Houston Neighborhoods Real Estate Blog and Tips

The weather is finally getting cooler and the days are getting shorter, but that doesn’t mean your home search needs to end. According to Realtor.com the fall months October, November, and December might be the best time of the year to buy. They’ve identified seven reasons why you should be looking to get into a new home before the holidays are here, but why stop there? 

Several builders in Houston are offering great end-of-year buying incentives that can save you up to $200,000(!). Start thinking about how the holidays are going to look with your family in a brand new home.

Here’s our roundup of some of the best ones: 

Trendmaker Homes

Now through December 11, Trendmaker Homes is offering up to $25,000 of incentives on brand new, move-in ready homes. Whether you’re looking for a new home in Katy, Pearland, or anywhere in between, they’ve got you covered. Find all the deals throughout the 26 Trendmaker neighborhoods here. 

Perry Homes

For the Fall Home Showcase, Perry Homes is offering super-special pricing and no closing costs on select move-in-ready homes. Discounts are so deep that you can save up to $97,000 on a new home! It’s not such a crazy idea to celebrate the holidays in a new home now, does it? See all the discounted homes in one neat list here.

Urban Living

With homes all over the inner loop, you’d be missing out if you don’t take a look at Urban Living. Right now, buyers can move in with as little as 3% down and prices include everything—refrigerator, washer, dryer, and window coverings!

Coventry Homes and Plantation Homes

Don’t miss out on the 2016 Xtreme Sales Event. Coventry Homes and Plantation Homes have over 100 homes marked down and ready for move-in throughout Houston. Save up to $200,000. Plenty of Coventry and Plantation homes to choose from. Get to looking!

Lennar Homes

If you’re looking for a quick buy, say Y.E.S. to Lennar Homes. The Year-End Sale-a-bration is going on now which means $0 closing costs on move-in ready homes. Check out all the available inventory and save big.

Lennar Homes

Introducing lower prices, up to $10,000, on all homes at Harvest Green. Plus, when you purchase any Meritage home at Harvest Green before December 31, 2016, you'll receive $25,000 in options at our design center. 

Year-end specials don’t end with brand new homes—resales can also be a deal, too. If you need help finding the perfect home anywhere in Houston, contact me today! 

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When Anthony Bourdain and his film crew arrived in Houston this summer to film an episode for the currently airing eighth season of Parts Unknown, it was no secret. Locals stalked his journey on social media, culinary blogs exhausted the possibilities, and local bars and restaurants hosted watch parties. But until the episode aired last Sunday night on CNN, it wasn’t clear exactly which neighborhoods in Clutch City would make the cut.

Here are all of the neighborhoods highlighted in Parts Unknown: Houston.

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1. Little India. On Hillcroft Ave, tucked into the triangle angling westward from the divergence of Westpark Tollway from I-59, Keemat Grocers host an Indian dance party and pani puri eating contest for the cameras. The MC was Sunil Thakkar, owner of Masala Radio, who opens with the proclamation, “I think this the best little India in all of USA, right?” The crowd cheers in agreement. As Thakkar says over a meal at Himalaya, a restaurant Bourdain rightly called beloved, Houston is home to more than 200,000 Indians. South Asians as a demographic have been on the rise dramatically in the Houston area, though most are buying affordable single family homes in Fort Bend County. “I see so many homes, new homes, new subdivisions, and people just buy them up,” Thakkar says. “On my street, eighteen homes, twelve out of them are from other countries. India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia. And once you live together, you just sort of become family.”

2. Pasadena. At Acapulco Ballroom, a local 15-year-old gets quite a spotlight on her quinceañera, a rite of passage for many Mexican-American girls but especially in Houston, say owners Elizabeth and Ezequiel Ortuño. “The quinceañera business is a multi-million dollar industry around here,” says Bourdain, over footage of many local businesses catering to it.

