Sawyer Heights Real Estate Guide

Sawyer Heights homes for sale & insider real estate guide

Sawyer Heights, known as the historic First Ward, is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. It is northwest of Downtown Houston and has evolved into a mix of new construction and preserved vintage homes.

Sawyer Heights real estate is well-known for its:

• HISTORIC DISTRICT: The High First Ward district is one of Houston's designated historic districts. It consists of 55 houses built between the years 1890 and 1930. Most feature Queen Anne and Craftsman architecture from the turn of the century.

• 5-MINUTE COMMUTE TO DOWNTOWN: Residents of Sawyer Heights can get to Downtown in 5 minutes by bike, Uber, or bus. Downtown, Houston's top business hub, is home to over 3,500 businesses and 100,000 workers.

• NEARNESS TO NEIGHBORHOODS: Sawyer Heights is close to Houston's most accessible neighborhoods. It includes the historic Heights and Rice Military. Several major roads and freeways connect the vicinity to Houston's busier districts in just minutes.

• MULTI-PURPOSE NATURE TRAILS: Sawyer Heights lies between three green spaces of hiking and biking trails. These hike and bike trails are at Buffalo Bayou, the Heights, and the White Oak Bayou.

• SHORT DRIVES TO BUSINESS AND WORK: Apart from the Downtown, residents of Sawyer Heights have quick access to other top areas in Houston. The Galleria (about 8 miles west) and the Texas Medical Center (around 7.5 miles south) are examples.

• ACTIVE CIVIC ORGANIZATION: First Ward Civic Council, Inc. is a non-profit organization run by volunteers that promote the neighborhood as an arts district. The FWCC also raises funds for different projects. Some of these are community events, community gardens, and beautification.

• RETAIL AND DINING OPTIONS: The First Ward is minutes away from various dining and retail establishments. Sawyer Heights Village, the Washington Corridor, and Downtown's Main Street are among them.

Sawyer Heights/First Ward real estate can be tricky and challenging. Some homes are close to major roads (which can affect resale). Others are within the historic district (which has restrictions). There are lots of properties in Sawyer Heights that are out of date and need major renovation.

To get help in this challenging market, contact Paige Martin, one of Houston's best realtors and one of the top-ranked Realtors in the United States.

“My wife and I were looking for a house in the Houston Area. We were out of state, which made finding a house more challenging. We found Houston Properties Team on-line and they were highly rated. They got us in touch with Brittney who turned out to be incredible for us. We flew into Houston on numerous occasions and she made time on each trip to find us houses to look at, as well as, checking on all the crazy amount of houses we sent her that we found on Zillow. I could not recommend her enough. Thanks Brittney!” - Jim Calhoun (Google Review)

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Sawyer Heights Homes For Sale

Sawyer Heights Homes For Rent

Table of Contents

1. Sawyer Heights Home Sale Trends
2. Sawyer Heights Best Realtor Insights
3. Sawyer Heights Maps, Location & Zip Code
4. Sawyer Heights Schools
5. Sawyer Heights Real Estate Market

Sawyer Heights Home Sale Trends

Sawyer Heights, known as the historic First Ward, is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. It is northwest of Downtown Houston and has evolved into a mix of new construction and preserved vintage homes.

Sawyer Heights real estate is well-known for its:

• 5-MINUTE COMMUTE TO DOWNTOWN: Residents of Sawyer Heights can get to Downtown in 5 minutes by bike, Uber, or bus. Downtown is home to over 3,500 businesses and 100,000 workers.

• HISTORIC DISTRICT: The High First Ward district is one of Houston's designated historic districts. It consists of 55 houses built between 1890 and 1930. Most feature Queen Anne and Craftsman architecture from the turn of the century.

• RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT NEARBY: The First Ward is minutes away from several dining and retail hubs. Sawyer Heights Village, the Washington Corridor, and Downtown's Main Street are among them.

Sawyer Heights lies between three green spaces of hiking and biking trails. These hike and bike trails are at Buffalo Bayou, the Heights, and the White Oak Bayou.

Sawyer Heights Best Realtor Insights

Sawyer Heights, a Houston neighborhood that dates back to the 1890s, is now known as an arts district.

• By using a bike, an Uber, or a bus, Sawyer Heights homes are only 5 minutes from Downtown. Downtown is home to over 3,500 businesses and 100,000 workers.

• The First Ward is minutes away from various dining and retail establishments. It includes Sawyer Heights Village, the Washington Corridor, and Downtown's Main Street District.

