On the market

Inside the $15 million mansion on Memorial's most prestigious street that wowsheavy hitters

405 Timberwilde Lane wows with its size and setup.
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Placed in the middle of 2.5 acres of rich landscaping, the European stylemansion enjoys a sophisticated, contemporary ambience within an Old Worldframework.
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
As rock star listing agent Laura Sweeny said on a recent tour of the house, "Ithink this is one of the most beautiful houses I've ever had the pleasure oflisting."
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
An open corridor at the back leads from the game room past the living room tothe wide open family room/breakfast area/kitchen.
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors
Photo courtesy of John Daugherty, Realtors

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.

405 Timberwilde Lane

Let us begin by saying that Timberwilde Lane is considered the Lazy Lane of Memorial — read that the most prestigious street in the 77024 expanse of H-Town. The lots are vast, bountiful trees providing a verdant canopy to some of the most beautiful homes in the city and this one is no exception.

Placed in the middle of 2.5 acres of rich landscaping, the European style mansion enjoys a sophisticated, contemporary ambience within an Old World framework. The exterior architecture recalls a country chateau while inside the space is all about modern living. The owners spent two years and serious dollars updating and expanding the house that today features such amenities as iron work doors, hand-scraped wide plank walnut floors, to-die-for Venetian plaster walls and a slate roof.

As rock star listing agent Laura Sweeney said on a recent tour of the house, "I think this is one of the most beautiful houses I've ever had the pleasure of listing."

Walk through: The house was clearly built for entertaining as rooms flow to rooms, the movement evident upon entering the vast foyer. Straight ahead is the expansive living room that opens to an interior courtyard. To the left is the open dining room and to the right via a few steps past the climate-controlled wine cellar is the combo media/game room/bar.

As Sweeney pointed out, the brilliance of having the game room on the ground floor is that homeowners actually use it.

As Sweeney pointed out, the brilliance of having the game room on the ground floor is that homeowners actually use it. While the dimensions are impressive, 43 feet by 19 feet, the design, as envisioned by interior designer Marjorie Slovak with the owners' input, provides a warm and manageable feel.

An open corridor at the back leads from the game room past the living room to the wide open family room/breakfast area/kitchen. Ironwork-trimmed glass doors the length of the corridor offer views across the terrace past the Bob Wilfong sculpture and fire pit and across the swimming pool to the fully-outfitted, two-bedroom guest house. A family could be quite at home in the 1,750 square foot guest house with a loft, fireplace, full kitchen and dining room.

All five bedrooms with ensuite baths and walk-in closets are located on the second floor as is the home office, which is conveniently located across the hall from the master. As one would expect in a house of this magnitude, the master suite space is generous with the bedroom itself measuring in at 29 feet by 16 feet. Add the enormous bath (love the onyx countertops) and two boutique-sized walk-in closets.

The house features a catering kitchen, six-car garage, three fireplaces and an 800 square foot spa/workout facility that would be the envy of many a health club. The exercise room, lined with windows, is large enough to accommodate eight workout machines.

Love: Everything about this beautiful home is appealing except perhaps the annual taxes — $208,608. But if you can afford the purchase price, the taxes are not an obstacle.

Square footage: 16,414

Asking price: $15,000,000

Listing agent: Laura Sakowitz with John Daugherty Realtors

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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