Best Close-In Houston Neighborhoods: 5-Year Period Highs & Lows
See Close-In Houston Neighborhoods with the best 5-year appreciation.
4 out of 24 top Close-In Houston neighborhoods posted appreciation rates of over 30% in the past 5-years. It includes Five Corners (48.1%), Northwest Houston (43.2%), Brays Oaks (37.0%), and Medical Center South (30.2%).
Meanwhile, 2 out of 24 neighborhoods reflected depreciation rates of up to -19.8%. This data reflects the housing market's volatility over the past years.
Recent major events have impacted the Close-In Houston market in many ways. The oil price crash, relocation boom, Hurricane Harvey, COVID-19, and rising inflation are some of its main factors.
With this, we've divided the Close-In Houston housing market into 12 segments based on price range & type, and the data shows the following:
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Major gaps in appreciation rates.
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More than half are down markets, affected by the previous oil prices peak.
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33% are in a strong buyer's market.
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50-60% of the market still reflects in the seller's favor.
The 9 Kisses of Death listed the main challenges of the Close-In Houston market:
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Neighborhood flooding history.
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Located on the thoroughfares.
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Located on flood plains/ways.
To identify the best neighborhoods in Close-In Houston, we’ve analyzed over 500,000 home sales from 200 distinct Geo Market Areas. Market Forecast presents the following contributing factors to its real estate appreciation:
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Zoned to Houston’s Best Schools.
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Expansive lots, reaching up to more than 10,000 square feet.
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Proximity to employment centers: Downtown, Galleria, and Energy Corridor.
Here are some of the Close-In Houston neighborhoods with the strongest appreciation rates over the last five years.
Related resources:
- 9 Kisses of Death - the 20-year research study of what NOT to buy in Houston
- Houston's Best & Worst Housing Markets
- Your Guide To The 20 Best Inner Loop Neighborhoods
“Paige and her team are knowledgeable, attentive, responsive, and patient. The HoustonProperties.com team put us into our first dream home, and due to that experience, we’ve returned to them time and again for our real estate needs. While the team’s focus is on completing your deal, their endgame is to ensure your needs are preserved and satisfied.” - Peter McGillivray & Jillian Jopling
Table of Contents
- 5-Year Appreciation: Best Close In Houston Areas
- List of Best Close In Houston Neighborhoods
- Methodology
- The Best Houston Realtor to Sell Your Home
5-Year Appreciation: Best Close In Houston Areas
Curious to know which Close In neighborhood is best for you? We've got you. Contact us at [email protected].
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| *Charnwood/Briarbend | $425,000 | 79.3% |
| Northwest Houston | $299,500 | 49.8% |
| Rivercrest | $5,226,100 | 48.6% |
| Garden Oaks | $845,000 | 45.1% |
| Gulfton | $298,000 | 45.0% |
| Briargrove Park/Walnutbend | $655,000 | 43.3% |
| Tanglewood Area | $2,226,150 | 41.8% |
| Five Corners | $249,949 | 37.0% |
| Meyerland Area | $510,000 | 35.5% |
| Westchase Area | $785,000 | 33.1% |
| Memorial Villages | $2,115,000 | 31.4% |
| Brays Oaks | $308,000 | 28.3% |
| Medical Center South | $245,750 | 27.3% |
| Briargrove | $1,099,900 | 26.3% |
| Briarmeadow/Tanglewilde | $415,000 | 25.8% |
| Oak Forest West | $362,500 | 25.0% |
| Shepherd Park Plaza Area | $429,900 | 24.6% |
| Spring Branch | $430,000 | 24.6% |
| Oak Forest East | $490,000 | 24.2% |
| Memorial Close In | $2,235,000 | 24.0% |
| Willow Meadows Area | $365,000 | 23.7% |
| *Sharpstown Area | $248,000 | 18.7% |
| *Galleria | $310,000 | 17.0% |
| *Winrock | $192,150 | -3.0% |
List of Best Close In Houston Neighborhoods
"The Houston Properties Team was absolutely amazing. I had initially listed with a different realtor that was recommended by a neighbor with very poor results. It was even more difficult because I was no longer in Houston and the trust I had put in the other agent was definitely taken advantage of. However, when I found Kim with the Houston Properties Team, all that changed. I was informed throughout the process and when she promised something would be done, it was. Before the experience with her, I swore off ever even considering purchasing a home again. She restored my faith in the real estate world." – Jeanette (Google Review)
Charnwood/Briarbend
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Charnwood/Briarbend | $425,000 | 79.3% |
Charnwood is in a tranquil setting nestled within the Western Houston area. An affluent neighborhood with solid real estate appreciation.
