On the market

A three-story townhome in the middle of everything has curb appeal

The open truss ceilings and openings that extend to the third floor give the second-floor living area a loft-like feel.

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.

1217 Dunlavy

Location, location, location — we love the location of this three-story, loft-like townhouse a stone's throw from the lively retail/restaurant blocks of West Gray. From here, you can walk to a movie at River Oaks Theatre or stroll over to La Griglia or Tony Mandola's for dinner. Forgot the butter and eggs? Kroger is a block away. Whether your shopping habits run to Ann Taylor or to Marshall's, it's all within walking distance.

Walk through: Two bedrooms share a bath on the ground floor where the contemporary metal stairway (very chic) leads up to the living room/dining/kitchen floor. Here, the loft ambiance, created by side walls that are open to the roof line, gives this space a feeling of abundance and light. It's an open floor plan that plays up the exceptionally large kitchen and makes the townhouse ideal for heavy entertaining. Live here and it's a party every Saturday night.

The stairway then leads to a little piece of heaven — the third floor that is the master suite with windows looking east to downtown and west to the tree-shrouded neighborhood. The ceiling to the roof line offers this space a feeling of enormity.

Although completed in 1998, this townhouse reads purely 21st century.

Wow factors: Ceilings on the first and second floors are open truss, a dramatic rustic look that enhances the loft feel. Wide-plank hardwood floors on the second and third floors deliver a richness to the contemporary design. Spacious balconies off of the living room and master are additional bonuses.

Not so cool: The window to the east in the master suite faces the big gray roof of the house next door. (The downtown skyline, however, can be seen from the bath.) Frosting the glass has been suggested to camouflage the less-than-appealing view.

Bonus: This townhouse is on the corner, meaning more privacy, side access to the two-car garage and more windows which ramp up the volume on the light.

Square footage: 2,666

Taxes: $8,328

Asking price: $379,000

Listing agent: Andreas Weber of John Daugherty Realtors

Update: John Daughtery Realtors reports that this gem just went under contract.

This three-story townhouse just off of West Gray has one of the best locations going, a corner lot close to everything.

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bang for your buck

These are the 6 most affordable ZIP codes for Houston renters

Facebook / City of Bellaire, Texas

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Trying to afford buying a home in Houston is difficult enough with current mortgage rates, and doubly so if you're already paying high rent on an apartment or a house. But there are six Houston ZIP codes where renters can get the most bang for their buck, according to a new study by financial services company CashNetUSA.

To find the most affordable ZIP codes to rent in the U.S., analysts compared median household incomes by ZIP code to the average annual rent costs using the Zillow Observed Rent Index. ZIP codes where the average annual rental costs required the lowest percentage of median household income were considered the "most affordable."

Two Houston-area ZIP codes specifically stood out in CashNetUSA's ranking of the most affordable ZIP codes for renters in America: 77401 in Bellaire (No. 9) and 77094 in the Energy Corridor (No. 12).

According to the study's findings, the average monthly cost of a rental in Bellaire comes out to $2,401.25, and the median annual income of a Bellaire household is $210,577. Analysts then calculated that the annual rent of a home in the Bellaire ZIP code only takes up 13.68 percent of a household's median income, which is the ninth-lowest in the nation.

But as Houstonians know all too well, Bellaire residents aren't exactly struggling to pay their rent, seeing as they live in one of the wealthiest places in America.

Meanwhile in Houston's 77094 ZIP, annual rent costs only represent 13.88 percent of a household's median annual income. The area – which encompasses the Kingsland Estates, Green Trails, Green Trails Oaks, Windsor Park Estates, Windsor Park Lakes, and Barker neighborhoods – has a median household income of over $168,000, and average rent costs add up to $1,944.58, according to the study.

CashNetUSA found the No. 1 most affordable ZIP code for renters nationwide is 66224 in Leawood, Kansas, where annual rent only takes a 10.57 percent cut out of a household's median annual income.

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio's 78248 ZIP ranked as the No. 4 most affordable ZIP code for renters in the U.S., and the No. 1 most affordable ZIP code statewide. The North Texas ZIP code 75013 in Allen ranked two spots behind Houston to claim the No. 14 spot nationally.

The most affordable Houston ZIP codes for renters
CashNetUSA further unveiled the five most affordable ZIP codes across major U.S. cities, including in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

Following 77094 (which took the No. 1 spot citywide) is 77008 (No. 2), which spans Greater Heights, Houston Heights, Shady Acres, and Lazybrook/Timbergrove. Rent costs in this ZIP code averaged out to $1,856 per month, the report found.

Landing in the No. 3 spot is 77024, which includes four of Houston's historic Memorial Villages, including Hedwig, Bunker Hill, Hunters Creek, and Piney Point. The report said average rent in the area comes out to $1,730 per month, which takes up 16.88 percent of a household's median annual income.

The remaining top two most affordable ZIP codes for Houston renters are located in 77007 (Washington Avenue Coalition/Memorial Park, Rice Military, and Crestwood/Glen Cove) and 77345 in Kingwood, which is about 30 miles north of downtown Houston.