3. Woodlake/Briar Meadow. At Robert E. Lee High School, now Margaret Long Wisdom High School, Principal Jonathan Trinh welcomes Bourdain to show him the most ethnically diverse school in the city, where about 80% of attendees’ first language is not English. “In the city of Houston and the surrounding suburban area it’s very well integrated,” Trinh says. The “strong economic base here...allows for immigrants, families to come over and build a nest egg to own their own home or go to a better neighborhood.” As we’ve said before, there are many benefits to investing in Houston, especially for EB-5 visa seekers.

4. Pearland, “the quintessential sprawl of suburban Americana,” Bourdain says. There, Mr. Trinh and his wife and their immediate family welcome Bourdain to a backyard cookout sprawling with food from all of their cultures: El Salvador, Vietnam, and the U.S. Bourdain asks, “So if you have a big holiday, how many people are coming over?” The table laughs together, and guesses, “40, 50 people?” The big back yard behind them could comfortably fit as many. 

5. South Central/MacGregor Park. Bourdain invites rapper Slim Thug to introduce viewers to slab culture at MacGregor Park, which borders the University of Houston, Old Spanish Trail, and Texas Spur 5. 

6. Acres Homes. Many pioneers of slab culture are from this working class, African American neighborhood on the Northwest side of Houston and north of Garden Oaks, but Bourdain was there mainly to revisit Burns BBQ, famous for its ribs, brisket, and sausage. 

8. Montrose and Southwest Houston are home to the farm plots of local nonprofit, Plant it Forward. Congolese refugees cook a meal from produce grown just steps away from the cook site, right here in Houston. 

9. Richmond. At Sardar Patel Stadium, Bourdain asks League President of the Houston Indian Cricket Club and former cricket star, Kuldeep Patel, to demo the sport and talk about his community in Houston. Over post-game eats of tandoori chicken, curry goat, and potato dosa, cricket players who moved to Houston at various times over the last few decades tell Bourdain: “This is the best place to dream and achieve the dream.”

In a neat 45 minutes of airtime, Bourdain demolishes any stereotypes about Houston viewers might have had. He closes the episode with a welcome to everyone, saying America is “great because your grandfather and my grandfather and just about everybody’s damn grandfather or great-grandfather crammed themselves, snuck, bought their way, or was dragged onto a boat and one way or another allowed themselves eventually to dream. You can. There’s still room. And in some places in America, apparently, you’re still welcome. Welcome, stranger. This land is your land.”

We couldn't agree more. 

* Honorable mention: Palacios, definitely not in Houston, but a fishing town 90-minute drive south along the coast. Thousands of Vietnamese entered Texas through this port in the late 1970s, and Bourdain ate with Yen and Brian Tran, owners of The Point, local market, bait and tackle, Viet-Mexican restaurant all in one. 

Trying to get a United States Green Card can be a long and arduous process. From the moment you file the initial application to the day you actually receive the card, ten or more years will have passed. But, a less conventional method is growing more and more popular by the day. A federal visa program known as EB-5 allows foreigners to invest in real estate and public or private works projects in exchange for a Green Card.

First introduced in 1980, the EB-5 Investor Program states that a foreigner who invests $500,000 or more in a project that creates at least 10 jobs can, for lack of a better term, get a fastpass to the front of the Green Card line. The program cuts the Green Card process down from roughly a decade to only 22-26 months. 

In the last four years, the program’s popularity rocketed more than 350 percent. Many of the foreigners in the program — 80% of whom are Chinese — have invested in projects in New York and California. But, I say they should think outside the box.

EB-5 participants should invest in Houston
While, obviously, Houston is the greatest city in the United States (my personal opinion!), I do have some compelling facts to back it up.

Houston population and demographics
The Bayou City is the nation’s fourth most populous city, with 25% of its residents having immigrated from a foreign country. That ratio nearly doubles the national rate of one in eight. In fact, Houston’s ethnic demographics are 50 years ahead of the nation as a whole. With most of its residents hailing from Latin America and Asia, one-third of Houston’s recent growth can be attributed to immigration.

