There are so many great places to live in Houston that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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Founded in 1891, the historical Houston Heights has the distinction of being Texas’ earliest planned community — its original neighborhood. And as such, it has now transformed into a glorious place of old and new.

“The Heights is rich with history and diversity,” says Michele Alexander, who has lived in the area twice, most recently since 2010.

“I love everything The Heights has to offer: culturally, historically, and architecturally. The Heights has a personality all its own that creates a sense of community among those who live here.”

She also loves helping her clients discover these valued qualities of her neighborhood, too.

“The Heights is full of surprises. Turn the corner and you find a fabulous, locally owned restaurant right next to a historically protected Victorian home,” says Michele. “Turn another corner and you will find a wonderfully created mural on the side of a building depicting our love of sports. And it’s all no more than 15 minutes from everything Houston has to offer."

Michele and her husband (who was her high-school sweetheart!) share their passion for real estate and even own a number of properties. They have also personally built multiple homes from the ground up. So this type of firsthand knowledge of the market and the new-construction process offers a tremendous advantage for buyers and sellers.

Michele shared some of her personal favorites about life in the historic Heights. Here's her guide:

Where to eat & drink
Located in a converted bungalow, Field & Tides has a quaint atmosphere with a fresh, locally sourced menu that’s influenced from the chef’s love of diverse cuisines, including Southern, Italian, French, and Asian.

Michele also gravitates to Coltivare’s “wonderful patio, and the fresh herbs and vegetables used in the rustic Italian dishes are literally grown on-site.”

Squable serves up an eclectic mixture of bold flavors. One of their most popular dishes is the French cheeseburger — "just order it!" Michele laughs.

“Alice Blue has a fantastic bar where you can sip an adult beverage while watching everything happening on 19th Street,” she adds. “And Harold’s not only has incredible comfort food, they also have a terrific patio overlooking 19th. The place is rich with history, as the building used to be the home of Harold’s in The Heights menswear store.”

Where to play
On a nice day, you can hit the Heights Hike and Bike Trail that takes you from the heart of the Heights all the way into downtown.

Michele also loves going to the Houston Farmers Market on Airline Drive; it’s the place for fresh fruits and vegetables as well as cheese, candy, and other artisan goods, she says.

And for retail therapy, Jubilee is Michele’s one-stop shop for unique apparel and home goods.

For a great concert in the evening, the Heights Theater is an intimate setting with shows scheduled nearly every day of the week. "It is iconic to the rich history of our neighborhood," says Michele. Built in the Beaux Arts style of the last century, the Heights Theater was originally a simple neighborhood movie house showcasing local talent in stage plays and "high class amateur vaudeville acts." It has survived at least three fires, one bombing, and "The Big Blow of 1949" when a Fridley tornado twisted the tower sign.

What to see
Historical home tours in The Heights, which are scheduled throughout the year, are Michele’s favorite.

Patterned after Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, the 60-foot-wide Heights Boulevard Art Walk was the site of Houston’s first electrified streetcar system, ferrying Houston Heights residents the “considerable distance” of four miles to the big city. Thanks to the Houston Heights Association and extensive community activism and fundraising over the years, the esplanade is now home to show-stopping architectural gardens, pavilions, old-growth tree lines, and one of the most popular walking/jogging trails in the city.

White Linen Night in the Heights is a neighborhood-wide event annually held the first Saturday in August. Like the event that inspired it in New Orleans, event-goers wear white linen and take to the Heights to celebrate art, culture, and community while taking in some of the best entertainment, boutiques and shops, art galleries, restaurants, and eclectic bars in Houston.

Originally intended as a festive neighborhood block party where the entire street decorates their homes and spends the evening mingling with neighbors, Lights in the Heights has grown to include thousands of visitors in some years. The Woodland Heights Civic Association organizes the event, now in its 29th year.

Where to live
Michele mentions that original homes in the Heights are Craftsman bungalows and grand Victorian homes, while new construction styles vary vastly, from contemporary to farmhouse and everything in between.

“In parts of the neighborhood, you will even find Sears kit homes, which were Craftsman-style bungalows ordered from a Sears catalogue, shipped to the purchaser, and then assembled,” she adds. “They were rectangular in shape with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, dining room, and kitchen. Over the years, they have been restored, expanded, and garages or carports added while maintaining their historic bungalow charm.”

It isn't a Sears kit home, but a great example of recent construction with historical elements (light fixtures and doors) that is not cookie cutter is 829 Ralfallen, a significant sale of Michele's.

“Michele was warm and welcoming from the first moment we met," say the sellers. "She actively listened to us as we described our goals, and shared her relevant experiences with us as well. Not only is Michele quite accomplished and has great expertise, she respected our decisions and worked with us to ensure our goals were met, and she aligned her goals with ours for a very successful outcome.”

Photo courtesy of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

Agent Michele Alexander.

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Michele Alexander works and plays in historical Heights. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email michele.alexander@sothebys.realty, or call 281-731-3656.