Charnwood features:
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CENTRAL LOCATION: Charnwood is near Houston's leading business and retail centers, like the Galleria, the Memorial area, and the Inner Loop. Loop 610 freeway, San Felipe Street, Memorial Drive, and Westheimer Road are easily accessible.
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ELEGANT VICINITY: Charnwood homes are on expansive wooded lots with parks, country clubs, shopping centers, and restaurants, along with the Buffalo Bayou lacing. The neighborhood has recently updated 1950s vintage homes with a newer Ranch-style home.
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SMALL-TOWN VIBE: Charnwood is a deed-restricted community to maintain its overall look and small-town feel. The active civic association in the neighborhood helps enforce the deed restrictions.
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STRONG HOUSING MARKET: Due to the reputable neighborhoods' continued popularity, Charnwood real estate has remained strong in the last few years. It has been included in the list of Houston's top 25 most expensive areas.
Charnwood lot sizes range from 13,000 up to more than 15,000 square feet. Like most of Houston's affluent neighborhoods, deed restrictions are implemented in Charnwood to maintain the community's overall look and atmosphere.
Northwest Houston
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Houston | $299,500 | 49.8% |
Northwest Houston lies north of the Energy Corridor. The neighborhood features some of the Best Suburbs in Houston, vintage & recent properties, and housing options.
Northwest Houston remained popular thanks to its:
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TOP PERFORMING SCHOOLS: Zoned to several school districts namely Aldine, Houston, Klein, and Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District. The community houses some of Houston’s Best Public Schools including Joe E Moreno Elementary and Burbank Middle.
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AFFORDABILITY: Northwest Houston has some of the Best Suburbs in Houston based on community ratings for affordability, amenities, commute time, public schools, and livability. Woodwind Lakes, a Top-Rated Houston Gated Community, is also located in the area.
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WIDE RANGE OF HOME OPTIONS: Northwest Houston features established subdivisions and master-planned communities, with vintage homes and new construction abodes. Traditional-style single-family homes and large estates can be found in the area.
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STRONG REAL ESTATE MARKET: The Northwest Houston neighborhood area is one of the Best in Land Appreciation with strong results in 5 and 10-year valuations.
Northwest Houston homes range in size from 7,000 to more than 80,000 square feet and are spread out on large wooded lots along tree-lined streets.
Rivercrest
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Rivercrest | $5,226,100 | 48.6% |
Rivercrest is a stately neighborhood east of Beltway 8, just off Briar Forest Drive. Rivercrest homes are one of Houston's hidden gems, distinguished by elegant mansions and acres of lush wooded lots. The community is known for its great location, easy access, and community atmosphere.
Rivercrest real estate is famous for its:
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EXCELLENT LOCATION: Rivercrest is conveniently located near the Galleria, Memorial Park, and the Inner Loop. The key areas are less than 10 miles away.
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EASE OF TRAVEL: Rivercrest homes are bordered by major roads and thoroughfares such as Beltway 8, Gessner Road, and Westheimer Road. The residents can easily access Houston's Best Schools, shops, restaurants, and private clubs.
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GREAT HOME OPTIONS: Rivercrest, one of Houston's premier neighborhoods, features large stately homes. Most homes are from the 1960s. Impressive new constructions spread across acres of green space.
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LUSH COMMUNITY: Rivercrest streets are lined with massive oak and pine trees, and homes are set back from the street. Homes are hidden by sprawling lawns and driveways, creating a serene enclave.
The community has its very own civic club that maintains its community vibes. Residents can also have horses due to deed restrictions.
Methodology
"Lisa Iglesias and The Houston Properties Team were all perfect. They are smart and so knowledgeable. The analysis and detail they created for all the homes/neighborhoods we toured were very helpful. We could not love our home/ neighborhood more." - Karen Trenary (HAR review)
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The Houston Association of Realtor (HAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has categorized the Houston general metropolitan service area. It has created about 200 distinct "Geo Market Areas".
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All Houston area properties in the MLS are classified into one Geo Market Area based on their location.
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Since Houston sprawls over 600 square miles, we took the Geo Market Areas within a 40-mile radius of Houston. We did not include areas like Angelina County, Tyler County, and Freeport. They are generally considered outside of the Houston-Woodlands-Baytown MSA.
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We categorized these geo markets into six regions:
1) Inner Loop. (All or the majority of the Geo Market Area resides in Houston's 610 Loop.)
2) Close In, But Not In the Inner Loop. (All or the majority of the Geo Market Area resides in Houston's Beltway 8, but not within 610 Loop.)
3) West / Southwest areas.
4) North / Northwest areas.
5) East / Northeast areas.
6) South / Southeast areas.
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*Default median housing price values are from single-family homes except in these neighborhoods. Condos, townhomes, and single-family homes are considered in these neighborhoods. This is due to the above-average number of condos/townhomes in these market areas. All regions where anything other than single-family homes are used have a * designation.
