$300,000 Playland House

Playland: This $300,000 house comes with its own wooded wonderland, waterfall pool & putting green

Editor's Note: Houston, the surrounding areas and beyond are loaded with must-have houses for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. In this continuing series, CultureMap snoops through some of the best and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.

With an expected 10,000 new employees moving to the major Exxon Mobil corporate campus near The Woodlands in 2015, a little gem of a house with a backyard oasis is sure to go fast — especially at the listing price of $300,000.

Walk through

The quaint single-family house sits at the end of a cul-de-sac on a one-block street, affording owners peace and quiet under towering pine trees. The back of the property is just across Lake Woodlands Drive from the award-winning Palmer Course of The Woodlands Country Club.

Enter into the large, open main room with hardwood floors and center contemporary fireplace serving as an architecturally interesting divider between the living area and dining room. The kitchen features an artisan backsplash, under counter lighting, pass-through snack bar and moveable island in the middle.

The breakfast nook at the end of the kitchen takes in views of the backyard via oversized windows. In fact, the backyard is visible from the kitchen, living and dining rooms and all three bedrooms in the house, thanks to multiple double-paned windows.

Hardwood floors continue into the master bedroom and lead to French doors taking owners to a private deck. Double sinks and a huge double shower with bench are highlights of the master bath. The other two bedrooms, each with walk-in closets, share a second bath with clawfoot tub and vessel sink.

Step outside
The backyard is truly a retreat with natural-style swimming pool, hot tub and spa, waterfalls, bridge to a garden escape and sandy beach. A path off the patio takes you into a wooded wonderland with four-hole putting green, sand trap and chipping area. Outdoor seating is spread throughout the yard, offering a new owner many places to enjoy the outdoors.

The brick-and-wood house comes with a two-car attached garage on the 15,240-square-foot lot.

Square footage: 1,800

Asking price: $300,000

Listing agent:Betty Bellomy, John Daugherty, Realtors

Welcome to the backyard retreat at 39 Cottage Grove Place.

16 On the Market 39 Cottage Grove place The Woodlands April 2014

Photo courtesy of © TK Images

Welcome to the backyard retreat at 39 Cottage Grove Place.

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rent affordability news

Houstonians need to make nearly $68,000 to afford rent in 2025

Photo courtesy of Dolce Midtown Apartments

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A new rental report from Zillow has revealed Houston renters need to make about 23 percent more money than they did five years ago in order to afford rent in 2025.

Zillow analysts examined the income needed to afford rent in 50 major U.S. metros, and determined rent prices in each city as of April 2025.

The average Houston renter needs to make $67,731 a year to afford living in the city, the report found. To afford rent for a single-family home, the income needed increases even further to $85,017.

Despite Houston's rising rent cost of living, it's still more affordable than many other cities. Nationally, the average income needed for someone to comfortably afford rent comes out to nearly $81,000. The study says that figure has increased nearly 35 percent since 2020.

"Housing costs have surged since pre-pandemic, with rents growing quite a bit faster than wages," said senior Zillow economist Orphe Divounguy. "This often leaves little room for other expenses, making it particularly difficult for those hoping to save for a down payment on a future home. High upfront costs are often overlooked, which can keep renters in their current homes."

Rent prices in Houston averaged $1,693 last month, which is less costly than the national average rent price of $2,024. Additionally, Houstonians are spending about 24 percent of their income on rent, while the typical American spends almost 30 percent of their income on rent.

Renters are also saving hundreds of dollars in comparison to those that own their homes, as a recent SmartAsset study discovered the median monthly housing costs for a Houston homeowner came out to $2,219.

At least we're not living on the East or West Coast, where eight U.S. metros require six-figure incomes to afford rent. Residents in San Jose, California need to make $136,532 a year to afford rent, the highest out of all 50 U.S. cities. Rent prices in San Jose came out to $3,413 in April.

Here's how much money renters need to afford living in other Texas metros, according to Zillow:

Dallas – $71,413
Austin – $68,840
San Antonio – $58,590

zillow housing report rent prices affordability houston