shore thing

Charming Gulf Coast community named one of the most affordable beach towns in U.S.

Rockport is one of the best beach town values in the U.S.

Photo by Cissy Beasley via Visit Rockport Fulton

With the Lone Star State in the midst of a nation-topping land grab, real estate — especially reasonably priced — is getting harder to find, particularly near the water. Consider Galveston Bay homes, such as this one going for more than $3 million.

To that end, a new report from Realtor.com offers welcome news for those in search of Texas homes near the beach that won’t break the bank.

Rockport, Texas, a coastal community about a three-hour drive from Houston, lands at No. 7 on Realtor.com’s list of most affordable beach towns. The charming Gulf Coast town’s average home list price is $435,112. Rockport is popular for its “clean beaches, fantastic fishing, and world-class birdwatching,” per the report.

The town offers 10 different sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. That trail boasts the planet’s sole migrating flock of over 265 whooping cranes, which passes through the Aransas Wildlife Refuge every winter.

Here, waterfront homes start in the mid $400,000s, the report notes, with standouts including a $449,000 two-bedroom townhouse with lovely views of the Aransas Bay and a three-story, two-bedroom house on Mustang Island on the market for $599,900.

To generate the list, Realtor.com’s team surveyed the median home list prices of more than 1,300 towns located across America’s coastlines from May 2021 through April 2022. These areas had at least 30 homes for sale in April (not including pending transactions), the report adds.

Properties must actually be on the water and not just nearby to qualify for the list, and be “more than just a strip of sand and surf” and have diverse entertainment.

“The U.S. has over 95,000 miles of shorelines,” George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com, noted in the list. “But most people, when they think of beach towns, they focus on a few dozen destinations. However, there are a lot of hidden gems, which offer all the benefits of seaside living at a much lower price.”

America’s cheapest beach town according to Realtor.com is Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a median list price of $161,754. Tiverton, Rhode Island is the priciest of the cheap deals, with a median home price of $480,262.

Here’s the full list, per Realtor.com.

1. Atlantic City, New Jersey
Median list price: $161,754

2. Deerfield Beach, Florida
Median list price: $230,071

3. New London, Connecticut
Median list price: $242,392

4. Mastic Beach, New York
Median list price: $334,907

5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Median list price: $347,875

6. Seal Beach, California
Median list price: $400,338

7. Rockport, Texas
Median list price: $435,112

8. Lynn, Massachusetts
Median list price: $449,626

9. Morehead City, North Carolina
Median list price: $464,842

10. Tiverton, Rhode Island
Median list price: $480,262

reports lists home-for-sale rankings

Starts at $2.8 million

New luxury condo project will heat up River Oaks with in-unit saunas

Ace & Ivy condominium development rendering

Courtesy of Ace & Ivy

Ace & Ivy will open at 3100 W. Alabama.

A wellness-focused luxury condominium building is coming to River Oaks. When it opens in 2028, Ace & Ivy will offer a number of amenities designed for people who want to integrate health and exercise into their residence.

Located at 3100 W. Alabama, each of the 31 residences will feature an in-unit sauna, steam shower, and red-light therapy. The three penthouses go a step farther with an in-unit wellness suite that includes a sauna, steam shower, hot-and-cold contrast therapy, and full-body red-light therapy bed.

Residents of the building will have access to a number of amenities, including a spa with hydrotherapy and meditation rooms, dedicated fitness center with yoga studio, pool, lounge with catering kitchen for hosting larger gatherings, mahjong parlor, and a garden.

“Ace & Ivy was founded on the belief that your home should help you live well,” said Winson Ho, founder and CEO of Everlight Group, the company that is developing the project. “We were inspired by Blue Zone research which focuses on activity, purpose, and strong social connection, and integrated it into an elevated residential community. I’m excited for residents to experience what happens when well-being is part of their everyday environment.”

The condominium building will serve as the anchor for a new mixed-use development that will also include a 15-court indoor pickleball club along with restaurant and retail tenants. Lake Flato, the Texas-based architecture and design firm behind Houston’s Hotel Saint Augustine (among others), will design both the Ace & Ivy building and overall development.

Douglas Elliman Development Marketing will handle the sales and marketing for the building. Units are expected to start at $2.8 million, but prices are subject to change.

“Houston’s luxury buyer has evolved significantly over the past several years,” said Catherine Lee, president of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, Texas. “Today’s purchasers prioritize daily lifestyle and longevity as much as traditional luxury finishes. Ace & Ivy delivers a true lock-and-leave residence while still offering the wellness and social amenities buyers previously had to seek out at private clubs or destination resorts.”

Courtesy of Ace & Ivy

Ace & Ivy will open at 3100 W. Alabama.

openings construction river oaks high-rises