Would you call Bellaire upscale area? (Houston, River Oaks: low income, real estate, apartments)

[LefflerT]

What are the morehigher-end upscale areas in Houston? Would you include Bellaire?

As we are taking a very serious interest in moving there, can some of you please help describe the place, pros-cons, from personal expeirience.

Thanks

[icon7]

I would say either stay in 77401 or 77025. These zips are very upscale and make up the majority of the Bellaire area. There are some areas that are more upscale than others. Lots of of the homes are tear downs/rebuilds. the area has lots of medical professionals as the drive to the medical center is fast, Bellaire High School is the best HS in HISD. I would stay inside the loop North of Beechnut/Braeswood, south of Bellaire, and west of Buffalo speedway.

[EasilyAmused]

When I think upscale Houston I think River Oaks, Tanglewood, Memorial Villages, Rice and Museum District.

And actually Lamar is ranked higher than Bellaire HS.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by icon7

I would say either stay in 77401 or 77025. These zips are very upscale and make up the majority of the Bellaire area. There are some areas that are more upscale than others. Lots of of the homes are tear downs/rebuilds. the area has lots of medical professionals as the drive to the medical center is fast, Bellaire High School is the best HS in HISD. I would stay inside the loop North of Beechnut/Braeswood, south of Bellaire, and west of Buffalo speedway.

That is certainly a nice area, but I think that about half of what you are describing is actually Southside Place rather than Bellaire. Southside is subject to an enormous volume of new construction and the tear-downs are becoming prohibitively expensive. Southside is even more sought after now that it is zoned to West U. little league. If price is no concern, you may want to limit your search to the areas described in the previous post, but you are cutting out the majority of Bellaire and there is a great deal of prime real estate on the other side of 610. I think that a slightly more practical guideline for Bellaire is to STAY EAST OF CHIMNEY ROCK...

[icon7]

I based my school ranking on Sat/ACT scores of the students. and Bellaire HS ranked higher than Lamar.

I think River Oaks & Memorial are considered as very affluent areas. I would not call Bellaire Avg. Where the avg. home is about 3.5-4x.
The State average and where the median household income is mid $160K.

[EasilyAmused]

Ok, so Bellaire is upper middle class with a sprinkling of upper. But that's not really upscale, just nice. But some of those apartments near the nice ares the worst in the city. Not just low income, but dangerous.

Schools, I think we could dicker all day on that one. But I would hold firm that Lamar was better due to programs, social situations and colleges the kids go onto.

[Premont]

It seems like about a third of the homes near the west loop are McMansions.