The six areas at a glance
| Neighborhood | Typical price | Typical lot | Price per sq ft | To downtown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Oaks | Roughly $950K | 8,000 to 20,000+ sq ft | Roughly $350 to $450 | 15 to 25 min |
| Oak Forest | Roughly $725K | 6,500 to 9,000 sq ft | Roughly $300 to $375 | 15 to 25 min |
| The Heights | Roughly $900K | About 6,600 sq ft | Roughly $375 to $550 | 10 to 15 min |
| Shepherd Park Plaza & Candlelight Plaza | Roughly $725K | 8,000 to 12,000 sq ft | Roughly $275 to $350 | 15 to 25 min |
| Timbergrove Manor & Lazybrook | Roughly $775K | 7,000 to 9,000 sq ft | Roughly $300 to $425 | 10 to 15 min |
| Spring & The Woodlands | Roughly $525K | 7,000 to 15,000+ sq ft | Roughly $170 to $260 | 35 to 60 min |
| Neighborhood | Character | Schools to know | Flood context | Often a fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Oaks | Big lots. Deep roots. | Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet, Durham Elementary, Waltrip High School | Mostly outside the 100-year floodplain | Buyers who want real land close to the Loop |
| Oak Forest | Mid-century bones. New-build energy. | Oak Forest Elementary, Stevens Elementary, Waltrip High School | Varies by section | Families looking for a yard, a strong elementary and a short commute |
| The Heights | Historic streets. City energy. | Harvard Elementary, Field Elementary, Heights High School | Mostly higher ground | Buyers who want to walk to dinner and coffee |
| Shepherd Park Plaza & Candlelight Plaza | Mid-century calm. Close to everything. | Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet, Stevens Elementary, Waltrip High School | Varies by street | Buyers who want a large lot for less than Garden Oaks prices |
| Timbergrove Manor & Lazybrook | Greenbelt living. Heights adjacent. | Sinclair Elementary, Love Elementary, Waltrip High School | Address-specific | Buyers who want Heights access with more yard |
| Spring & The Woodlands | Room to breathe. Forest at your door. | Theiss Elementary, The Woodlands High School | Varies widely | Families prioritizing suburban school districts and space |
How to read the comparison
- Garden Oaks versus Oak Forest: Garden Oaks trades on land, with some of the largest close-in lots in the city. Oak Forest offers smaller lots, a well-known elementary and more new construction, at a lower typical price.
- The Heights: the most walkable of the six and the closest to downtown, with historic districts, bungalows and a large townhome market. You pay for location and character.
- Shepherd Park Plaza and Candlelight Plaza: generous lots and one-story mid-century homes at a discount to Garden Oaks, with fewer teardowns and quiet streets.
- Timbergrove and Lazybrook: Heights access with more yard, park space and trail connections. Elevation varies, so flood diligence matters most here.
- Spring and The Woodlands: newer homes, larger lots for the money, master-planned amenities and suburban school districts, in exchange for a longer drive into the city.
The 48-hour tour itinerary
On a first visit, I plan two days that let you feel each neighborhood at different times of day, not just look at houses. A typical version looks like this.
Day one: the Heights and Timbergrove
- Morning: coffee on 19th Street, then a walk along Heights Boulevard and the Hike and Bike Trail.
- Late morning: tour four to six homes across the Heights, including at least one inside a historic district and one outside.
- Lunch: a neighborhood spot on 19th Street or Yale.
- Afternoon: Timbergrove and Lazybrook, with a stop at Jaycee Park or West 11th Street Park to see how families use the green space.
- Evening: dinner at a Heights favorite like Coltivare or Squable, and a drive back at the hour you would normally commute.
Day two: Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Shepherd Park
- Morning: drive the streets of Garden Oaks to see the lots, then tour homes in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest.
- Midday: lunch at Gatlin's BBQ on Ella Boulevard, then T.C. Jester Park and the White Oak Bayou Greenway.
- Afternoon: Shepherd Park Plaza and Candlelight Plaza, then drive by the schools that matter to you.
- Optional: if Spring or The Woodlands is on your list, swap the afternoon for Market Street and Hughes Landing and a few homes nearby.
- Evening: a patio at Cottonwood or Shepherd Park Draught House, where you will meet the neighbors you are considering.
Rent first, or buy now?
There is no universal answer. Renting first costs you a lease and a second move, but it buys time to learn the city. Buying first saves the double move and lets you lock in today's leverage, but it asks you to decide from a shorter visit.
- Rent first if your job location is not final, if you are torn between the close-in neighborhoods and the suburbs, or if your current home has not sold.
- Buy first if you know the area you want, your financing is underwritten and you can commit to a five-year or longer horizon.
- A middle path: a six-month lease in the neighborhood you favor, with a plan to buy before the lease ends. Many landlords will discuss shorter terms.
Property taxes and no state income tax
Texas has no state income tax, and property taxes do much of that work instead. For many people relocating from high income-tax states, the trade is favorable overall, but it changes how you budget a house.
- Combined rates inside Houston city limits commonly land around 2 percent of appraised value each year.
- In suburban areas with Municipal Utility Districts and HOAs, total rates can run closer to 3 percent.
- Once you qualify for a homestead exemption, the school portion of your bill drops and annual increases in your taxable value are capped at 10 percent. Apply with the appraisal district as soon as you close and move in.
- You can protest your appraised value every year. Many owners do, and the deadline usually falls in the spring.
- Budget from the actual tax rate for the specific address, not from the seller's bill, which may reflect exemptions you will not have in year one.
HOAs, deed restrictions and historic districts
Houston has no traditional zoning code. Instead, land use is shaped by deed restrictions, special lot-size protections, HOAs in many suburbs and historic districts in parts of the Heights. Understanding which apply to a home tells you what you, and your neighbors, can build.
| Type | Where you will see it | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Deed restrictions | Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Shepherd Park, Timbergrove and much of the Heights | Use, setbacks and structures; rules vary by section and the City of Houston can help enforce them |
| Minimum lot size and building line protections | Many blocks in the close-in neighborhoods | Prevent lots from being split into smaller lots or townhomes |
| Mandatory HOA | Most Spring and Woodlands communities | Annual dues, amenities and exterior approvals |
| City historic district | Parts of the Heights | Exterior changes, additions and demolition require a Certificate of Appropriateness |
Buying from a distance
Most of my relocating clients make one trip before closing, sometimes two. The rest happens remotely, and it works well when the information you get from a distance is honest and complete.
- Live video tours with real commentary: what the photos leave out, what the street sounds like and what I would ask about.
- A drive of the block at night and on a weekday morning, so you see traffic, lighting and how the neighbors use the street.
- An insurance check on any finalist before you write an offer, not after.
- Inspections attended in person on your behalf, with the findings walked through on video the same day.
- Remote signing where your lender and title company allow it, so closing day does not require a second flight.
Your 90-day relocation timeline
- 90 days out: a video call to narrow neighborhoods, budget and school priorities. Start lender underwriting.
- 75 days out: I send curated listings and street-level video of your finalists, plus an insurance pre-check on the areas you like.
- 60 days out: your 48-hour tour. Write an offer on the trip if the right home appears.
- 45 days out: option period inspections, which I can attend and document for you on video if you have flown home.
- 30 days out: appraisal, title, survey and insurance binding. Book movers and set up utilities.
- 7 days out: final walkthrough, in person or by live video.
- Closing: sign in person or remotely where your lender and title company allow, then apply for your homestead exemption.
Before you fly in
If you are moving to Houston, I am glad to be your first call. Through Compass, I can also connect you with a trusted agent in your current city to sell the home you are leaving.
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