighborho­od value range: $167,000 - $241,000 Median size: 1,455 square feet Median lot size: 7,301 square feet Source: Houston Associatio­n of Realtors, 2015 data
Westwood Homes: 743 Median year built: 1953 Neighborho­od value range: $167,000 - $241,000 Median size: 1,455 square feet Median lot size: 7,301 square feet Source: Houston Associatio­n of Realtors, 2015 data

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