On the market

A spectacularly remodeled mid-century modern for under $500,000 produces houseenvy

This view of the living area shows the glass wall overlooking the backyard.
The view of the house from T.C. Jester is sleek and contemporary enoying plentyof curb appeal.
A view of the living area from the kitchen. The space above the electricfireplace is designed for a flat screen TV.
The master bath and adjacent walk-in closet were carved from the middle bedroomof the once-three bedroom house.
The living area features beamed ceiling, original brick floors and a glass walloverlooking a verdant backyard.
The kitchen was compeletly rebuilt with European-style custom cabinetry andquartz countertops.
The guest bedroom is small but efficient.
The master bedroom opens to the backyard through a wall of glass.

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.

UPDATE: The contract on this house fell through and it's back on the market. Check it out at the open house this Sunday, Sept. 9.

1136 Shelterwood

Robert Searcy of Texas Real Estate & Co. has a thing for mid-century modern houses so as soon as the gem at 1136 Shelterwood in Timbergrove Manor went on the market, he emailed me.

"I specialize in mid-century moderns, of course, and this one is truly exceptional. It was designed by Hamilton Brown, former council member Peter Brown’s father, and Peter was hired to help with the restoration. This is no flipper type house. (Remodeling expert Will Martin) spared no expense. "

The house was taken back to its studs and refurbished with all new wiring, new plumbing, insulated commercial windows and frames . . .

The house was so spectacular in a retro-Palm Springs sort of way and so well-priced (under $500,000), that Searcy received a contract (sale pending) on it the morning that I arrived to take a look-see. Ordinarily, that would have nixed the property from my consideration.

But the house was just too well done not to share with readers. So consider this a remodeling masterpiece rather than an On the Market.

The original house was comprised of three bedrooms and two baths, squeezed into 1,843 square feet. Martin and Brown reduced the count to two bedrooms, incorporating the middle bedroom into the master bath and closet thereby making the house pleasantly livable.

Throughout the extensive make-over Martin recorded the effort on his blog. As he noted when the house was completed, "This has been one of my very favorite projects in a long time and it's finished!"

The main living quarters are open plan with living room, dining area and kitchen all flowing into one delightful space defined on one end by the electric fire place with glass rock bed (see the intriguing faux flames and details here) and on the other by the kitchen bar. Love the new kitchen that has been completely redone and is outfitted with custom European cabinetry, quartz countertops and the latest in range, fridge and washer/dryer.

God bless Martin for installing solid wood doors. No plastic or hollow veneers, thank you.

For this project, Martin took the house back to its studs and refurbished with all new wiring, new plumbing, Icyne spray foam insulation and LowE insulated commercial windows and frames. The latter two are important as the house sides up to T.C. Jester where on occasion traffic can be an issue. However, on my visit, even though cars whizzed by, I didn't hear them.

New wood floors throughout much of the house, herringbone brick floor in the living area and recessed lighting are additional fine touches. Exposed brick walls, tongue and groove ceiling, walls of glass and the patio with fireplace are all magical touches that give this house such appeal. And God bless Martin for installing solid wood doors. No plastic or hollow veneers, thank you.

The spanking new 7-foot-high cedar privacy fence guarantees a secure feel when relaxing in the living area that features a vast expanse of glass wall opening to the backyard.

Another bonus to this home is the location — very nice neighborhood with lots of mature trees, large lawns and only minutes from the urban action.

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housing news

Houston ranks among top 10 U.S. cities for mobile home living

Photo by Brian Wangenheim on Unsplash

Manufactured homes have come a long way from the "trailers" of the past, according to StorageCafe.

As Houston residents navigate the city's fluctuating real estate market, manufactured homes – also known as mobile homes – are gaining traction among potential buyers seeking an affordable path to homeownership.

A recent housing study found Houston ranks among the top 10 U.S. cities with the largest mobile home inventory. Texas, as a whole, has the second-highest share of manufactured housing in the nation.

StorageCafe's housing insights report analyzed the supply of manufactured housing inventory, average sales prices of new manufactured homes, and compared pricing trends against the median value of all housing units (regardless of construction date) across all 50 states and 100 U.S. cities.

The report's author hails manufactured housing as "a cornerstone of affordability" in the country, with just under 8 million mobile homes representing about 5.4 percent of the U.S. housing supply.

There are 776,232 manufactured homes in Texas, the report found, which is 6.2 percent of the state's entire housing stock. Houston is home to the 8th highest number of mobile homes in the nation, at 10,953 units.

Here's how the rest of the top 10 shakes out:

No. 1 – Mesa, Arizona (29,335 units)
No. 2 – Phoenix, Arizona (20,564 units)
No. 3 – Jacksonville, Florida (15,393 units)
No. 4 – Largo, Florida (14,131 units)
No. 5 – Tuscon, Arizona (14,128 units)
No. 6 – San Jose, California (11,668 units)
No. 7 – San Antonio, Texas (11,208 units)
No. 8 – Houston, Texas (10,953 units)
No. 9 – Los Angeles, California (10,622 units)
No. 10 – Sunrise Manor, Nevada (9,952 units)

Why manufactured home living is gaining popularity
Affordability is of the main reasons Texas residents are turning to manufactured home living. The average sale price for a mobile home in Texas was $112,500 in 2024, or less than half of the median sale price for all Texas homes ($313,200).

The report specifies that the cost for a manufactured home does not include the cost of land in the same way that a conventional home does. Depending on zoning and local laws, residents who own a mobile home either lease the lot their home sits on, or they have to purchase a lot outright.

"Most manufactured homes sit either in parks (land rent, higher exposure to rent hikes or park closures) or subdivisions (you own the land)," the report said. "In some communities, resident-owned cooperatives (co-ops) allow homeowners to collectively purchase the land beneath their homes. This setup provides stability and protection against rising lot rents, which can otherwise affect those living in privately owned parks."

Nevertheless, StorageCafe maintains that the generally lower cost of a manufactured home still makes it a viable path to homeownership. Affordability is especially crucial for younger adults like Gen Zers and Millennials who also don't want to "compromise on quality or independence."

"Today’s younger buyers value flexibility, efficiency, and minimal maintenance, and many are drawn to simpler lifestyles that align with financial freedom and mobility," the report said. "With the rise of remote work, more Millennials and Gen Zers are exploring the idea of living affordably in smaller, well-designed spaces, often in communities with shared amenities or scenic settings that were once thought to appeal only to retirees."

Manufactured homes have also experienced a "glow up" in recent years, the report added. Most manufactured homes have open floor plans, "stylish interiors," and come equipped with modern amenities like smart-home technology and energy efficient features.

"As a result, they’re no longer viewed as a fallback option, but rather as a savvy, forward-thinking path to homeownership for cost-conscious Americans of all ages," the report said.

Mobile home living elsewhere in Texas
Other than San Antonio in Houston in the top 10, there were 12 more Texas cities that ranked among the top 100. El Paso came in at No. 16 with 7,089 mobile homes in the city, and Laredo ranked two spots behind with 6,785 units.

Here's how other Texas cities fared in the report:

No. 20 – Dallas (6,195 units)
No. 21 – Austin (6,184 units)
No. 22 – Fort Worth (6,069 units)
No. 29 – Corpus Christi (4,823 units)
No. 34 – Pharr (4,409 units)
No. 48 – Arlington (3,818 units)
No. 60 – Mission (3,207 units)
No. 65 – Bryan (3,063 units)
No. 67 – Edinburg (3,407 units)
No. 98 – Denton (2,441 units)

housing market housing report storagecafe texas manufactured housing houston