The strength of Houston’s economy
Twenty-four Fortune 500 companies base their operations in Houston, ranking the city third among metro areas in Fortune 500 headquarters. This means a stronger economy, quickly growing industries, and a GDP that’s expected to more than double in the next 25 years.

Houston’s three important industries are healthcare, energy, and port and trade.

The Texas Medical Center (locals call it the Med Center), located in the heart of Houston, is where the world comes for treatment. Eight million people from across the globe visit the center’s 54 institutions – including 21 hospitals and eight academic and research institutions – across its 1,300+ acres every year. (It is the eighth largest business district in the country, after all.)

The center is home to the world’s premier cancer specialist — the MD Anderson Cancer Center — and the world-renowned Baylor College of Medicine, St. Luke’s Health, Memorial Hermann, and many more. The US News and World Report has ranked at least one of the Med Center institutions in each of its “America’s Best Hospitals” 29 categories.

There are 2.9 million jobs in the Houston area, including 91,800 engineers and architects (which is more than any other US metro area). Nearly one-third of the nation’s oil and gas extraction jobs are in Houston, employed by its 750 exploration and production firms and 800 oil field service companies.

The World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) — a collaboration among 19 energy cities internationally to exchange information and network — holds Houston as its Permanent Secretariat.

Houston has the largest export market in the United States, with $110.2 billion in exports last year alone. The Port of Houston is the largest Gulf Coast container port and is first in foreign tonnage for the nineteenth year in a row, and has been first in import tonnage for 24 consecutive years.

Fifteen foreign governments maintain trade and commercial offices in Houston, helping the city’s foreign commercial ties to exceed 5,700 firms and organizations. Those organizations trade more than 250 types of products and services in more than 200 countries, so that Houston can offer an internationally competitive business environment at a reasonable cost.

Houston’s booming real estate market
The Med Center’s benefits don’t end with the prestige or jobs it brings to Houston. It helps our beloved city boast the largest concentration of researchers, physicians, and medical professionals in the world. 

It’s also a great place to live. Its five-year appreciation is over 10 percent, making it one of Houston’s best performing suburban neighborhoods. It offers a large variety of homes, from condos to one of Houston’s best gated communities, and some of the best public schools in Texas.

While many academics call the Med Center home, the Galleria area plays host to many of Houston’s luxury boutiques, condos, restaurants, and business and retail centers. Centrally located in the Inner Loop, world-class shopping, dining, and entertainment venues are within walking distance from each other and the area’s luxury high-rises.

The Houston Galleria itself is the largest mall in Texas and the ninth-largest in the nation, with 3 million total square feet of space leased to more than 375 stores, two Westin hotels, a private health club and the Galleria Office Towers (which total 58 floors of office space).

With so many of the nation’s energy jobs in Houston, it makes sense that the Energy Corridor is one of the city’s best places to live and work. Housing corporate or regional headquarters for companies like BP, Citgo, ConocoPhillips, Dow and ExxonMobil, most of the area’s 80,000 residents have a short commute.

But, the Energy Corridor isn’t just for energy workers. The British International School of Houston, The Awty International School, and The Village School, all near the Energy Corridor, provide prestigious international experiences and curricula in Houston. Located near many of Houston’s major highways, the area offers easy access to its 26,000-acre urban park, sixty restaurants, top-rated hotels, and nine shopping centers.

As you can see, Houston isn’t only a great place to invest your money; it’s also a wonderful place to call home when your Green Card comes in.

Community - Welcome to Houston!

Even though Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, one of the best aspects of the city is that it has all of the amenities and arts as New York, LA, or Chicago, but it also has a strong and diverse/international community feel. After moving to Houston, you’ll quickly realize that Houstonians are friendly, helpful—and you’ll always receive a warm greeting from a stranger on the street, or someone will hold the door open for you, even without knowing one another’s name. As a native Houstonian, I’ve realized that there is a feeling of comfortability and familiarity in Houston that comes from the community and Texas charm.

It's what makes this city so appealing!

