Although apartments are springing up all over the place in Houston, Texas, you might want to consider renting a single-family home. In many cases, it is easier to find a suitable house or duplex than an apartment unit where you live on top of and below your neighbors and noises disturb you at all hours of the day and night. Especially for families, single-family homes in Houston, Texas provide undeniable advantages over apartments.
If you’re thinking about renting a sing-family home in Houston, Texas, the best place to start is with the Houston Association of Realtors’ Web site. You can search for single-family homes in specific MLS areas of the city, including surrounding communities like The Woodlands, Galveston, Katy and Cypress. You’ll find thousands of single-family homes for rent.
Unfortunately, however, with diversity comes some measure if confusion. You can rent any number of single-family homes in Houston, Texas, but they are each different with separate attributes. You might find one home with hardwood floors and a Jacuzzi bathroom, but it will have all-electric energy and a tiny backyard to offset those benefits. In Houston, it’s best to look at the things that matter.
Neighborhood
A single-family home in Houston is only as attractive as the neighborhood where it stands. There are more than a few neighborhoods that I would avoid at all costs, and others I would avoid given the choice. The fourth and fifth wards of downtown Houston—particularly around the University of Houston—definitely make the list. I would also stay away from Cloverleaf west of the beltway, Aldine and Jacinto City north of downtown, and Galena Park.
You’ll find that renting single-family homes in this area of Houston will be cheap, but it isn’t worth the high crime rates, the dilapidated buildings or the lack of modern conveniences.
Of course, it is also a good idea to avoid the extremely wealthy areas of Houston, such as south Katy, Memorial, River Oaks and The Woodlands. You’ll pay far more in rent for the area, but without any additional amenities. And since you won’t be building equity with your $3,000-per-month rent payments, it isn’t worth the expense.
Amenities
If you know where to look for single-family homes in Houston, Texas, you’ll be able to find nice properties for reasonable prices. For example, a friend of mine just rented a four-bedroom, two-story home in Cypress for just under $1200 per month. The house came with a covered patio, a washer and dryer, tile throughout the home, a Jacuzzi bathtub and granite countertops.
When renting a single-family home in Houston, Texas, it’s best to play the field. Get in touch with several Realtors who work exclusively with rentals to find out where the best deals are. Furthermore, you’ll find that updated homes built before the 1970s often offer the best prices.
Price
According to HAR.com, the rental property in Houston, Texas costs about $865, but this includes apartments and other multi-family dwellings. If you’re looking exclusively for single-family homes, you’re probably looking at a minimum of $900 per month for a middle-class house in a nice neighborhood. The price goes up from there, with the middle range at around $1,000.
