Young Couple Moving to Houston, Want to Live in the Loop (Bellaire: insurance, townhouse)

[Heading2NYC]

My wife and I and our newborn son will be moving to Houston in the next 3-4 months. She will be working at the medical center and I will be working downtown. We would like to spend about 400-500k on a townhome and would like to minimize our commute. Which neighborhood would you recommend?

[predatorprey]

You can buy a good stand alone home in or near the loop with that price. Why town-home?

[modster]

My first choice would be From 59 (Southwest FRWY) south to Rice University, From about Montrose Blvd on the east over to around Morningside on the west. Go on HAR and run 77006 and 77005, which is split in that region.

There are other nice areas close by, but personally, that would be my first choice.

[Houston_2010]

Send me a private message with your contact info. I'm selling my house in Bellaire neighborhood (not in the market yet). Inside Loop, near I-610 - short drive to medical center and downtown. Great house with 3-4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, office space, big living/dining area. New kitchen cabinets w/granite tops. Nice backyard for swinging in the hammock or entertaining friends. Lots of trees; landscaping. Mother in law in the back as well. 1950's construction but with many additions/upgrades by previous owner (before us) and by us as well. Price not set yet but it will be somewhere in the upper 400's or lower 500K.

[robertrulez]

Yeah with that price range you should definitely just buy a house! Townhomes don't retain value as well as real homes do.

[DJboutit]

You can get a nice house in the heights linkwood lindae park or Idylwood all really nice neighborhoods

[Maybac248]

Originally Posted by Heading2NYC

My wife and I and our newborn son will be moving to Houston in the next 3-4 months. She will be working at the medical center and I will be working downtown. We would like to spend about 400-500k on a townhome and would like to minimize our commute. Which neighborhood would you recommend?

For this kind of pirce range, I would not go for a townhome inside the loop. Your best bet would be either West Univeristy or Bellaire (Bellaire zip code is 77401. Go to HAR.com). If you are new to Texas, one thing you would need to take into consideration is the relatively high property taxes, which is around 3% of your property value annually. If it is your personal residence, you get some discounts. But the tax is high and the homeowner's insurance tends to be higher. Do take those into consideration when you buy a home in Houston.

[LizzySWW]

I'd go with West University with a baby because it's very family oriented. For 400-500k you might find a falling apart 1930's bungalow on the corner of a dangerously busy street in West U......a townhouse would be my pick with your price point.

[houstonfan]

Originally Posted by modster

My first choice would be From 59 (Southwest FRWY) south to Rice University, From about Montrose Blvd on the east over to around Morningside on the west. Go on HAR and run 77006 and 77005, which is split in that region.

There are other nice areas close by, but personally, that would be my first choice.

+1 . I think zip 77098 also fall within those boundaries. Also consider 77027.

[Oildog]

Look in zip 77019.