DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE GUIDE

2022 Downtown homes for sale & insider real estate guide

Conveniently situated in the heart of Houston’s Inner Loop, Downtown Houston features a 1,178-acre area bordered by I-10 (North), 59 (East), and I-45 (South & West).

Downtown Houston’s residential market has doubled in the last few years, thanks to:

• EXCELLENT COMMUTE: While the city employs over 200,000 people, just roughly 6,000 residences are available in the area (up from about 3,000 in 2014). Many people who reside downtown work there as well.

• HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE: Thanks to a network of skywalks and tunnels, getting around Downtown is easy. METRORail, bus, Houston B-Cycle, and Greenlink are all excellent options for getting to the Medical Center, EaDo, and Museum District. Furthermore, most Downtown Condos are close to METRORail.

• GREAT DINING & CULTURAL OPTIONS: Houston houses the second-largest theatre community in the United States and has over 400 Yelp-rated food and shopping facilities.

• CONDO LIVING: The majority of Downtown’s residential options are Historic Houston Lofts and Downtown Houston Condos which offer great “lock and leave” benefits.

• LUXURY AMENITIES: Building amenities vary, though most Downtown Houston condos offer rooftop terraces, conference rooms, fitness centers, and pools. Some feature 24-hour concierge and valet services.

The Downtown Houston real estate market can be tricky to navigate due to the fact that some buildings have very poor resale rates (due to low-quality construction, HOA, parking, or general design problems). In addition, specific units within many buildings have a resale issue due to views, noise, or individual parking spot problems. Contact Paige Martin, of the Top Ranked Realtors in Houston for assistance if you’re looking to buy or sell downtown.

"The entire Houston Properties Team was excellent to work with. Incredibly informed, proactive, and responsive, we could not have been happier with our Houston home search and the property we purchased. Will definitely work with this great group again in the future." - Kathryn Kaufman (Google Review)

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Table of Contents

1. Downtown Home Sale Trends
2. Downtown Best Realtor Insights
3. Downtown Maps, Location & Zip Code
4. Downtown Schools
5. Downtown Real Estate Market

Downtown Home Sale Trends

Boasting a 1,178-acre area, Downtown Houston is strategically located south of I-10 (Katy Freeway), west of I-45 (Eastex Freeway), and north of I-69 (Gulf Freeway)

The residential market in downtown Houston has grown in the previous few years, thanks to:

• EXCELLENT COMMUTE: While the city employs over 200,000 people, there are roughly 6,000 residences available in the area (up from about 3,000 in 2014). Many people who reside downtown also work there.

• HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE: Getting around Downtown is easy, thanks to a network of skywalks and tunnels. The Medical Center, EaDo, and Museum District are also highly accessible via METRORail, bus system, Houston B-Cycle, and Greenlink. In addition, most Downtown Condos are near the METRORail.

• GREAT DINING & CULTURAL OPTIONS: In addition to the 400+ Yelp-rated dining and retail establishments, Houston is home to the second-largest theatre community in the US.

• CONDO LIVING: The majority of Downtown’s residential options are Historic Houston Lofts and Downtown Houston Condos which offer great “lock and leave” benefits.

• LUXURY AMENITIES: Building amenities vary, though most Downtown Houston condos offer rooftop terraces, conference rooms, fitness centers, and pools. Some feature 24-hour concierge and valet services.

The Downtown Houston real estate market can be tricky to navigate due to the fact that some buildings have very poor resale rates (due to low-quality construction, HOA, parking, or general design problems). In addition, specific units within many buildings have resale issues due to views, noise, or individual parking spot problems. Contact Paige Martin, of the Top Ranked Realtors in Houston for assistance if you’re looking to buy or sell downtown.

Downtown Best Realtor Insights

• Located at the heart of Houston’s Inner Loop, Downtown is bordered by I-10 to the north, I-69 to the east, and I-45 to the south and west.

• Residents of Houston’s central business district have everything within easy reach. Business, employment, retail, and entertainment centers are minutes away from Downtown Houston homes.

• Getting around Downtown is easy with the help of the area’s network of skywalks and tunnels. Key Houston neighborhoods like the Museum District and Medical Center are highly accessible via the METRORail, the bus system, Houston B-Cycle, and Greenlink

• Home options Downtown are mostly urban lofts and upscale condo units in mid-and high-rise buildings. Townhomes and single-family homes are available in nearby neighborhoods.

• Building amenities vary, though most Downtown Houston condos offer rooftop terraces, conference rooms, fitness centers, pools, and saunas. Some feature 24-hour concierge and valet services.

• Downtown is home to about 3,500 businesses with more than 150,000 employees. It has more than 40 million square feet of office space.

• The area is divided into several smaller districts, including the Theater District, Skyline District, and the Historic District, among others.

