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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Rice Military is located right in the heart of Houston’s Inner Loop with easy access to downtown, eclectic Montrose, Memorial Park, and the Galleria and Museum District. The area originally served as a World War I-era U.S. Army training camp, hence its name.

Real estate agent Ida Lopez lived in Rice Military when she first relocated to Houston. “I wanted to be inside the loop and looked for where I could immerse myself and walk to restaurants, museums, and parks,” she says.

One of her first listings was also there, and she has since introduced a number of clients to the neighborhood.

“I love the relaxed vibe and carefree urban living Rice Military brings,” she says. “It is rich in history and only minutes to retail therapy and some of the best spas Houston has to offer.”

Lopez offered up a few more of her personal favorites about life in the Rice Military area. Here's her guide:

Where to eat & drink
Brenner's on the Bayou is a rustic yet elegant steak and seafood restaurant that’s situated in a wooded retreat on Buffalo Bayou near Memorial Park. The two-story dining room has breathtaking views from every table.

“Everyone needs to experience this hidden gem!” says Lopez. “You have to pinch yourself and wonder ‘am I still in Houston?’”

Where to play
“I love Memorial Park and all it has to offer,” says Lopez. “The park now has multiple running and walking trails, and there is so much to do with family, friends, and your furry child.”

Buffalo Bayou Park is another great option for a dose of nature, too.

What to see
Lopez’s favorite place — especially in spring — is Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens. It serves as a museum for American decorative arts and paintings and has also a 14-acre garden.

Military Rice is also known for the infamous Beer Can House — which is exactly what it sounds like. Started in the 1960s, the Beer Can House now has more than 50,000 beer cans incorporated in some form or fashion and is a popular attraction.

Where to live
Beer Can House aside, Rice Military offers diverse dwelling styles including single-family homes, condos, and townhomes. Whether your architectural taste is industrial, modern, contemporary, midcentury, Art Deco, or simply traditional, Rice Military has it all.

Rice Military has gained in popularity with its close proximity to the Galleria and I-10, Lopez advises, and most single-family homes don’t have an HOA and tax rates are low.

Several of Lopez' recent sales, such as 216 Birdsall St. #B and 5810 Venice St., personify the neighborhood.

1919 Shearn St., for example, features views of downtown and is close to art galleries, walking trails, and biking nearby in Summer Street Park and Memorial Park Extension.

A listing that's currently pending is 5204 Floyd St., a single-family with soaring ceilings and generous living space.

“Rentals are great for first-time Houstonites who want to discover the city from the inside out, and other great finds include bungalows and ’60s ranch homes with backyards and pools,” she adds. “You may even discover your neighbor’s family has been living in the area since the ’50s!”

"With Ida we have a Realtor for life!," say clients Rachel and Adam Gillon. "She has represented us on several properties, on both the buy and sell side. She is very reliable, hardworking, and truly cares when it comes to helping her clients find their dream home. Our family could not thank her enough!"

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Ida Lopez works and plays in Rice Military. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email ida.lopez@sothebys.realty, or call 832-454-9139.

Photo courtesy of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

5204 Floyd St. features high ceilings in the main living area.