Houston’s urban environment attracts newcomers
As a city, Houston has long been famous for its urban sprawl. But, over the past several years, the Bayou City has become much more densely populated, as more and more people continue to move here.
This has brought a renewed focus on urban living, and the many conveniences that such a lifestyle can afford. This includes a long list of amenities, and the increased desire among residents for walkability. This represents a bit of a shift for Houston, which has always been a city dominated more by cars than pedestrians.
Today, Houston boasts of a very vibrant urban environment, which is attracting both local residents and newcomers alike.
Urban lifestyle draw
According to Kelly Pachar, a Realtor with Heritage Texas Properties, many of his relocation clients are drawn to the urban lifestyle because of the trend toward urbanization that is taking place across the country.
“A lot of people who are moving here have had urban experiences in other cities, so they want it again in Houston. There are also other people who have lived in the suburbs in another city, but they always wanted to do the urban thing, so their move now gives them that opportunity,” said Pachar.
He added that people really enjoy the convenience of being able to take advantage of the many cultural events and entertainment options that Houston has to offer, without having to drive a long distance to get there.
But, Pachar said that convenience does come at a cost.
Living in one of Houston’s more popular urban locations can be relatively more expensive than housing options in other areas, and there might be certain aspects that home buyers would need to give up in favor of the lifestyle.
Some ‘sacrifices’
For example, it might be necessary for home buyers to give up square footage, a large backyard, or a three-car garage in order to be in the area where they want to live.
“When I first started in real estate 12 years ago, Midtown was the hopping area, and if people couldn’t afford Midtown, then we would go to EaDo. Now, EaDo is as expensive or more expensive than Midtown, so I am always looking at what some of the other up-and-coming areas are for my clients.
“I think part of being a good Realtor is knowing those transitional adjacent neighborhoods, which can give people an alternative,” Pachar said.
For people who are moving here and are not sure whether urban living is really for them, Pachar said that renting can be a great way to try it before making a purchase.
“Leasing gives people the ability to test drive both the lifestyle and the community. If someone is moving here from another city, even if they have been here many times, they won’t be able to really get to know the city until they are here every day,” Pachar said.
Clint Simpson, a Realtor associate with Greenwood King Properties, is also seeing a big push among his out-of-town home buyers toward an urban lifestyle.
“My clients like the walkability to all of the retail shops and restaurants, and everything else that is close by,” said Simpson.
For the most part, he said that when his clients are evaluating areas, one of the top considerations is the accessibility to work. This makes areas such as the Memorial
Park area, the Washington Avenue area, and Montrose highly sought after.
“A lot of these clients have offices located downtown, so being in these areas brings them much closer to the downtown area and their offices, which is a big plus,” Simpson said. “They also like the ability to be close to nature in Memorial Park and Discovery Green.”
In terms of the affordability of different areas and neighborhoods, he said that housing costs depend on the location.
“Property values are typically higher the closer you get to downtown, with the exception of EaDo, because EaDo is such a transition area and is considered up and coming. There are still lots of properties there that are being refurbished, rebuilt or completely torn down and replaced by new construction,” said Simpson.
He also said that urban living has an appeal for a wide variety of clients, in various stages of their lives. So, it’s not necessarily a trend characterized by a younger generation of people. He said that it’s all about the lifestyle choice.
“I find that people with children want to be outside of the downtown area, but people who don’t have children yet, or have children who are older or grown want to be closer in and more urban,” Simpson said.