• There are several residential lofts and condo buildings in the Downtown area with some of the area’s historic buildings having since been converted to house posh lofts and condos.

• Downtown Houston condos can feature 2- to 3-bedroom floor plans, with living spaces ranging between 500 to more than 4,500 square feet.

• Prices for Downtown Houston homes for sale can start at around $150,000. The most expensive real estate in the area can go for more than $3,500,000.

Downtown Maps, Location & Zip Code

Downtown Schools

Downtown is zoned to the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

The HISD features several National Blue Ribbon, top-ranked GreatSchools.org, and multi-award-winning schools.

*Note: For more detailed information on specific schools zoned to different Downtown Houston areas, please refer to our Houston Schools Guide OR email Paige Martin at PMartin@HoustonProperties.com

Elementary Schools

• Blackshear Elementary School at 2900 Holman St. Blackshear is a Montessori magnet school that serves students from EE (early education) to 6th grade. The school offers several after-school activities, including the YMCA, tutorials, and the After School Achievement Program (ASAP).

• Bruce Elementary School at 510 Jensen Dr. B.K. Bruce Elementary is a music magnet school. Its music magnet program is divided into the keyboard, woodwind, violin, brass, choir, and guitar.

• Crockett Elementary School at 2112 Crockett Street. Serving students from grades PK to 5, Crockett is a neighborhood Vanguard school that offers bilingual and fine arts programs. The school’s fine arts program offers classes in ballet, visual art, music, and rhythmic dancing.

• Young Scholars Academy for Excellence at 1809 Louisiana St. YSAFE is one of the HISD’s charter schools and is located in the Downtown area. Established in 1996, the school offers a robust enrichment program with courses in fine arts, culinary arts, entrepreneurship, science, technology, sports, and literacy, among others.

Middle Schools

Public Middle Schools zoned to Downtown Houston include:

• Gregory-Lincoln Education Center at 1101 Taft St. Located in the Fourth Ward, GLEC serves students from Kindergarten to 8th grade. The school features a fine arts magnet program and offers classes in the theatre arts, culinary arts, dance, visual arts, multimedia arts, and vocal music.

• Marshall Middle School at 1115 Noble St. Also known as Marshall Middle Academy of Fine Arts, the school offers a great fine arts magnet program. Like Gregory-Lincoln, Marshall also features a wide array of classes: band, choir, dance, piano, guitar, mariachi, orchestra, visual art, and theatre arts.

High Schools

Public High Schools zoned to Downtown Houston include:

• Davis High School at 1101 Quitman St. Located in Near Northside, Jefferson Davis High School features a Hotel and Restaurant Management magnet program.

• Reagan High School at 413 E 13th St. John H. Reagan High School is located in Houston Heights and is one of the HISD’s IB World Schools. Apart from the Middle Years Programme (MYP), Reagan also has a computer technology magnet program.

• High School for the Performing and Visual Arts at 4oo1 Stanford St. Located in Montrose, the HSPVA (or just PVA) is an arts magnet school. The school covers six areas: vocal music, instrumental music, visual art, dance, theatre, and creative writing.

Downtown Houston Private Schools

The following are some of the more notable private schools near Downtown Houston.

• Incarnate Word Academy at 609 Crawford St.

• Our Lady of Guadalupe School at 2405 Navigation Blvd.

• Trinity Lutheran School at 800 Houston Ave.

• Yellowstone Academy at 3000 Trulley St.

• Young Scholars Academy for Excellence at 1809 Louisiana St.

• Houston Outdoor Learning Academy at 2731 Houston Ave.

To find an updated listing of all Downtown Houston real estate zoned to any specific public school, please send an email to Paige Martin at PMartin@HoustonProperties.com with the property preference and budget that you’re working with.

*Note: School zoning tends to change from year to year, the information provided above is accurate but not guaranteed. Please double-check by visiting the school’s website.

Downtown Real Estate Market

Downtown Single-Family Home Sale Trends

There are no single-family homes in the Downtown area, however, there are plenty available in surrounding neighborhoods including Midtown, the Heights, Montrose, Northside Village, and EaDo.

Downtown Townhomes Sale Trends

There are no Downtown Houston townhomes available. Fortunately, there are many townhomes for sale within 10 to 15 minutes of downtown.

Downtown Houston Condo Sale Trends

Downtown Houston lofts and condos are popular due to their central location, high accessibility, relatively lower maintenance costs, and luxury amenities. Several condos and loft buildings in the area are along or within a few blocks of the METRORail.

Downtown has 25 mid-and high-rise residential buildings, each with its distinct character, style, and charm.

