Heights charm

Spacious Heights home with modern touches hits market for $1.9 million

In the heart of the Houston Heights is 1039 Harvard Street, a 4,300-plus-square-foot home that must be seen to be properly appreciated. It is listed by David Atkins of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty.

Photo by TK Images for Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

1039 Harvard Street is a custom home in the center of the Heights. It's listed at $1.995 million.

The home instantly fits within its surroundings, with spacious living areas and modern amenities that will appeal to many homebuyers. 1039 Harvard Street blends function with form, offering several gathering spaces, four oversized bedrooms, spa-like baths, and a stunning backyard pool.

The spacious master bedroom is a private oasis, with a framed separation prior to entering the sleeping area. It creates a space to enjoy morning coffee or a mid-day read while overlooking the pool. The Hunter Douglas Vignette Modern Roman shades add to the room’s calming feel. Its adjoining bathroom is like stepping into a spa, with a deep Jacuzzi tub that sits within an open shower area. Built-in dressers line the wardrobe closet, which offers plenty of storage space and a vanity.

An upstairs TV lounge is perfect for kids’ movie nights or an adult gathering. Meanwhile, a center corridor is lined with built-in bookshelves and a tech closet from which to run a modern home.The east-facing bedroom has a window seat for lounging, and its bathroom offers a frameless shower enclosure and quartz counters. The front bedroom has its own bath, and the two middle bedrooms have a shared, ensuite Hollywood bath. On the top floor, a game room offers another place for entertaining.

The home’s kitchen features a waterfall island as its centerpiece, complete with Asko dishwasher and deep sink. There’s a gas fireplace in the living room, and the open floor plan allows for plenty of space and natural light.

Outdoors at 1039 Harvard Street is just as impressive as the inside. Patios offer space for outdoor dining and entertaining, while the in-ground Platinum Pool is a great way to cool off in Houston’s heat.

Located in the center of the Heights, 1039 is close to Harvard Elementary School, as well as the neighborhood’s many amenities. This is truly a home that is move-in ready, and will make its owners want to stay a while.

home-for-sale the-heights

rent affordability news

Houstonians need to make nearly $68,000 to afford rent in 2025

Photo courtesy of Dolce Midtown Apartments

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A new rental report from Zillow has revealed Houston renters need to make about 23 percent more money than they did five years ago in order to afford rent in 2025.

Zillow analysts examined the income needed to afford rent in 50 major U.S. metros, and determined rent prices in each city as of April 2025.

The average Houston renter needs to make $67,731 a year to afford living in the city, the report found. To afford rent for a single-family home, the income needed increases even further to $85,017.

Despite Houston's rising rent cost of living, it's still more affordable than many other cities. Nationally, the average income needed for someone to comfortably afford rent comes out to nearly $81,000. The study says that figure has increased nearly 35 percent since 2020.

"Housing costs have surged since pre-pandemic, with rents growing quite a bit faster than wages," said senior Zillow economist Orphe Divounguy. "This often leaves little room for other expenses, making it particularly difficult for those hoping to save for a down payment on a future home. High upfront costs are often overlooked, which can keep renters in their current homes."

Rent prices in Houston averaged $1,693 last month, which is less costly than the national average rent price of $2,024. Additionally, Houstonians are spending about 24 percent of their income on rent, while the typical American spends almost 30 percent of their income on rent.

Renters are also saving hundreds of dollars in comparison to those that own their homes, as a recent SmartAsset study discovered the median monthly housing costs for a Houston homeowner came out to $2,219.

At least we're not living on the East or West Coast, where eight U.S. metros require six-figure incomes to afford rent. Residents in San Jose, California need to make $136,532 a year to afford rent, the highest out of all 50 U.S. cities. Rent prices in San Jose came out to $3,413 in April.

Here's how much money renters need to afford living in other Texas metros, according to Zillow:

Dallas – $71,413
Austin – $68,840
San Antonio – $58,590

zillow housing report rent prices affordability houston