• Sawyer Heights lies between three green spaces of hiking and biking trails. These hike and bike trails are at Buffalo Bayou ( (which connects to Memorial Park), the Heights, and the White Oak Bayou.

• The High First Ward district is one of Houston's designated historic districts. It consists of 55 houses built between 1890 and 1930. The majority are examples of Queen Anne and Craftsman architecture from the turn of the century.

• First Ward Civic Council, Inc. is a non-profit organization run by volunteers that promote the neighborhood as an arts district. The FWCC also raises funds for different projects. Some of these are community events, community gardens, and beautification.

• For a time, the First Ward/Sawyer Heights neighborhood, like others around Downtown, fell into disrepair. The interest and community involvement in the area led to its redevelopment as a historic and arts district.

• The neighborhood is within the Houston ISD's Crockett Elementary, Hogg Middle, and Heights High School.

• Floor plans in the neighborhood range from 2 to 3 bedrooms. Living areas can range from 800 to 2,500 square feet. And the lot sizes extend from 2,000 to 8,000 square feet.

• Development in the area boomed in the last few years, leading to the tear-down of older homes in favor of townhomes. Sawyer Heights townhomes have 2 to 3 stories and 3 to 4 bedrooms. Home sizes range from 1,400 to 3,000 square feet.

• Sawyer Heights home prices range from $150,000 to over $650,000.

Sawyer Heights Maps, Location & Zip Code

Sawyer Heights Schools

Sawyer Heights homes are within the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

Houston ISD, founded in the 1920s, is the largest school district in the state, with 283 schools. The zone received a Met Standard ranking from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in 2016. HISD promotes several International Baccalaureate (IB) World schools.

A few charter schools are also near the neighborhood, including Houston Heights Learning Academy (902 W 8th St.), Houston Heights High School (1125 Lawrence St.), and Arabic Language Immersion School (812 W 28th St.).

Students in the area may go to the following public schools:

Elementary Schools

• Crockett Elementary School at 2112 Crockett St. Is a Magnet School for Performing and Visual Arts that lies within the First Ward. The school features music, ballet, visual art, and rhythmic dancing classes.

Middle Schools

• Hogg Middle School at 1100 Merrill St. Woodland Heights is home to Hogg Middle School. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is available at the school. Besides, are AP and Pre-AP, core classes.

High Schools

• Heights High School at 413 E 13th St. The school offers the International Baccalaureate program. Besides the IB program, the school is also a computer technology magnet school. It has programs and courses in science, engineering, business, and others.

Sawyer Heights Area Private Schools

The following are some of the private schools near Sawyer Heights:

• Bayou Village School at 3701 Hardy St.

• Lutheran High North, 1130 W 34th St.

• Victory Prep School at 2903 Jensen Dr.

• Incarnate Word Academy at 609 Crawford St.

• Our Lady of Guadalupe School at 2405 Navigation Blvd.

• The New School in the Heights at 403 Heights Blvd.

• Houston Outdoor Learning Academy at 2731 Houston Ave.

• Immanuel Lutheran School at 403 Heights Blvd.

• Temple Oaks Baptist School at 2101 W 34th St.

• St. Rose of Lima Catholic School at 3600 Brinkman St.

To find an updated listing of all Sawyer Heights real estate zoned to any specific public school, please email Paige Martin at [email protected] with your property preferences and budget.

*Note: School zoning tends to change from year to year. The information provided above is accurate but not guaranteed. Please double-check by visiting the school’s website.

Sawyer Heights Real Estate Market

Sawyer Heights Single-Family Home Sale Trends

Sawyer Heights/First Ward single-family homes are often older cottages and bungalows, some of which date back to the 1890s.

The older homes in the area are notable examples of Victorian, Colonial, and Craftsman architecture from the turn of the century. The majority have one-story floor plans with 2 to 3 bedrooms.

Home sizes range from 800 to around 2,500 square feet. Lot sizes are typically between 2,000 and 8,000 square feet.

Sawyer Heights home prices range from $150,000 to over $650,000.

Sawyer Heights Townhome Sales Trends

The demolition of many of Sawyer Heights' older homes paid the way for new construction townhomes. The townhomes in the neighborhood are new or recently built, dating from 2000 to 2017. Some are within gated communities that offer amenities only for residents.

Two- to three-story homes with three to four bedrooms are common. Lot sizes of townhomes are smaller than detached homes, ranging from 1,400 to around 3,000 square feet.