14 things you'll love about Houston, TX infographic!

Houston’s diverse communities can be found within the 610 loop (inside the loop), to the West in the Energy Corridor, Sugar Land, and Katy area, to the North in The Woodlands and Spring, or to the South in Friendswood and Pearland. Houston is large enough that you’re always meeting new people, and small enough where you will run into your neighbors, coworkers, and other friendly faces that you’ve previously met.

The People You’ll Meet in Houston

Part of what makes the community so great in Houston are all the people who call the city home. Living in the diverse neighborhoods of Houston you will meet some of the nicest, most welcoming people in the world. The happiness, diversity, and generosity of the people who live in Houston is a product of everything Houston has to offer, including the robust and diverse job market, affordability, amazing restaurants, and cultural scene! Houston was ranked as one of the coolest cities, best city for building wealth, best quality of life, best hospitals, best value for college, best place for veterans, greenest city, top city for new residents, best city to attract investments in a variety of industries, and so much more!

Whether you’re moving to Houston from California, New York, or anywhere in between, you’re sure to notice immediately how welcoming and generous the people in Houston are. You’ll find just about anything you want in Houston. You'll quickly meet native Houstonians and new Houstonians that enjoy the same activities whether it's arts, restaurants, green space and dog parks, beach, and more! After I graduated from college and came back to Houston, I realized how much I’ve missed the contagious personality of the city and Houstonians in general. When you move to Houston, look forward to finding yourself a happier person because you’re surrounded by people who are happy!

Houston is the Best City for High-Paying Jobs

If you’re moving to Houston you will have a much easier time finding jobs than anywhere else. Houston is more than just oil and gas companies, and the economy is diverse enough to weather $40-50/barrel oil. Houston is home to the world’s largest medical center. Health service companies, as well as med school programs have kept employment expanding with the oil and gas downturn. Also, the chemical, refinery, and Port of Houston are still growing strong and investment has increased due to cheaper oil and natural gas inputs.

With more than 49,000 job openings you’ll be sure to find a great opportunity whether it's in Greenway Plaza, Downtown, Energy Corridor, Medical Center, or The Woodlands. Houston’s job markets has diversified immensely in the past 20 years. Previously the city and economy was based on oil and gas prices, but today Houston is well known for its world-class Texas Medical Center, Port of Houston, manufacturing and distribution, engineering, space/NASA, and startup/entrepreneurial spirit. 

The Food in Houston is Incredible and SOOO many options!

Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the world, which luckily for you means amazing and varied cuisine! Whether you’re eating banh mi sandwiches at Les Givral’s or Pho down the street at Simply Pho, BBQ at Goode Co, Gulf seafood at Tony Mandola's, oysters at Caracol, Tex Mex at Lupe Tortilla or El Tiempo, authentic Mexican in the East End (The Original Ninfa's on Navigation or one of the many taquerias), steaks at Killen’s in Pearland, Turkish at Istanbul near Medical Center/Rice Village, tapas at Oporto in midtown, or anywhere in between you won’t run out of different types of foods and restaurants to try in Houston! In fact, NYT recently featured a number of Houston’s amazing world-class restaurants (Helen Greek Food & Wine, Underbelly, BCN Taste & Tradition, Pax Americana) in a recent article. 

Houston’s Restaurant Weeks, yes weeks, lasts for more than a month! Houston is a city full of oil and gas and medical employees with a big heart and healthy appetite. HRW lasts from August to Labor Day—and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Houston Foodbank. Check out the menu and participating restaurants here. Great to try out new places with clients or a date!

Check out this article for some of the best neighborhoods to eat in Houston!

