River Oaks Market Update: Year-End Sales

November 28, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

With Thanksgiving out of the way one might assume it would be appropriate seasonal behavior to wind real estate business down for December and jump ahead to thinking about the new year. Nothing could be further from the truth for those of us working in the River Oaks market. In past...

A Peek at Peckerwood

November 17, 2016October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

After years of benign neglect, several of Houston’s major public parks and gardens are being transformed. The Memorial Park Master Plan, for example, is a complete revamp of the city’s most-used and largest (nearly 1500 acres) urban-center park. The plans were approved by Houston City Council in April 2015, and work...

Tick, Tick, Tick …

October 18, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

One could be forgiven for assuming that it’s a time bomb you hear, but, thankfully, it’s the early telegraph quietly signaling that there is life in the River Oaks real estate market as we approach November 2016. And it’s not a moment too soon, for it has been rather gloomy of...

10 Nosy Questions with Too Cheap Blondes

October 7, 2016October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Jen Meneely and Pippa Williams tell the story of Too Cheap Blondes this way: It was March 2013, and both women happened to be shopping in the same Goodwill store when Pippa recognized Jen from a recent Houston Chronicle article in which Jen had been featured. Pippa introduced herself and told Jen...

Bad News, Good News at the Top of the Market … Maybe

September 20, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

Inventory at the high end of the market in River Oaks, which we define as properties priced at $4 million or higher, has climbed steadily since summer began. As of mid-September, the inventory is at its highest level ever. Most strikingly, much of the inventory is top-heavy – that is, well above...

Big Opportunity for A Small Space

September 16, 2016October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

A powder room may be the tiniest room in the house, but its impact can be – and should be – huge. Designers often suggest ways to make small rooms seem larger and airier. You can ignore that advice for the powder room. Instead, embrace the intimacy. Think jewel box. Here...

River Oaks Market Update: 2016 Mid-Year Edition

August 16, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

The 2016 mid-year edition of the River Oaks Market Report, published by Cameron Ansari and Teresa Byrne-Dodge, will be released this week. The three main points in the new 2016 mid-year edition of our River Oaks Market Report are • High-end real estate buyers are getting younger. • There are plenty...

Dark Corners: Why Men Love Libraries

August 16, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

I am still rather fond of our marriage. So when my wife and I embarked on the complete restoration of our 1920s house, I was determined to participate in the decision-making process only to the extent of nodding my agreement to anything she selected. Years of professional observation in the real...

X Marks the Spot: How to Begin a Map Collection

August 16, 2016October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Intrigued by a collection of beautiful old maps of Persia that Cameron’s father has entrusted to us, we recently sought the advice of Ed Grusnis, owner of The Antiquarium on Kirby Drive. Grusnis, who bought the shop from its founders in 2014, deals in vintage maps, as well as antique prints,...

River Oaks Market – Sales Update

July 18, 2016October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

It was remarkable to see the high number of house sales that closed in River Oaks in June of 2016. The 12 closings were the most we have seen in any single month since November 2005 and significantly higher than in recent years. (See graph River Oaks Sales All Price Levels.)...