Your Expert Guide

River Oaks, west of Kirby: Timeless luxury with a Southern twist

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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River Oaks has stood the test of time and continues to be one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods. It’s close to downtown, local parks, fine restaurants, top schools, and unique boutiques, and it represents the charm of Old Houston while adapting to its changing surroundings.

Real estate agent Walter M. Bering may just be one of River Oaks’ biggest fans. He has been working in the River Oaks area for more than 40 years, and has lived in the area for more than 30 of those years.

“There are some absolutely beautiful, old, Southern-style properties in River Oaks, designed by such acclaimed architects as John Staub, Birdsall Briscoe, Cameron Fairchild, Charles Oliver, and more,” says Bering. “The homes on the west side of Kirby and north of San Felipe tend to have the larger lots, but there is also a new generation that has embraced the area with new-construction luxury properties.”

Bering enjoys the lifestyle of this community and its proximity to so many good restaurants, along with good options for exercise. “The small parks throughout River Oaks offer wonderful green space, too,” he says.

When he’s not working, you might find Bering entertaining at his home or visiting MLB ballparks with his daughter, Bonnie. They’ve been to 23 of 30, and Wrigley Field in Chicago is their favorite so far — outside of Houston’s Minute Maid Park, of course.

Bering offered up a few of his personal favorites about life in River Oaks. Here's his guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
“Breakfast at Avalon Diner is always a great way to start the day; it’s a River Oaks institution!” says Bering. “I used to take my daughter there before school and I would let her have a milkshake for breakfast.” He also adds that Avalon is great for lunch with “one of the best burgers in town.”

If you are in the mood for Tex-Mex, “Armandos is a favorite among the River Oaks crowd," he says. "Great location at the corner of Westheimer and Kirby. Upscale ambiance, tasty food, and the best margaritas! Thursday nights they clear out the tables and make a dance floor. It's a happening spot!"

“Brasserie 19 is a great place to see and be seen,” comments Bering. “The food and service are outstanding and the people-watching is always entertaining as well. My favorite meal includes the crispy Gulf oysters over creamed spinach paired with a chilled martini ‘up’ with a lemon twist —shaken, not stirred!”

Another favorite is State of Grace on Westheimer, across from Lamar High School. This restaurant was formerly a dry cleaner. "A great place to meet is the oyster bar in front for a cocktail and dinner," says Bering. "At finer restaurants I am reluctant to try the burger, but I highly recommend their Pharmacy Burger. It's just the right size, and flavorful!

For the best sushi in the area, he recommends Kata Robata, and for pub food it’s The Red Lion, which is the closest thing to an authentic English pub that Bering has seen in Houston. (Get the tikka masala with a pint of Guinness to feel truly British.)

“The bar at Eddie V's is a favorite dinner spot of mine,” says Bering. “The food is outstanding and they offer live jazz music most evenings. Get the crab fried rice!”

“And Eugene's Gulf Coast Cuisine is another personal favorite,” concludes Bering. “I went to school at Tulane in New Orleans and this place is similar to some of my old NOLA restaurant haunts. Try the seafood campechana with tortilla chips.”

Pizzana in the River Oaks Shopping Center is a new favorite, largely because pasta and the pizza are prepared with the finest ingredients.

"Dining in the River Oaks area is a sport!” he exclaims. And with this list, it’s not hard to see why.

Where to play
"If you've just eaten at every restaurant I mentioned, you may want to burn some calories in the gym,” laughs Bering. “There are some excellent fitness options in the River Oaks area, including SoulCycle on Kirby. It’s an intense workout and great place to sweat — even if I feel like grandpa among the younger clientele!”

“Sometimes I will do the 5:30 am morning class at Barry's in the River Oaks Shopping Center," he says. "It's like I'm still asleep and having a bad dream!”

The River Oaks Gym is a nice boutique gym. “My personal trainer there is Anthony Tran and it’s an appointment I cannot miss, even if it is the longest hour of my day,” Bering says.

If you ever wanted to learn to tango, salsa, foxtrot, and more, check out the River Oaks School of Dancing where Antonio and Kimberly Conde will teach you some moves.

“One of my favorite outdoor activities in River Oaks is just to walk the neighborhood,” adds Bering. “It’s a great way to tour the area and see all the beautifully landscaped homes.”

