Your Expert Guide

Lazybrook + Timbergrove: An unbeatable location full of reno-ready ranch homes

Agent Annie Boland.

Photo courtesy of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

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.

---

Having a Realtor you trust is important, but having someone who can negotiate a killer deal and offer experienced advice on renovations? That's priceless.

Annie Boland is just such a Realtor. She recently joined Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty with nearly two decades of real estate experience, plus a hobby of investing in, designing, and then selling investment properties.

This all comes in very handy for her buyers and sellers, who might be seeking help to either ready a home for market or upgrade their newly purchased abode before move-in.

She especially loves helping out clients in Lazybrook/Timbergrove, a community she says has one of the best locations in Houston.

"You are tucked right inside the loop — with easy access to both 610 and I-10 — and just a few minutes from Memorial Park and all the hip restaurants and shops in the Greater Heights, without paying the price of the Heights!" she exclaims. "It is also less than 10 miles from the heart of downtown."

Boland offered up a few more of her personal favorites about life in Lazybrook/Timbergrove. Here's her guide:

Where to eat & drink
Boland names Field & Tides, Cultivate, La Lucha, and Superica her most-visited eateries.

Where to play
"A big bonus to this area is you can step out of your door and hop on the White Oak Trail for walking, jogging, and cycling," she says. "Personally, I love riding my bike on the trail."

She also recommends Memorial Park to walk or bike and for hitting a few balls at the driving range.

Where to live
The area is filled with 1950s and '60s ranches with new construction interspersed — "I am a sucker for ranches, and each and every ranch here is a hidden gem!" she says.

These ranches tend to sit on lots that are larger in size than most in the Greater Heights, and have beautiful mature trees. This is an area that is ideal for first-time homebuyers and couples looking to start a family, Boland advises.

---

Annie Boland works and plays in Lazybrook/Timbergrove For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here,, email annie.boland@sothebys.realty, or call 713-970-1065.

home-for-sale interview q&a promoted

A Montrose jewel box

Charming Montrose townhouse with 2-story atrium hits the market

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

Montrose has long been Houston’s neighborhood for the eclectic, a place where cute bungalows, mom-and-pop shops, and trendy bars and restaurants sit side-by-side. The neighborhood is a microcosm of the city itself: diverse, developing, beloved.

And even as the neighborhood has steadily gentrified, echoes of its past remain. One of those is now for sale. 1507 Harold Street, a remodeled jewel box of a space, is on the market for $950,000 and represented by Tracey Smith of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

The 1950s townhome has fabulous natural light, balconies, a courtyard filled with native plants, and a funky charm that evokes the neighborhood’s past and present.

Painted tile floors and long hallways with splendid light set the tone for this home. They give way to an open, airy arrangement, showing off 1507 Harold’s nearly 3,000 square feet. The three-bedroom, two-bath home is immediately centered in its neighborhood, but also a retreat from the bustling city around it.

If the devil is in the details, 1507 Harold has plenty of them. Think painted clay tiles on the first floor and solid red oak hardwood on the second floor. Add to that custom Pedini Italian kitchen cabinets, Neolith countertops, and a Quemere custom backsplash in the kitchen. See also the epoxied garage floor with glass garage door.

Floor-to-ceiling windows not only let in the natural light, they give 1507 Harold the feeling of being surrounded by nature. That feeling is enhanced by the home's two, second-floor balconies. One of them, off the primary bedroom, overlooks the cloistered courtyard filled with native plants, park bench, and natural seating. The other faces the neighborhood. A two-story atrium provides space for meditation, contemplation, and casual gathering.

The dining room has a dry bar that’s perfect for storage and an Aobosi dual-temperature wine refrigerator. The primary bedroom has built-in bookcases and drawers, and an ensuite bath with soaking tub and shower. Sliding doors lead to the balcony.

The garden’s irrigation system waters plants daily, keeping this green space well-tended.South Texas cactus and olive trees welcome homeowners and visitors at the front entrance.

The home's welcoming vibe has to be seen to be believed. It’s rarely been on the market, and the odds are high that its next owners will keep it for a very long time. It’s just that kind of place.

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

home-for-sale

Your Expert Guide

Lazybrook + Timbergrove: An unbeatable location full of reno-ready ranch homes

A Montrose jewel box

Charming Montrose townhouse with 2-story atrium hits the market

Gluten-free Austin restaurant picks River Oaks for first Houston store

Houston's new piano bar hits a high note with 2-story patio & martinis

Broadcaster Frank Billingsley finds second act at Houston radio station