Prices for townhomes in Sawyer Heights/First Ward can start at $300,000. Newer and larger properties can sell for more than $500,000.

Here are some nearby townhome communities:

• Views on Hickory

• Silver Commons

• Crockett Gardens

• Tuscan Manor

• Sawyer Heights

• Colorado Townhomes

• Seasons Brownstones

Sawyer Heights Condo Sale Trends

Sawyer Heights lacks mid-and high-rise residential buildings. Some units are available in nearby areas such as Downtown (some are near or along the METRORail) and Houston Heights.

Downtown Houston Lofts

• Bayou Lofts

• Franklin Lofts

• Hermann Lofts

• Byrd’s Lofts

• St Germain Lofts

• Capitol Lofts

• Keystone Lofts

• Kirby Lofts

• Rise Lofts

• Stanford Lofts

• Herrin Lofts

• Beaconsfield Lofts

• San Jacinto Lofts

• Commerce Towers

• Four Seasons Residence

• The Edge

• 2016 Main

• The Rice Lofts

• Hogg Palace

• Dakota Lofts

See Inner Loop Houston Condos for more information on other condos in the Inner Loop. See Downtown Houston Condos for condos in the surrounding area.

Sawyer Heights Houston History

The First Ward, established in 1840, is Houston's original central business district. The neighborhood was one of the original four wards (taking up the area north of Congress and west of Main).

At the time, Farms comprised the First Ward. Because of its proximity to Houston's docks, it later became a warehouse district. Many of the residents from the area were laborers, railroad workers, and grocers at the time.

Like other downtown neighborhoods, the First Ward declined as residents moved to the suburbs. Most buildings fell into disrepair after.

The First Ward began to re-emerge as a neighborhood in the 2010s. With the help of the First Ward Civic Council, the area's art community flourished. It helped promote the neighborhood as an arts district.

Developers became interested as the demand for housing near downtown workplaces grew. Demolition of many of the older homes in the area made way for new townhomes.

The redevelopment of Jefferson Davis Hospital into Elder Street Artist Lofts happened. It became a neighborhood landmark.

Some people later began referring to the First Ward as Sawyer Heights due to the nearby shopping center (along I-10 and Taylor Street).

Fun Things to Do Near Sawyer Heights

Sawyer Heights/The First Ward area has plenty of dining, retail, and entertainment options within its borders. There are, however, plenty more in nearby districts, including downtown Houston.

Sawyer Heights Village is a shopping center with over 100,000 square feet of leasable space, located on I-10 and Taylor Street. Target, Staples, and Payless are among the nearby retailers.

Along Washington Avenue, also known as the Washington Corridor, there are eateries and other hubs.

The Heights Hike and Bike Trail run through the neighborhood. The 8-mile trail winds from downtown's northern tip, south of Northside Village (Near Northside). It goes north of First Ward (Sawyer Heights) and into the Greater Heights area.

Residents are just minutes from downtown's vibrant districts. Some are the Theater District, Market Square Park, and the Ballpark District, among others.

The following are some of Sawyer Heights' must-see places:

Dining

• Ono Poke
• 5411 Empanadas
• Local Foods
• Hearsay Gastro Lounge
• Henderson Heights
• Stanton's City Bites
• The Moonshiners Southern Table + Bar
• Ritual
• MOD Pizza
• La Fisheria
• The District

Parks and Trails

• Woodland Park
• Hogg Park
• The Water Works at the Buffalo Bayou Park
• Buffalo Bayou Park
• Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
• Eleanor Tinsley Park
• Heights Hike and Bike Trail
• White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail

Nightlife

• Dirt Bar
• Foundation Room
• The Turkey Leg Hut
• Moving Sidewalk
• Boots'n Shoots
• Prohibition Supperclub & Bar
• The Nightingale Room
• MKT BAR
• Dark Horse Tavern
• The Boulevardier
• Cafeza

Groceries

• Phoenicia Specialty Foods
• Lankford Grocery
• Whole Foods Market
• Kroger
• Randalls
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Bun Penny Food & Wine
• Central City Co-Op

Best Sawyer Heights Realtor – Paige Martin

As featured on Fox News in the Morning, Houston Business Journal, and Houston Magazine, Paige Martin, a consistent Top Producing Broker-Associate and head of the Houston Properties Team, is ranked as one of the top residential real estate agents in the world.

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