The park and playground at Pumpkin Park are essential for every River Oaks family with small children. They can swing and take a carriage ride in Cinderella's pumpkin. There are also public tennis courts in the park.

What to see
"Some of the best landmarks in River Oaks are the fabulous homes,” says Bering. “Many of the classic older homes have been designated by the city as historic landmarks, and reading about the history of these old homes is like a ‘who's who’ in Houston.”

“There are also some really nice art galleries in the area,” he adds. “Some of my favorite galleries include Thornwood Gallery, Catherine Couturier Gallery, and Foltz Fine Art.”

The River Oaks Shopping Center is the third oldest shopping center of its type in the United States — the reopening of the River Oaks Theatre there has been much anticipated. The theater was first opened in 1939, with the reopening scheduled for October 2024.

Where to live
There is a real variety of architectural styles to the homes in River Oaks, including English Tudor, traditional Georgian, Spanish Colonial, Mediterranean, Southern Colonial, midcentury modern, and more.

More recent years have seen an influx of contemporary-style homes, where open living areas and kitchens have been popular features.

As the prices of lots has increased over the years, so has the size of the homes; new-construction homes in the area are typically more than 8,000 square feet, advises Bering. “There is currently a real building boom in River Oaks.”

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Walter M. Bering works and plays in River Oaks. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email walter.bering@sothebys.realty, or call 713-851-9753.

Photo by TK Images

Gracious 1930s Georgian Revival style home in River Oaks designed by distinguished architect Birdsall Briscoe.

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THE AMERICAN DREAM

How long it takes to save for a home down payment in Houston

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Houstonians don't have to save long to afford a down payment.

Saving for a down payment remains one of the biggest barriers to homeownership nationwide, but a new report from Realtor.com shows San Antonio area buyers face a far shorter wait than most Americans.

According to the real estate site’s 2025 analysis, the typical U.S. household needs seven years to save for a standard down payment, a notable improvement from the 12-year peak in 2022. Still, the timeline remains roughly double the pre-pandemic norm, reflecting higher home prices, larger down payments, and lower household savings rates.

Houston, however, stood out as one of the most accessible major metros in the nation. The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro boasted one of the shortest time sto save for a down payment among the nation’s 50 largest markets, with households needing just 3.5 years to reach a typical down payment, according to the study.

The report found that Houston’s median down payment from January through November was $14,927. A median household income of $83,452 was estimated to produce an annual savings of $4,228. Notably, San Antonio, the only other Texas city included in the report, had the shortest time to save for a down payment at just 1.3 years.

Nationally, the time needed to save has shortened as home price growth cooled and affordability modestly improved. Still, saving for a down payment takes significantly longer than it did before the pandemic.

“Higher home prices and intensified competition have pushed typical down payments higher, at the same time that inflation and rising household expenses have reduced savings rates,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, in a release. “Although conditions have improved since 2022, today’s timeline shows that saving for a home takes meaningfully longer than it did before the pandemic, especially in high-cost markets.”

Lower savings rates have played a key role. The U.S. personal savings rate has averaged 5.1 percent of income so far in 2025, down from the pre-pandemic norm of 6.5 percent, limiting how quickly households can build funds for upfront housing costs. Meanwhile, the typical down payment has more than doubled over the past six years — rising from about $13,900 in the third quarter of 2019 to $30,400 in the third quarter of 2025.

In high-cost coastal metros, the impact is far more severe. Saving for a down payment can take 20 to more than 35 years in California cities like San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego, effectively sidelining many first-time and moderate-income buyers.

“In high-cost markets, the typical down payment alone exceeds a full year of household income,” said Hannah Jones, Realtor.com senior economic research analyst. “That reality makes homeownership feel unattainable for many buyers, particularly younger households trying to enter the market for the first time.”

Despite those challenges, the report notes that roughly three-quarters of Americans still consider homeownership part of the American dream. Realtor.com says easing rents could help first-time buyers save more, while repeat buyers may use accumulated savings to reduce loan balances and manage higher monthly payments.

“Saving consistently, even in small amounts, is a meaningful first step toward homeownership,” Jones said. “In today’s market, building that financial cushion can make a real difference when buyers are ready to act.”

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