Best Neighborhoods to Live in Inner Loop Houston
Planning to buy a home? Here's a curated list of the best places to live in Inner Loop Houston based on their 5-year appreciation.
Coronavirus, Hurricane Harvey, oil price crash, and soaring inflation rate are some of the events in the past five years that significantly affected Houston real estate. Winners emerge amidst the ups and downs of the Houston housing market.
Inner Loop neighborhoods remain to be popular among homebuyers. They offer easy access to Houston's main districts such as Downtown, Galleria, Museum District, and Memorial Park.
It is important to remain conscious of key home buying themes to avoid mistakes. (Read 9 Kisses of Death: Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a House).
"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)
Table of Contents
- 5-Year Appreciation: Best Inner Loop Houston Areas
- List of Best Inner Loop Houston Neighborhoods
- Methodology
- The Best Houston Realtor to Sell Your Home
5-Year Appreciation: Best Inner Loop Houston Areas
Curious to know which Inner Loop neighborhoods are best for you? We've got you. Contact us at [email protected].
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Braeswood Place | $1,352,750 | 45.1% |
| Northside | $277,500 | 40.9% |
| River Oaks Area | $3,226,514 | 37.3% |
| Bellaire Area | $1,208,000 | 35.2% |
| West University/Southside Area | $1,850,000 | 32.3% |
| Upper Kirby | $1,142,930 | 31.0% |
| Heights/Greater Heights | $675,000 | 29.3% |
| Timbergrove/Lazybrook | $624,950 | 27.2% |
| *Briar Hollow | $780,000 | 25.4% |
| Cottage Grove | $518,000 | 25.1% |
| University Area | $329,950 | 24.5% |
| River Oaks Shopping Area | $984,900 | 24.1% |
| Knollwood/Woodside | $556,200 | 22.2% |
| Washington East/Sabine | $540,250 | 20.9% |
| Rice Military/Washington Corridor | $558,750 | 17.7% |
| *Midtown Houston | $390,000 | 17.4% |
| Montrose | $770,000 | 16.9% |
| Highland Village / Midlane | $1,250,000 | 15.2% |
| Royden Oaks/Afton Oaks | $1,100,000 | 13.4% |
| Denver Harbor | $329,990 | 13.0% |
| *East End Revitalized | $357,450 | 12.8% |
| Riverside | $399,000 | 11.1% |
| *Downtown Houston | $283,750 | 3.4% |
| Rice / Museum District | $1,025,000 | 2.5% |
| Memorial Park | $1,517,500 | 1.5% |
| *Medical Center Area | $253,250 | 1.3% |
| *Greenway Plaza | $484,500 | -8.6% |
| *The Hawthorne | $2,627,500 | N/A |
| *The Westmore | $1,050,000 | N/A |
List of Best Inner Loop Houston Neighborhoods
"The Houston Properties Team under the leadership of Paige Martin is one of the most successful real estate teams in Texas. Paige and her team take the pain out of the real estate experience through hard work, proprietary systems and processes, and a deep understanding of the hyper-local Houston real estate market. She's ranked #5 in Keller Williams worldwide and #1 in Houston with good reason." – Sandy (Google Review)
Braeswood Place
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Braeswood Place | $1,352,750 | 45.1% |
Braeswood Place is located 6 miles from Downtown Houston. Homes in the neighborhood sit on large lots, ranging from 7,000 to more than 20,000 square feet.
Residents enjoy:
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PROXIMITY TO THE MED CENTER: Braeswood is minutes away from the Texas Medical Center, one of Houston's leading employment centers. It is home to several medical-related institutions, organizations, schools, and hospitals.
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EXCELLENT ACCESSIBILITY: The neighborhood has immediate access to and from multiple Houston hubs like the Galleria and Downtown. Loop 610, Buffalo Speedway, Braeswood Boulevard, and Main Street are only minutes away.
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TOP-RATED SCHOOLS: Braeswood is zoned to some of Houston ISD's best schools, including Twain Elementary, Pershing Middle School, Bellaire High School, and Lamar High School.
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MULTIPLE PARKS: The area is home to several parks and outdoor entertainment areas. Hermann Park, located just a short drive away, offers more options.
Due to the neighborhood's deed restrictions, Braeswood Place is mainly made up of detached single-family homes. Some townhomes in the area feature smaller floor areas, around 1,500 to 2,000 square feet.
Northside
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| Northside | $277,500 | 40.9% |
Located directly north of downtown Houston, Northside is known for its established neighborhoods and great location.
The neighborhood is an appealing option for those looking for:
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METRORAIL & FREEWAY ACCESSIBILITY: The METRORail Red Line has multiple stations in Northside. These connect the residents to key Houston Districts like the Texas Medical Center, downtown, and the University of Houston. The area is also near major freeways: Loop 610, I-45, and I-10.
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TOP-RATED SCHOOLS: Northside is zoned to Houston ISD and Aldine ISD. The community hosts top-rated Houston schools including Ketelsen Elementary School.
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PROXIMITY TO MAJOR EMPLOYERS: Northside is minutes away from major employers like JP Morgan, Chevron, and Deloitte.
Northside homes include single-family, townhomes, and multi-family units. Homes in the area typically sit on lots ranging from 1,000 sq. ft. to over 4 acres.
River Oaks Area
| Area | Median Home Price | Median Sales Price 5 Yr % |
|---|---|---|
| River Oaks Area | $3,226,514 | 37.3% |
One of Houston’s most exclusive neighborhoods, River Oaks is centrally located within the Inner Loop. Deed-restricted and historic, the area features some of the most expensive homes in Bayou City.
River Oaks is well-known for its:
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UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOOD: The neighborhood is a mix of 1920s and 1930s traditional homes, grand estates, luxury condos, and townhomes in gated communities. River Oaks is one of the most expensive Houston neighborhoods.
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TOP-RANKED SCHOOLS: River Oaks homes are zoned to the Houston ISD. The area benefits from excellent schools, including River Oaks Elem and Lanier Middle. The community also has several premier private schools, such as St. John’s and River Oaks Baptist.
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STRONG REAL ESTATE APPRECIATION: River Oaks is among the best Inner Loop neighborhoods in real estate appreciation. The neighborhood has posted impressive appreciation rates over the last 10 years.
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PRIME LOCATION: River Oaks boasts an excellent location in Houston. The area provides easy access to Downtown, the Medical Center, and the Galleria. Major highways like Southwest Freeway, Loop 610, Katy Freeway, and I-45 surround the neighborhood.
River Oaks is home to the River Oaks Country Club Estates, one of Houston’s most affluent golf communities. The country club features a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools, and a fitness center.
Methodology
"The Houston Properties Team is the #1 boutique real estate team in Houston for good reason. Paige, Lisa & Shannon are incredibly candid and professional and they go the extra mile. Their analytics system is 2nd to none, their Success Team is exceptional and on the ball, and they have vendors for everything you'll need." - Infinite Ridge (Google 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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