hottest 'hoods

Houston's 'livable forest' neighbor tops Heights as hottest neighborhood on the market in 2023

King's Harbor is a big Kingwood draw.

Kings Harbor/Facebook

The best place to buy a house is not always in the most sought-after neighborhood. So where are current and future residents looking to own? Luckily for Houston homebuyers, we have names of the most and least popular neighborhoods in the region.

The master-planned neighborhood of Kingwood is the most popular neighborhood in the city, according to a new study by indoor air quality experts HouseFresh. The study looked at daily views on home listings in 100 of the most populous American cities on Zillow, as well as the number of days a home was listed on the market.

Kingwood is known for its heavily forested land, parks, and community centers, which allowed for the conceptualization of its “Livable Forest” nickname. The neighborhood is so large, spanning over 14,000 acres, that it's split up further into smaller "villages." Active home listings in the area received over 12,600 views per day on Zillow.

Other popular neighborhoods in the city include:

No. 2 – Greater Heights
No. 3 – Greater Uptown Houston
No. 4 – Washington Avenue Coalition - Memorial Park
No. 5 – Alief

In the running for the least popular neighborhood in Houston, with only 49 views per day on Zillow, are homes in the inconspicuously named Pecan Park community. Potential buyers avoid this area since a majority of the homes are rentals, which is a stark contrast to the 75 percent of Kingswood residents who own their properties.

Though the name suggests there would be ample green space in the area, Pecan Park is bordered by two interstate highways, I-610 and I-45, which doesn’t leave much room for greenery. The 16-acre Ingrando Park is the only park in the area.

The top five least popular Houston neighborhoods are:

No. 1 – Pecan Park
No. 2 – Kashmere Gardens
No. 3 – Clinton Park Tri-Community
No. 4 – Denver Harbor - Port Houston
No. 5 – IAH - Airport Area

It should be no surprise that IAH - Airport Area also earned a spot on the top five least popular neighborhoods. In addition to noise pollution concerns, the study found that available homes on Zillow in IAH only received 210 daily views.

The full report can be found on housefresh.com.

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Seaside Living and More

Shuttered Corpus Christi Schlitterbahn will become $800M seaside community

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The site that once housed Schlitterbahn's short-lived Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community with waterfront homes, a shopping and entertainment district, and a marina designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The project by Ashlar Development LLC and partner Diamond Beach Holdings LLC is Corpus Christi’s first master-planned coastal community and is expected to include more than 600 residences.

Located less than four hours from Houston and about 30 minutes from Corpus Christi International Airport, the development is aimed at buyers looking for primary homes, vacation properties, and investment opportunities.

Schlitterbahn opened its Padre Island location in 2016 with hopes of bringing its popular waterpark brand to the coast. But financial troubles and leadership disputes complicated the project early on. After the park closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, it never reopened, and the site was demolished in 2021.

Now, the former waterpark site is being redeveloped into a waterfront residential community.

"The owners saw extraordinary potential in this uniquely positioned property,” Terence Johnson, executive vice president of Ashlar Development, tells CultureMap. “By transforming a former golf course and water park into Whitecap, they've created a luxury canal community that balances exceptional waterfront living with the preservation of valuable coastal habitat for migratory birds and wildlife.”

The first phase of homesite sales is now underway. Buyers can choose from custom and semi-custom home options featuring a contemporary coastal aesthetic with materials such as concrete and glass.

Located just minutes from Whitecap Beach, the community sits along five miles of navigable canals, with most homesites offering water views, direct canal access, and backyard docks.

A pool and fitness center are already completed, with future plans including a café, event space, sports courts, a dog park, and a marina district with shopping, dining, entertainment, a yacht club, and dry boat storage.

A 30-acre nature preserve will sit at the center of the development, providing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.