Real Estate Trends Surprise

Bikers and dogs suddenly rule real estate — while golf courses are so yesteryear: Six surprising new trends

Real estate reflects the way people want to live, work, shop and play. If there’s a new trend afoot, you’ll see it being played out in the real estate market.

At the National Association of Real Estate Editors 48th Annual conference in Houston scads of new trends came to light as dozens of experts spoke. Six of the most interesting were:

1. Bicycles

Companies are in fierce recruiting wars to get the best employees and that means having the best work places with great amenities, says Chip Clarke of the Transwestern commercial realty firm. Therefore, more and more office buildings owners are installing bicycle racks to appeal to the millennial generation.

Houston-based Avera Cos. is even putting in employee bicycle racks in the warehouses it develops, says Avera’s Trey Odom.

2. Dogs

Offering dog walking services is a way to make a office building a better work place, and Hines, the huge office building developers is offering pet services in some of the buildings it is managing, says Hasty Johnson, vice chair of Hines. In apartments, dog facilities — dog parks, grooming services and dog sitting — may be the most-wanted amenity in multifamily so many new apartment projects have them, says Houston apartment developer Martin Fein.

3. Health

One in three Americans is obese today, compared to one in eight in 1970, says Rachel MacCleery of the Urban Land Institute. Developments need to be designed with intentional access to fitness facilities, trails and even encouraging people to use stairs instead of elevators. Indoor air quality in vital.

Houston home builder Will Holder says consumers now want trails in their communities, instead of golf courses.

Houston’s Bayou Greenways initiative to develop trails and linear parks on the bayous dovetails into the healthy places movement, says James Vick of the SWA Group. Houston home builder Will Holder of Trendmaker Homes says consumers now want trails in their communities, instead of golf courses.

4. Separation Anxiety

Mortgage rates reached record lows in 2012 and 2013 of around 3.3 percent for 30-year home loans. Homeowners don’t want to let go of those once-in-a-lifetime bargain mortgages, says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. So homeowners avoid putting their homes on the market in order to keep those low mortgage rates and that has resulted in super low inventories of home for sale.

Although rates are still low (less than 5 percent) many people are opting to rent out their houses so they can hang onto great mortgages, Yun says.

5. House Porn Texas-Style

A lot of people like to shop for houses online — or at least browse. The Houston Association of Realtors website, with more than 18 million visitor sessions in May, is the most popular real estate website in Houston. Can’t get enough of a good thing?

If you don’t have a FICO credit score of 750, it may be tough to get your first mortgage. The excitement, joy and fun of buying your first home has been replaced by dread.

Well, HAR is getting ready to go statewide, carrying listings from all Texas cities, and it will have a lot of info about schools and property taxes, says Taqi Rizvi, chief technology officer for HAR. Only problem? The name “Houston” doesn’t play too well in Plano.

So as the site shows listings in other cities the HAR.com will stand for “Homes and Realtors”, instead of “Houston Association of Realtors.” Click here to see the beta version of the Texas-wide HAR.com.

6. First-time Buyer Blues

The market for starter homes, which are houses generally purchased by younger people, are soft. Lenders have tightened their standard for giving people mortgages, says Anthony Hsieh, CEO of Loan Depot.

If you don’t have a FICO credit score of 750, it may be tough to get your first mortgage. The excitement, joy and fun of buying your first home has been replaced by dread for first-time buyers, Hsieh says. Lenders have been too restrictive and the recession was hard on the younger generation, says Jed Kolko, chief economist for Trulia.

A lot of young people have given up trying to buy a house and they are renting instead.

Ralph Bivins, editor of Realty News Report, is a past president of the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

Companies know they need bike racks — and quality ones — to compete for young workers these days.

Photo by Christophe Guiard

Companies know they need bike racks — and quality ones — to compete for young workers these days.

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MAI oh MAI

Treasured Houston antiques collective adds 5 Round Top-worthy vendors

Memorial Antiques and Interiors Laurier Blanc

Photo by Andy Phan

Laurier Blanc imports oil paintings and more from Belgium.

Many Houstonians love a good stroll — or promenade, if you will — especially if that stroll includes a morning or afternoon meandering through collections of art, vintage, and antiques. As rising rents drive some of the city’s most beloved independent dealers exclusively into e-commerce, veteran collectives are holding the line on offering an in-person shopping experience.

For 20 years, Memorial Antiques & Interiors, affectionately known as MAI, has remained a fixture of the interior design community. Don’t be intimidated by its location in the Houston Design Center. The more than 15,000-square-foot collection is completely open to the public, and it’s not uncommon to see fellow shoppers dressed for a Pilates class rather than a luxury boutique.

Known for styled, magazine-worthy vignettes, MAI blends antiques with contemporary living and offers a fresh perspective on how to incorporate timeless pieces into today’s interiors. What’s not so well known, however, is that MAI is the off-season home to some of Round Top’s most illustrious dealers, with more joining the ranks every day.

