Buyers flock to ‘homey’ Houston Heights area
Realtor Bill Baldwin understands why the Heights remains one of the most popular neighborhoods in Houston.
After all, he calls the area home and runs Boulevard Realty, a business dedicated to showing off his favorite part of the city.
“When I drive some place, and I come back, I always feel like this is a real neighborhood,” he said. “It truly feels more homey. It’s really one of the last bastions of an urban environment with historic charm. It has character.”
Plus, Baldwin said with all the new restaurants, bars, shops and businesses, residents don’t have to leave the area to find entertainment.
“At restaurants, you just see people lining up out the door,” he said. “There are more things to do.”
He also credits the neighborhood’s vibrant art scene and parks for attracting people to the area.
Realtor Michael Wachs with Hunter Real Estate Group, shares Baldwin’s enthusiasm for the area. He used to live in the Heights and makes and sells t-shirts promoting the neighborhood.
“The Heights was originally a master-planned suburb, a sort of oasis,” he said. “Suburbs were a lot different back then and at such a smaller scale than today. So, by accident, the Heights is exactly what the New Urbanist movement and, more importantly, people are looking for, tree-lined streets that are walk-able with fairly dense housing and businesses interspersed.”
According to the Congress for the New Urbanism web page, “New Urbanism is a planning and development approach based on the principles of how cities and towns had been built for the last several centuries: walkable blocks and streets, housing and shopping in close proximity, and accessible public spaces.”
Baldwin said residents from around Houstony are flocking to the neighborhood.
“People are coming from The Woodlands, coming from Cinco Ranch and Clear Lake, they want to move back into the city,” he said.
Newcomers to Houston are shopping for homes in the Heights as well.
“The style of architecture here is unique,” Baldwin said.
He said prices have been rising steadily since he moved to the neighborhood in 1998, adding that the high-end market is doing especially well.
In 2013 and 2014, Baldwin said that the market exploded and prices rose quickly. Homes went from $1.1 million or $1.2 million to $1.9 million.
“I don’t think that it was realistic or sustainable,” he said.
Now Baldwin said that homes in the $1.2 million and under range are still selling quickly.
Higher price tags are still moving, just a little slower than a couple years ago.
Baldwin said average bungalows are going for $500,000 to $550,000 or in the $400,000 range if they need updates and repairs.
“People want nice homes that don’t need a lot of work,” Baldwin said. “Fixer uppers tend to sit a little longer.”
He is still seeing multiple offers on listings and buyers coming in over the asking price.
Baldwin advises homebuyers to be ready to make a move on a property they like.
“If one pops up, you must be prepared to act immediately,” he said. “If something’s been on the market for a while, there’s not the same sense of urgency.”
He said that homeowners who are listing properties should price them correctly from the beginning.
“Don’t push the market,” he said.
He tells homeowners to spruce up exteriors with power washing and landscaping.
“There are things you could get away with in 2013 and 2014, but you can’t anymore,” he said. “The buyers now are too particular.”
He said that when listings do not move quickly, he recommends taking the property off the market for a while or renting it.
“There’s ample activity in the rental market,” he said. “For people who are going to be in Houston for only a year or two for work, it makes sense to rent.”
Baldwin said that neighborhoods near the Heights are also popular, especially for younger couples.
“Oak Forest is probably the next most popular neighborhood,” he said.
Wachs said that Eastwood has some similar types of houses for lower cost.
“But its values have been jumping in the past few years, as the local economy soared and our supply was nothing,” he said.
“The economy has taken some hits, but the area has rail close by and is right by downtown.”
He added that a number of home buyers who have been priced out of the Heights often head across I-45 to Lindale Park, which offers large lots and a robust community feel.
Another popular option has been Northside Village, north of I-10.
“The Metro rail serves both areas, and there’s a huge mixed-use development going in Northside Village,” Wachs said. “With the White Oak Music Hall and all its minibusinesses opening up, too, this is a great area.”
He said that selling homes in the Heights is sometimes a challenge because of its designated historic zones.
“It’s great for retaining the character of the area, but sometimes is an issue for buyers and sellers who want to maximize lot value,” he said.
Wachs said that prices are down about 3 percent from last year.
“It was a seller’s market for a long time, but now it’s evening out with the housing supply being a little more abundant throughout Houston,” he said.
“Because of that, you really have to put your best foot forward to get top dollar for your home.”