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Annual home prices are based on HAR MLS reported sales for the prior year between January 1 and May 31. Starting on June 1, the current year HAR MLS sales data is used.
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Reporters or news outlets, please contact Paige@HoustonProperties.com for details. We may provide an Excel export of every neighborhood’s associated data and calculations.
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Data is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. Information is provided for informational purposes only.
The Best Houston Realtor to Sell Your Home
The Houston Properties Team has a well-defined structure based on the individual strengths of each member. Each member is a specialist in their role – which is why our homes sell faster and for more money than average.
Paige Martin, Broker Associate with Keller Williams Realty, and the Houston Properties Team are ranked among the top residential Realtors in the world.
They have been featured on TV and in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, Reuters, Fox News in the Morning, Money Magazine, Houston Business Journal, Houstonia, and Houston Chronicle.
Paige Martin was just ranked as the #5 agent in the world with Keller Williams, completing over $1 Billion in Houston residential real estate sales.
Recent awards include:
– 2022: #1 Residential Real Estate Team by Sales Volume, Houston Business Journal
– 2021: Best Real Estate Teams in America, RealTrends.com
– 2021: Top 100 Women Leaders in Real Estate of 2021
– 2021: America’s Top 100 Real Estate Agents
– 2021: Top Real Estate Team (Houston Properties Team), Houston Business Journal
– 2021: Best Houston Real Estate Team, Best of Reader’s Choice
– 2021: Top Real Estate Team (Houston Properties Team), Houston Business Journal
– 2021: #1 Real Estate Team, Keller Williams Memorial
– 2020: America’s Best Real Estate Teams, Best of America Trends
– 2020: Best Houston Real Estate Team, Best of Reader’s Choice
– 2020: Top Real Estate Team (Houston Properties Team), Houston Business Journal
– 2020: #6 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Worldwide
– 2020: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Texas (Top Keller Williams Realtor)
– 2020: #1 Real Estate Team, Keller Williams Memorial
- 2019: Top Residential Realtors in Houston, Houston Business Journal
- 2019: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2019: #5 Individual Agent, KW Worldwide
- 2019: #1 Individual Agent, KW Texas
- 2018: #5 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Worldwide
- 2018: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Texas
- 2018: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Houston
- 2018: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2018: Top 25 Residential Realtors in Houston, Houston Business Journal
- 2018: Texas’ Most Influential Realtors
- 2017: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Texas
- 2017: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Houston
- 2017: #10 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Worldwide
- 2017: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2017: Top 25 Residential Realtors in Houston, Houston Business Journal
- 2017: Texas’ Most Influential Realtors
- 2016: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Texas
- 2016: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Houston
- 2016: #20 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Worldwide
- 2016: Texas’ Most Influential Realtors
- 2016: Top 25 Residential Realtors in Houston, HBJ
- 2016: Five Star Realtor, Featured in Texas Monthly
- 2016: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2015: #9 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, United States
- 2015: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Texas
- 2015: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams, Houston
- 2015: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2015: Top 25 Residential Realtors in Houston, HBJ
- 2015: Five Star Realtor, Texas Monthly Magazine
- 2014: America’s Best Real Estate Agents, RealTrends.com
- 2014: #1 Individual Agent, Keller Williams Memorial
...in addition to over 318 additional awards.
Paige also serves a variety of non-profits, and civic and community boards. She was appointed by the mayor of Houston to be on the downtown TIRZ board.
Benefits Of Working With The Houston Properties Team
Our team, composed of distinguished and competent Houston luxury realtors, has a well-defined structure based on the individual strengths of each member.
We find the team approach as the most effective way to sell homes. We have dedicated people doing staging, marketing, social media, open houses, and showings. Each Houston Properties Team member is a specialist in their role—which is why our homes sell faster and for more money than average.
The benefits of working with a team include:
- the ability to be in two or three places at one time; a member can handle showings, while another answer calls
- collective time and experience of members
- targeted advice and marketing of agent expert in your area
- competitive advantage by simply having more resources, more ideas, and more perspectives
- a “checks and balances” system; selling and buying a home in Houston is an intensely complex process
- more people addressing field calls and questions from buyers and agents to facilitate a faster, successful sale
- efficient multi-tasking; one agent takes care of inspections and repair work, while another agent focuses on administrative details
- multiple marketing channels using members’ networks
- constant attention: guaranteed focus on your home and your transaction
- lower risk for mistakes. Multiple moving parts increase oversights. A team approach handles these “parts” separately
- flexibility in negotiation and marketing
- better management of document flow
- increased foot traffic through more timely and effective showing schedule coordination; and
- increased sphere of influence and exposure to more potential buyers.
To meet all the award-winning members of the Houston Properties Team, please go here.
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