The spring refresh debuts five new faces to the lineup of over 45 dealers, offering curated pieces from across the US and Europe: “This season marks a defining shift at MAI,” MAI marketing director Meghan Horne tells CultureMap. “The vendor mix is exceptional, bringing together iconic dealers and a true trove of one-of-a-kind finds, all within a setting that offers unmatched access. Inventory is constantly evolving with new pieces arriving daily, and its proximity to Houston’s design community makes it an invaluable resource. If you love Round Top, this is that same energy, year-round.”

Familiar faces from Round Top include Big Red Barn favorite Gracie’s Custom Interiors; Market Hill vendors Provence Antiques and Susan Horne Antiques (who recently doubled her space at MAI); and The Compound regular Laurier Blanc. Long time MAI vendor Tres Bien Antiques is a Blue Hills staple, while The Cargill Collective, The James Collected, and Zuniga & Co. all show under the tents at Marburger Farm. Zuniga & Co. shows at The Compound as well. The owner of Fickle Barn in Round Top also has a space a MAI.

“MAI focuses on beautiful objects that are one of a kind, and we specialize not only for the trade, but for the public, and it’s a need and a necessity in Houston,” Horne says. “Specializing not only in antiques, but in fabulous oil paintings, lighting fixtures, bookcases, and all the small home decor accessories that you need, to say, impress your mother-in-law.”

Joining longtime MAI favorites like Assemble Art & Advisory by photographer Kerry Kirk, BAYAT Rugs, and six-bay, 1,400-square-foot shop MK Rathmell Antiques and Interiors, these are the newest vendors to MAI:

William Gardner Antiques
W. Gardner brings his celebrated eye and decades of experience to Memorial Antiques & Interiors, marking his first expansion into a second location. Known as one of Houston’s most respected antique dealers, his collection reflects years of thoughtful curation, with pieces that feel both storied and relevant.

Joseph Collins Antiques and Modern Design
Palm Beach–based Joe Collins is on a mission to unearth undiscovered artists and artifacts, offering an extraordinary journey through time, culture, and the depths of human creativity. Now extending his footprint to Houston from Round Top’s Market Hill, he brings a fresh, globally-informed point of view to the city’s design landscape. We spotted an exceedingly rare, hand-signed Arthur Court humidor in the shape of a fox that will certainly not stay available for long.

Memorial Antiques and Interiors Joseph Collins MAI newcomer Joseph Collins shops east coast estate sales for items like this rare, hand-signed humidor by Arthur Court.Photo by Emily Cotton

Bug In The Box
Bug in the Box offers handcrafted, museum-quality insect displays featuring rare specimens sourced from around the world and preserved with precision and artistry. Rooted in a background of entomology and design, each piece is ethically-sourced and thoughtfully-composed, resulting in striking, one-of-a-kind works that blur the line between natural history and decorative art. Through a special agreement with the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Bug in the Box preserves butterflies from the Cockrell Butterfly Center to be sold in the HMNS gift shop — in exchange for access to specimens to preserve for personal projects, giving them new life as curated works of art.

Purveyor Tristan Erickson‘s sensitive and enthusiastic approach to specimen preservation allows his works to feel less like taxidermy and more like objets d’art. Butterflies centered around antique gilt pieces and placed beneath crystal clear cloches or in shadow boxes, perfectly-perched exotic birds, and brass candlesticks displaying ostrich and emu eggs are sure to catch the attention of the most discerning collectors.

The James Collected
The James Collected by Tara English offers a thoughtfully-curated mix of antiques, collectibles, and storied pieces chosen for their craftsmanship, character, and timeless appeal. With an eye for objects that bring warmth and depth to modern interiors, English sources pieces that feel both personal and enduring, grounding everyday spaces with a sense of history and charm.

Photo by Christiana
Photographer Christiana Reckling captures moments with a sense of honesty and vibrancy that feels both effortless and enduring, blending bold color, natural emotion, and a subtle sense of nostalgia to offer a fresh perspective on familiar scenes. Each photograph is produced as a signed, numbered edition on museum-grade archival paper, created with intention and an emphasis on quality over quantity, resulting in a collection designed to spark curiosity, inspire a sense of place, and bring a refined layer of color and life into everyday interiors.

Coming Soon

Lisa Gillette
Lisa Gillette is a seasoned antiques dealer known for her refined selection of European furnishings and décor, sourced with a discerning eye for quality, provenance, and enduring design. Exhibiting at Market Hill in Round Top, she brings together pieces that balance history with livability, appealing to designers and collectors seeking character-driven interiors. Her approach favors authenticity, craftsmanship, and subtle sophistication, with each find selected for its ability to elevate a space while telling a story.

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Memorial Antiques & Interiors; 7026 Old Katy Road #166; Monday - Friday, 10 am-5 pm, Saturday, 11 am-4 pm.

Photo by Andy Phan

Laurier Blanc imports oil paintings and more from Belgium.