Downtown’s loft buildings were converted from office and retail spaces into beautiful residential midrises. San Jacinto Lofts, Bayou Lofts, Franklin Lofts, Byrds Lofts, and Hermann Lofts are a few examples.

Condos in the area, on the other hand, are within luxury highrises, including Commerce Towers, Four Seasons Residences, and 2016 Main.

Each building has its own set of amenities, with some even providing white-glove service. Rooftop decks, secure parking, pools, and fitness centers are among the most prevalent amenities. Some hotels offer 24-hour valet & concierge services, meeting spaces, and guest rooms.

Loft and condo sizes vary, ranging from 500 to more than 4,500 square feet. An average Downtown Houston condo for sale can feature 2 to 3 bedrooms, though bigger units with 4-bedroom floor plans are also available.

Prices typically start at around $150,000 and can go as high as $3,500,000.

Downtown Houston Lofts

• Bayou Lofts

• Franklin Lofts

• Hermann Lofts

• Byrd’s Lofts

• St Germain Lofts

• Capitol Lofts

• Keystone Lofts

• Kirby Lofts

• Rise Lofts

• Stanford Lofts

• Herrin Lofts

• Beaconsfield Lofts

• San Jacinto Lofts

• Commerce Towers

• Four Seasons Residence

• The Edge

• 2016 Main

• The Rice Lofts

• Hogg Palace

• Dakota Lofts

• One Park Place

View all Houston Lofts For Sale

To see other condos within the Inner Loop, see Inner Loop Houston Condos. To see condos within the nearby Museum District area, see Museum District Condos.

Downtown Houston TX History

Over the last decade, downtown experienced a transformation that the Houston real estate market has not seen since the Allen brothers first established the city in the early 1800s.

The 1980’s oil crash laid downtown Houston bare. Development stopped, businesses closed, with shops and buildings boarded up. The population in the neighborhood fell and many people called downtown “desolate, barren, and forgotten.”

That changed in the mid-to-late 1990s with pioneering real estate developers (like Randall Davis and Frank Garvey) who purchased historic buildings (e.g. Post Rice Lofts, Bayou Lofts, Franklin Lofts) and converted them into urban lofts with modern amenities.

Today, Downtown Houston is a bustling district filled with residential and commercial skyscrapers; streets lined up with restaurants, bars, and clubs; parks; and an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks, making for a more inviting and fantastic living experience in downtown Houston than ever before.

Downtown Houston is the largest business district in Houston, Texas. It is one of the busiest and most exciting places to live in Houston with more than 3,500 businesses and 150,000 workers.

Proximity to work is one of the reasons that more and more people are beginning to move “back” into downtown Houston.

Fun Things To Do Near Downtown

Houston's central business district houses not just workplaces and corporate headquarters. It also features a vibrant dining, nightlife, and cultural scene. Downtown has many green parks, historical landmarks, and other points of interest.

The 17-block Theater District features four entertainment venues: Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, Wortham Theater Center, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, and Alley Theatre. Nine major arts organizations call the district home, along with several other smaller performing arts groups. The Bayou Place Entertainment Complex is also within Houston’s Theater District.

The Minute Maid Park Stadium (home of the Houston Astros), the Toyota Center (home of the Houston Rockets), Discovery Green, and the George R. Brown Convention Center are all located in the Ballpark and Convention Districts.

Originally Houston’s town center, the Historic District features Market Square Park, plus numerous cafes and bars.

Other Downtown Houston must-visit places include the Downtown Aquarium, Sam Houston Park, and Allen’s Landing.

Here are just some of the must-visit places in Downtown Houston:

Dining

• Hearsay Gastro Lounge

• The Springbok

• Bombay Pizza Co.

• Myth Kafe

• Huynh Restaurant

• Brooklyn Meatball Co.

• The Honeymoon Cafe & Bar

• Irma’s Southwest Grill

• Treebeards

Parks

• Discovery Green

• Minute Maid Park

• Root Square

• Sam Houston Park

• Eleanor Tinsley Park

• Hermann Square

• Market Square Park

• James Bute Park

• Buffalo Bayou Park

Nightlife

• Foundation Bar

• MKT Bar

• Moving Sidewalk

• The Nightingale Room

• Little Woodrow’s

• Little Dipper Lounge

• The Pastry War

• Neil’s Bahr

• Reserve 101

Groceries

• Long Sing Supermarket

• Main Food Store

• Express Grocery & Deli

• Phoenicia Specialty Foods

• Krogers

• Super K

• Randalls

• Epicurean Express

• Lankford Grocery

Top Downtown Houston Realtor – Paige Martin

As featured on Fox News in the Morning, Houston Business Journal and Houston Magazine, Paige Martin, a consistent Top Producing Broker-Associate and head of the Houston Properties Team, is ranked as one of the top residential real estate agents in the world.