Red-Hot Neighborhoods

Real estate experts reveal Houston's hottest 'hoods for 2018

Five Houston neighborhoods are about to get a lot of love.

Photo by Shobeir Ansari, Getty Images

Real estate website Zillow has its list of the top 10 hottest housing markets for 2018, and while Houston doesn't make the cut, the study does provide a sneak peek at which H-Town neighborhoods are likely to see a surge in popularity this coming year.

The Greater Third Ward takes the top spot, with an anticipated 6.8 percent increase in home value appreciation. It's followed by Spring Branch East (4.4 percent), Hidden Valley (4.0 percent), Willowbrook (3.0 percent), and the Willow Meadows–Willowbend area (2.7 percent).

Though Houston is missing from Zillow's top 10, two other Texas neighbors land on the list. Austin snags No. 6, with a home value forecast of 3.3 percent and a typical household income of around $71,000 (somewhat low compared to other cities, but remember the low cost of Texas living). But what really wows is the stats surrounding Austin's anticipated job growth: 47,430 jobs are projected to materialize next year. Zillow also points out that Austin has one of the lowest unemployment rates among large cities, even as its population is growing faster than other major metros (it was at 2.8 percent between 2015 and 2016).

Dallas-Fort Worth makes a good showing at No. 10 overall. The third-highest home value forecast (4.7 percent) and a whopping 142,084 jobs — by far the most in the top 10 — highlight its attractiveness to new residents.

To make its list, Zillow scaled six variables for the 50 largest U.S. metros and combined them to form a "hotness" score. The data included:

Zillow’s home value and rent forecasts, which predict the change in median home values and median estimated rents over the next 12 months
Income and population growth using ACS 2015 and 2016 one-year estimates
Current unemployment rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Glassdoor's estimated number of job openings per person

San Jose, California, tops the list of hottest markets for 2018, mainly because home values in the Silicon Valley hub gained 17.4 percent over the past year — the fastest growth among the 50 largest metro areas — and Glassdoor estimates that San Jose has 0.036 job openings per person, which is the highest rate among large U.S. metros. It’s also the only market with a median household income above $100,000.

Seattle (No. 3); San Francisco (No. 5); and Portland, Oregon (No. 9) help the West Coast dominate, while two cities in North Carolina — Raleigh (No. 2) and Charlotte (No. 4) — join Denver and Nashville to complete the top 10.

HAUTE PROPERTIES

675-acre Hill Country ranch where George Strait rehearsed lists for $19.5M

Photo by Michelle Watson CultureMapSnap

George Strait developed his early sound at Lone Woman Ranch.

Lone Woman Ranch, the Hill Country estate where country stars like George Strait, George Jones, and Ace in the Hole Band rehearsed, is up for sale for $19.5 million.

Located 65 miles from San Antonio in Hays County on 675 acres, the secluded ranch once served as an artistic getaway for emerging Texas artists. The property, listed by Olmos Park firm Republic Ranches. is named after the nearby Lone Woman Mountain, and its elevation gives an incredible view of the county. On a clear day, you can see downtown Austin.

The land comes with two residences, both built near the entrance gate. The primary stone house has original hardwood floors, a recently remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a new HVAC system. The secondary residence was used as a rehearsal space. Both have had long-term residents who made improvements, and both have their own septic systems, wells, and electric meters.

The real appeal of Lone Woman Ranch, however, is the extensive woods, creeks, and natural setting. It is next to 6,000 acres of conservation land, including Storm Ranch. The entire mountain is also included in the property, making it a veritable mini-kingdom for the owner with unobstructed privacy on three sides.

Two ponds are on the site — a 4-acre and a 1-acre — both fully stocked. Runoff from the larger pond creates picturesque seasonal limestone waterfalls.The surrounding woods are full of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, turkeys, doves, and more. The property is under wildlife exemption.

It's little wonder the ranch was a muse to so many country musicians. A network of ranch roads provides access throughout the property, including most of the way up Lone Woman, giving views around every corner. Only Strait can tell you whether his 1996 hit "King of the Mountain" was inspired by the ranch.

Photo by Michelle Watson CultureMapSnap

George Strait developed his early sound at Lone Woman Ranch.

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