ON THE MARKET

A beautiful townhome benefits from the artful touch of the interior designerowner

The dining room benefits from the full-length windows overlooking thetree-shrouded drive.
Photo by Jeff Myers
The intimate living room enjoys 14 foot ceilings and loads of light from highwindows and French doors at the entry.
Photo by Jeff Myers
The romantic wine room at ground level features an attractive wine storage nook.
Photo by Jeff Myers
We fell in love with the kitchen/family room that is ideal for entertainingwhether formally or for just family.
Photo by Jeff Myers
The opposite side of the kitchen/family room is warm and inviting.
Photo by Jeff Myers
The simple exterior offers a promise of great things.
Photo by Jeff Myers
On the fourth floor, the focus is on a large flat-screen TV that is to the rightof the sitting area.
Photo by Jeff Myers

Editor's Note: Houston is loaded with must-have houses for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Throughout the month of June, CultureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge snoops through some of our faves and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.

1602 Potomac

Walk through: Up the tile stairs we go to the second floor, not knowing what quite to expect, though the clean lines of the townhouse exteriors offer a promise of good things to come. The first peek inside the slick contemporary Mediterranean dwelling gives me goose bumps. Literally. I think I could live here.

Love the intimate living room that feels much more spacious than reality due to its 14-foot ceilings and the abundance of light flooding in from tall windows. Love the next door dining room as well.

Moving beyond, into the kitchen and family room, I'm ready to put up the earnest money. The large, livable space reads warmth and homey pleasures from the six-burner gas stove to the ample marble countertops, to the fireplace, the soaring coffered ceiling and the wall of windows. It doesn't hurt that this is home to an interior designer and she has kept the place in mint condition since moving in several years ago.

We could take the stairs but we opt for the elevator up to the third floor where three bedrooms and three baths make this level all about sleeping and privacy. A balcony off the master overlooks the quaint interior garden where a tree and shrubs offer a verdant tableau. The fourth floor is the media room, perfect for football afternoons. And don't miss the views north across the trees and rooftops.

Heading down to the ground floor, we find access to the little garden, a guest bedroom and bath and what the owner refers to as a wine room — large enough to seat a bunch for dinner and charming with its interior wine cellar. The ground floor hall opens into the spacious two-car garage.

Wow factors: Heavy molding, serene paint colors and hardwood floors combined with the owners spectacular furnishings make this a grand showplace. And the abundance of windows, a rarity in the townhouse arena, makes this home very appealing.

Good news, not so good news: On another street, this beautiful home would fetch quite a bit more than the friendly asking price. The value is exceptional. The drawback could be that this block of Potomac is in transition and the properties across the street are in need of a facelift at the least.

Bonus: The townhouse is flanked by driveways on both the north and south sides, meaning that there is breathing room. Trees grow along the drives providing views of greenery and sky as opposed to up-close brick walls that are often the townhouse view.

Square footage: 4,297

Asking price: $995,000

Listing agent:Linda Ledbetter of Heritage Texas Properties

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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