On the Market

A stone's throw from downtown, this fully renovated Eastwood charmer was builtin 1914

The living room features the familiar fireplace flanked by bookcases, a designfavored in the 1900s.
Built in 1914, this cozy Arts and Crafts style home has loads of appeal in aneighborhood shrouded in venerable oaks and pines.
The dining room is particularly spacious and opens to one leg of the wrap-aroundporch at the front and the garden at the back.
Fully restored in 2005, the house features new plumbing, electrical, a new roofand a modern kitchen with traditional flourishes.
The full view of the living room as seen from the foyer.
One of three bedrooms on the second floor, which has two full baths.
The master bedroom is large enough for a kingsize bed and opens to a roofterrace.

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

4629 Rusk

I gave myself 25 minutes to get from CultureMap offices on Wood Street just off of San Jacinto to my destination — Eastwood, which at the time looked rather distant on Mapquest. It took only 15 minutes, including the delay by the train and my getting lost.

Who knew that such a verdant, lovely neighborhood existed within 10 minutes of downtown? Obviously a growing number of young urban professionals, artists and those with a taste for the historic have begun discovering this quiet enclave just beyond the city's bustling EaDo corner. And the renovations have begun.

Established in 1913 by developer William A. Wilson, the same Wilson who designed and developed the appealing Woodland Heights neighborhood to the northwest of downtown, this sleepy (and we mean that as a compliment) suburb has maintained its character with a wealth of Arts and Crafts and Carpenter architecture. The charming homes are wrapped in a leafy blanket of venerable oaks and soaring pines that make for wonderful tree-shaded streets.

Today, the single-family notion is preserved by deed restrictions which are rigorously enforced. You won't see any four-story duplexes popping up here. Residents tout the area as an old-fashioned neighborhood where folks know one another and join in year-round community activities. Just check in with the active Eastwood Civic Association, which sponsors a home tour every October.

With all of this in mind, I was absolutely charmed by this particular Arts and Crafts home built in 1914 and completely renovated back to the studs with new plumbing, new roof, new electrical in 2005.

Walk through: Up the steps we go and cross the inviting wrap-around porch to the front door, through which we enter an open foyer that eases into the living room. True to the period, a fireplace flanked by bookcases, which are topped by small leaded glass windows, stands at one end.

The spacious dining room, which opens through French doors onto the porch in the front and the garden at the back, is located to the side and back of the house. An open flow plan leads to the stairwell, a half bath with washer/dryer closet and the updated kitchen. While appliances and cabinetry are new, the focus was on retaining a sense of the era in the redesign. A breakfast nook at the end of the kitchen looks out on the surprisingly large backyard.

The redo included a masterful addition of two full baths on the second floor where three cozy bedrooms all open to a central space adjoining the stairs. As one would expect from an early 20th century house, closet space is minimal but the master bedroom is large enough to accommodate a king-size bed with plenty of breathing room. The master opens to a roof terrace that offers views of the tree-shrouded neighborhood. Armoires and chests would be the answer to the closet situation. The current owners use one of the bedrooms as an office/TV room where they added built-in bookcases.

Heart-warming: With its whimsical interior room colors (turquoise living room), high ceilings, original pine floors restored to a solid beauty and the tasteful addition of old-style (love the footed tub) but completely functional baths make this house totally captivating.

Location, location, location: The house is situated just two blocks from the new METRO rail line, which will whisk commuters directly to downtown. No need for auto transport to the office. Once the rail line is completed, the neighborhood in transition is expected to take off with a mini-boom. Even before the rail starts rolling, it's only 10 minutes to downtown by car.

A track runs through it: Yes, the railroad runs behind the house but the lot is big enough (7,300 square feet), that the house is far removed from the tracks.

Bonus: The completely fenced yard, attractive wrought-iron in the front, is so large at the back as to easily accommodate a two-car garage, the one amenity that is absent in these older neighborhoods. The addition would also provide a buffer between the train and the house. The grounds are nicely landscaped in the front making for loads of curb appeal.

Square footage: 1,928

Asking price: $279,000

Listing agent: Robert Searcy of Texas Real Estate & Co.

unspecified

A Montrose jewel box

Charming Montrose townhouse with 2-story atrium hits the market

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

Montrose has long been Houston’s neighborhood for the eclectic, a place where cute bungalows, mom-and-pop shops, and trendy bars and restaurants sit side-by-side. The neighborhood is a microcosm of the city itself: diverse, developing, beloved.

And even as the neighborhood has steadily gentrified, echoes of its past remain. One of those is now for sale. 1507 Harold Street, a remodeled jewel box of a space, is on the market for $950,000 and represented by Tracey Smith of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

The 1950s townhome has fabulous natural light, balconies, a courtyard filled with native plants, and a funky charm that evokes the neighborhood’s past and present.

Painted tile floors and long hallways with splendid light set the tone for this home. They give way to an open, airy arrangement, showing off 1507 Harold’s nearly 3,000 square feet. The three-bedroom, two-bath home is immediately centered in its neighborhood, but also a retreat from the bustling city around it.

If the devil is in the details, 1507 Harold has plenty of them. Think painted clay tiles on the first floor and solid red oak hardwood on the second floor. Add to that custom Pedini Italian kitchen cabinets, Neolith countertops, and a Quemere custom backsplash in the kitchen. See also the epoxied garage floor with glass garage door.

Floor-to-ceiling windows not only let in the natural light, they give 1507 Harold the feeling of being surrounded by nature. That feeling is enhanced by the home's two, second-floor balconies. One of them, off the primary bedroom, overlooks the cloistered courtyard filled with native plants, park bench, and natural seating. The other faces the neighborhood. A two-story atrium provides space for meditation, contemplation, and casual gathering.

The dining room has a dry bar that’s perfect for storage and an Aobosi dual-temperature wine refrigerator. The primary bedroom has built-in bookcases and drawers, and an ensuite bath with soaking tub and shower. Sliding doors lead to the balcony.

The garden’s irrigation system waters plants daily, keeping this green space well-tended.South Texas cactus and olive trees welcome homeowners and visitors at the front entrance.

The home's welcoming vibe has to be seen to be believed. It’s rarely been on the market, and the odds are high that its next owners will keep it for a very long time. It’s just that kind of place.

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

home-for-sale