Sawyer Heights Houston Real Estate Guide
Located directly northwest of Downtown Houston, Sawyer Heights – or the historic First Ward – is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
Located directly northwest of Downtown Houston, Sawyer Heights – or the historic First Ward – is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
Previously Houston’s central business district, the First Ward/Sawyer Heights has become a mix of new development and preserved vintage homes.
Homes in the neighborhood are in high demand due to:
First Ward/Sawyer Heights real estate can be tricky to navigate. Some homes are near main roads (which can affect resale), while others are within the historic district (which have restrictions). A good number of properties in Sawyer Heights are outdated and need major renovation.
Contact Paige Martin, one of the top ranked Realtors in Houston, for information on buying or selling Sawyer Heights real estate.
The historic First Ward, known to some as Sawyer Heights, is one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods. It was founded in 1890s, covering the area north of Congress Avenue and west of Main Street.
The neighborhood is roughly bounded by I-10 to the north, I-45 to the east, Washington Avenue to the south, and Sawyer Street to the west.
The First Ward has Rice Military/Washington Avenue to the west, downtown to the southeast, Woodland Heights to the north, and Neartown/Montrose to the south.
Sawyer Heights Village, a retail center just off I-10 and Taylor Street, is minutes away from the neighborhood’s homes. It features more than 30 shops and restaurants, including Target, La Madeleine, and Panda Express.
For more options, residents can easily visit downtown’s vibrant retail and entertainment centers. The Washington Corridor, another dining and nightlife destination, is also minutes away.
The Heights Hike and Bike Trail also runs through the First Ward. The trail winds south to downtown, and north to the Heights. The White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail is easily accessible via the Heights trail. The Buffalo Bayou Trail is a few blocks south of the neighborhood.
Sawyer Heights real estate have a 77007 Harris County zip code.
Zip codes near Sawyer Heights include 77009, 77022, 77091, 77076, 77055, and 77008. (View Houston zip code map.)
West of Sawyer Heights
North of Sawyer Heights
East of Sawyer Heights
South of Sawyer Heights
Sawyer Heights homes are zoned to the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
Established in the 1920s, Houston ISD is the largest school district in the state (with 283 schools). The Texas Education Agency (TEA) gave the district a “Met Standard” rating in 2016. HISD features several International Baccalaureate (IB) World schools.
A few charter schools are also located near the neighborhood, including Houston Heights Learning Academy (902 W 8th St.), Houston Heights High School (1125 Lawrence St.), and Arabic Language Immersion School at (812 W 28th St.).
Students in the area may attend the following public schools:
The following are some of the more notable private schools near Sawyer Heights.
To find an updated listing of all Sawyer Heights real estate zoned to any specific public school, please send an email to Paige Martin at [email protected] with the property preference and budget that you’re working with.
*Note: School zoning tends to change from year to year, information provided above are accurate but not guaranteed. Please double check by visiting the school’s website.
Real estate in the First Ward/Sawyer Heights is made up older cottages, vintage bungalows, and new construction townhomes.
Average home price in the area is at around $400,000.
Some parts of the area are within a designated historic district, and are protected by deed restrictions.
Increased demand in the neighborhood led to a shift during the early 2000s. Many of the First Ward’s older homes were torn down and replaced with townhomes.
(Data sourced from the Houston Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
For updated information regarding Sawyer Heights real estate pricing and trend analysis, please contact Paige Martin at [email protected].
First Ward/Sawyer Heights single-family homes are typically older cottages and bungalows, some of which date back to the 1890s.
The neighborhood’s older homes are great samples of turn of the century Victorian, Colonial, and Craftsman architecture. Most feature single-story floor plans with 2 to 3 bedrooms.
Home sizes range from 800 to around 2,500 square feet. Lot sizes are typically between 2,000 and 8,000 square feet.
Prices for Sawyer Heights homes for sale can range from $150,000 to more than $650,000.
Many of Sawyer Heights’ older homes have since been torn down to make way for new construction townhomes.
Townhomes in the neighborhood are new or recent construction, built between 2000 to 2017. Some are within gated communities that offer resident-only amenities.
Two- to three-story construction is common, with 3- to 4-bedroom floor plans. Lot sizes are smaller compared to their detached counterparts, ranging from 1,400 to around 3,000 square feet.
Prices for townhomes in First Ward/Sawyer Heights can start at $300,000. Newer and bigger properties can sell for upwards of $500,000.
Here are some townhome communities in the area:
There are no mid- or high-rise residential buildings in Sawyer Heights, but there are plenty of units available in nearby areas like Downtown (some of which are near or along the METRORail) and and Houston Heights.
To see other condos within the Inner Loop, see Inner Loop Houston Condos. To see condos within the nearby Downtown area, see Downtown Houston Condos.
Historically Houston’s original central business district, the First Ward was first established in 1840. The area was one of the original four wards (taking up the area north of Congress and west of Main).
The First Ward was, at the time, made up of farms. It later became a warehouse district because of the area’s proximity to Houston’s docks. Many of the area’s residents at the time worked as laborers, railroad employees, and grocers.
Like some neighborhoods close to downtown, the First Ward suffered a decline as residents moved to the suburbs and most buildings in the area fell into disrepair.
In the 2010s, the First Ward became a re-emerging neighborhood. An art community flourished in the area, with help from the First Ward Civic Council (which helped promote the area as an arts district).
Developers became interested as demand for housing close to downtown’s workplaces increased. Many of the area’s older homes were torn down in favor of new townhomes.
A neighborhood landmark, Jefferson Davis Hospital, was redeveloped into Elder Street Artist Lofts during this period.
The First Ward later became known to some as Sawyer Heights, after the retail center built in the area (along I-10 and Taylor Street).
The First Ward/Sawyer Heights area has plenty of dining, retail, and entertainment options within its borders. There are, however, plenty more in nearby districts, including downtown Houston.
Sawyer Heights Village, located along I-10 and Taylor Street, is a shopping center with more than 100,000 square feet of leasable space. Retail in the area include Target, Staples, and Payless.
Several restaurants, bars, and other commercial establishments line Washington Avenue, also known as the Washington Corridor.
A section of the Heights Hike and Bike Trail goes through the neighborhood. The 8-mile trail winds from the northern tip of downtown, south of Northside Village (Near Northside), north of First Ward (Sawyer Heights), and straight into the Greater Heights area.
For more options, residents are minutes away from downtown’s vibrant districts like the Theater District, Market Square Park, and the Ballpark District, among others.
Here are some of Sawyer Heights must-visit places:
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.
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