Local Craft Breweries will Keep You Cool in Houston

Saint Arnold Brewing Company is the oldest craft brewery in Texas and started it all! Seasonal and specialty brews (Divine Reserve!) keep the brewery’s beer hall packed every Monday through Saturday. Lunch can be bought and you can sit at the many tables in the beer hall, or you can bring snacks, games, folding chairs, and picnic blankets for your own feast while sampling the beers. 8th Wonder Brewery is located in EaDo/East End and features an indoor tap room as well as a huge backyard to hangout and play frisbee or eat at their food trucks. Other awesome breweries include Karbach Brewing Co, Lone Pint Brewery, No Label Brewing, Buffalo Bayou Brewery, Texan Brewing Co in Richmond, Southern Star Brewing and B-52 Brewing Company in Conroe, and Galveston Island Brewing in Galveston.

Affordability of Homes for Sale in Houston

In Houston, the homes for sale are some of the most affordable in the nation. Whether you're searching for a house in Houston’s East End, North Houston, or in a suburb of Houston you'll find the homes are priced fairly for the quality of life and economy. Houston Real Estate offers great value. Whether you are shopping for a home in Katy, Pearland, North Houston communities, or Sugar Land, you’ll have easy access to the city at an affordable price.

Weather 

While Houston can reach up to 100 degrees in July and August, you may be surprised about the delightful weather the other 8-10 months of the year. Houston rarely has snowfall and you don’t ever have to worry about shoveling snow off your driveway or sidewalks. The roads may ice over once or twice a year but normally schools and businesses will shutdown so their students and employees don’t have to make the treacherous drives—oh and the ice will usually melt within a few hours. If you live in Houston make sure to have a good pair of rain boots and rain jacket, as well as an umbrella in the car or on your porch. Living so close to Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico will invite a few tropical storms, flooding, and possibly a hurricane every once in a while. Safety first!

Education is Some of Best in Nation

Houston has 14 major institutions of higher education and more than 100 colleges, community colleges, technical, and trade schools. The 14 higher learning institutions include Baylor College of Medicine (the only private medical school in the Greater Southwest), Houston Baptist University, Rice University (constantly ranked as one of the top institutions in the country!), South Texas College of Law (one of the largest private law schools in the country), Texas Southern University, University of Houston (including a Space Architecture graduate program and more than 70 students participating in the olympics and earning 33 medals), University of St. Thomas, University of Texas Health Science Center, and many more! Believe it or not, the greater Houston area has over 80 school districts, check out the list!

GreatSchools.Org is a great resource if you want to look up the ratings of schools in the Houston area—HISD has over 280 schools!

The Arts in Houston

Houston is one of the few U.S. cities with local resident companies in all major fine arts! You can also find exciting performances all season long. Houston residents receive an extra special award since two or more of the fine art companies often perform together, resulting in an even more phenomenal production! The Houston Theater District is located downtown and home to eight performing arts organizations and more than 12,000 seats. Only New York City has more seats concentrated in one geographic area. We Houstonians are proud of our top notch, award winning and globally acclaimed performing arts groups! Enjoy the excitement of a symphony, ballet, opera, and live performances (sometimes all under one roof!). Whether you're looking for the newest or most popular theater, ballet, symphony and opera you will find it in Houston's theatre district!

The Museums in Houston

Houston also shows its devotion to the arts through a full complement of diverse museums and critically acclaimed galleries. Almost midway between Reliant Stadium and downtown, Houston's Museum District offers a range of museums, galleries, and art and cultural institutions, including the city's major museums. The Houston Museum District is one of the largest museum campuses in the country. It includes 18 institutions within walking distance of one another and approximately 4 million people visit institutions in the Museum District every year. PS - Most museums are free on Thursday! The Menil Collection is always free and features an amazing park to spend the day and/or reflect at the nearby Rothko Chapel!

For those with a great appreciation of art, it's just one more reason to relocate to Houston!

Sports in Houston

Houston and the surrounding area have an amazing array of spectator and participant sports as well as a rich sporting culture and die-hard fans! Houstonians enjoy attending events from major professional sports as well as collegiate teams. Houstonians also enjoy participating in activities at Memorial Park, Buffalo Bayou, or even sailing in Galveston Bay or Clear Lake. There are a number of after school and after work sports groups such as Houston Sports & Social Club.

