Houston's History Mansion

Stately history: $4.15 million Houston mansion flaunts its very prestigious address and English style

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.

Displaying traditional elegance at its best on one of Houston's most prestigious streets, a Joseph Finger-designed historic residence impresses with its stately English-style architecture and oversized lot with mature trees — and a $4,150,000 million asking price.

Walk through
Located at 1740 South Boulevard near Rice University and the Museum District, the three-story house, built in 1936 with upgrades by Eubanks Group Architects and Pasternak Custom Homes, welcomes with its timeless red-brick exterior and lush landscaping.

Enter into a spacious foyer with sweeping staircase to find the formal living room with hardwood flooring, high ceilings, elegant moldings and lots of light pouring in through the restored original windows and French doors. A wood-burning fireplace with stone surround anchors one end of the room, while the other provides the perfect place for another sitting area. Just beyond is a window-lined study or sunroom overlooking the backyard. Original hardware is found throughout.

The gourmet kitchen offers top-of-the-line appliances, plenty of storage, oversized island with seating and a befitting farmhouse sink. A charming breakfast room sits just off the kitchen and includes open custom built-in cabinets and a wine service counter. The kitchen opens to the large family room with vaulted ceilings, built-in bookshelves and the second wood-burning fireplace.

All four bedrooms, including the master suite, are located on the second and third floors. The master bedroom with adjoining sitting area enjoys views from its second-story perch overlooking the grounds. Highlights of the master bath are marble floors and counters, dual sink and vanity, soaking tub and oversized frameless glass shower. In total, the house has four full and two half-baths.

Step outside
A large covered porch in back is designed to become a screened-in area, if desired, and offers an outdoor kitchen for al fresco dining and entertaining. The porch takes in views of the expansive backyard, just part of the one-half acre lot. The three-car garage is attached.

Square footage: 5,914

Asking price: $4,150,000

Listing agent:Kathleen Wetmore, John Daugherty Realtors

A wood-burning fireplace with stone surround anchors one end of the formal living room.

On the Market 1740 South Boulevard October 2014 lr2

Photo courtesy of © TK Images

A wood-burning fireplace with stone surround anchors one end of the formal living room.

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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