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

renter livability report

New study ranks Houston as one of the worst places for renters in U.S.

Photo by Leo Yao on Unsplash

Houston flopped toward the bottom as one of the worst places for renters in the nation.

Renters looking for a place in Texas that balances affordability, convenience, and quality of life may want to look outside of Houston, which was just named the 144th "best" city to rent in America.

Houston's rental market apparently leaves much to be desired, according to WalletHub's newly released report, "Best & Worst Places to Rent in America." Experts analyzed 182 U.S. rental markets based on 21 relevant metrics, including the difference between rental rates and mortgage payments, rental affordability, the local cost of living, job availability, and more.

Surprisingly, Amarillo was deemed the No. 1 best Texas city for renters, and it ranked 10th nationally. Hot Dallas suburb Plano came in second place statewide and ranks 12th for a second year in a row, leaving Austin in third place and 13th overall (up from No. 31 last year).

The report said Houston has the 120th best quality of life out of all 182 U.S. cities in the report, and the city ranked 127th nationally in the "renter market and affordability" category. Ouch.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said the best cities for renters offer much more than inexpensive housing, a good job market, and recreational activities. For example, rent prices in the top cities cost tenants as little as 15 percent of their income.

"You’ll also have access to robust laws that protect renters, such as limiting deposits to only a month or two of rent," Lupo added.

Houston residents know their city better than a study ever could, so they can decide if the city's renter market isn't up to par. A separate RentCafe study found the city has become a magnet for Gen Z renters searching for good job opportunities, recreation, and good schools. And now that local rent prices are declining, things might be starting to look up for Houston renters.

Though renting can be more cost effective than owning a property, WalletHub said it's not always a better choice.

"The right road to take depends on a variety of factors, including an individual’s or family’s financial means and how well the local real-estate market is doing," the report said. "Like home prices, rental rates can vary significantly by region, state or city."

Other Texas cities that ranked among the top 100 best places to rent in America include:

No. 24 – El Paso
No. 34 – Grand Prairie
No. 37 – Laredo
No. 48 – Brownsville
No. 49 – Arlington
No. 50 – Fort Worth
No. 63 – Corpus Christi
No. 64 – San Antonio
No. 66 – Irving
No. 79 – Garland
No. 81 – Lubbock

wallethub reports rent report renting real estate

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renter livability report

New study ranks Houston as one of the worst places for renters in U.S.