Houston’s major league teams include Houston Astros baseball, Houston Texans football, Houston Rockets basketball, Houston Dynamo soccer, Houston Dash women's soccer, and Scrap Yard Dawgs women's softball. The Astros were in the World Series most recently in 2005. In 2006 and 2007 the Dynamo won the MLS cup, and the Rockets won the NBA championship back-to-back in 1994 and 1995! 

Houston has been transformed by its major league teams due to their popularity and their stadiums! The home of the Astros, Minute Maid Park, BBVA Compass Stadium (home of the Dynamos and Dash) and the Toyota Center (home of the rockets and many concerts) are all in Downtown Houston. The stadiums have transformed the east side of downtown to a vibrant day-and-night destination (Downtown—it's not just for work anymore!). Both Minute Maid Park and the NRG Stadium (home of the Texans) are drop top/retractable roof stadiums. Also, you can’t visit Houston without stopping by the world-famous, eight wonder of the world, the Astrodome! In fact, the city's stadiums hold over 150,000 fans collectively! 

The Houston area hosts five division I college athletic programs including the University of Houston, Rice University, Houston Baptist University, Texas Southern University, and Prairie View A&M University (in Prairie View). UofH just opened a new stadium, TDECU Stadium, and most schools have facilities for other NCAA sports such as basketball and baseball. Other annual events hosted in Houston include the Houston Marathon, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Shell Houston Open, Houston College Classic, US Men’s Clay Court Champions, SWAC Championship game, and many college bowl games! Also, don’t forget Houston is home to upcoming Super Bowl LI!

Live Music

Whether you are in the mood for indie bands, honky tonk, blues, zydeco, funky, pop megastars, or anything in between you’ll feel right at home in Houston! Walter’s, Numbers, Boondocks, Cactus Music, Last Concert Cafe, or Anderson Fair is your best best for the indie and eclectic groups, while the House of Blues, Revention Music Hall, and Toyota Center (or Minute Maid) is your go-to spot for the world-wide touring acts. Don’t forget about Miller Outdoor and the Houston Symphony for a more traditional experience. While you’re in Houston don’t forget to check out some favorite local bands such as Kam Franklin and the Suffers, The Tontons, and Los Skarnales—local Houston music is as diversified as the city! Great websites for local music and concert events include Houston Press, Culture Map, and Houstonia.

Nightlife

Whether it's Monday or Saturday night there is always something fun to do in Houston! If you’re looking for Vegas-style dance clubs (Limelight, Lilly and Bloom, Gossip, Rich’s), sports pubs, wine bars, or anything in between you’re in the right city! There are numerous areas to go out on the town in Houston including Main St downtown, midtown, Montrose, Washington Ave, Rice Village, Energy Corridor, and more—each with a different vibe. Or hangout in one of the above music venues, one of the many coffee shops, or even an art gallery or museum (Natural History Museum and Museum of Fine Art Houston host parties after dark!).

The Beach

Looking to catch some rays and relax next to the water? Houston is less than an hour from Kemah, Seabrook, Galveston (East Beach, Jamaica Beach, Pirate’s Beach, Moody Gardens), Surfside, and Bolivar’s Peninsula! Kemah is great for seafood and spending the day on the Kemah Boardwalk. Or go to the Galveston area to enjoy even more seafood and surf in the gulf or build a sand castle. The beach is amazing during the summer and holidays such as 4th of July and Labor Day weekend. After the beach enjoy some cold beers or head to the Strand for some shopping. Nearby is La Porte, where you can find Pine Gulley Park or the Sylvan Beach and Pavilion, or visit the tea rooms and enjoy some bread pudding after soaking up some sun. Don’t forget about Armand Bayou, which is a must do for environmental and ecology enthusiasts! If you want to drive a few hours then head to Corpus Christi and South Padre to experience some blue green crystal water!

Whether you are a Houston newbie or moving within Houston — give Mike Brombacher a call (832-656-1932) or email mike@ResideResidentialTX.com for any neighborhood or real estate questions!