Garden Oaks Homes for Sale

Garden Oaks is a community of about 1400 homes. It has big lots, curving streets, deep setbacks which give a sophisticated, graceful feel to it. It has an active Civic Association which keeps an eye on deed restrictions.

Garden Oaks Homes-Deed Restricted

Location  

Garden Oaks straddles N Shepherd. The eastern side is just above the 610 N Loop, below W34th St. The Western side is West of Shepherd, near W 43rd. Click on the map Garden Oaks map below for enlarged view.

History

This is a unique neighborhood. It was to be the next River Oaks when it was first developed in 1937 by Edward Crain.  The first homes built there were big, grandiose homes on huge tree covered lots. Drive in from Shepherd and see the big plantation style homes set well back from the streets.

The war changed this. As new homes were built, expanding the area westward, they became smaller. At the end they were built for returning GI’s under the GI Bill. So today you have a broad range of house styles and sizes. If you want a house with a huge lot, they can be found here.

Look and Feel

  Garden Oaks still retains the charm it had when first developed. It has wide, curving streets, big lots with lots of trees and deep setbacks. The area is often compared to Bellaire and West U: large tree-shaded lots, big homes and its uniformity. Bellaire people are notorious for not liking the Heights…too many transition areas. They would much prefer Garden Oaks.

Garden Oaks Map

The shift in the housing market during its development (because of the war) gives Garden Oaks and large variety of house sizes and styles which remain today. They were mostly pier and beam (more accurately block and beam) homes, so they had oak or pine floors, which are the rage today. There are a lot of newer homes now. These new Garden Oaks homes are big. You don’t put a little house on a big lot any more.

Price Trends

The market for Garden Oaks homes is very strong. Renovations and new construction are both very popular. Some of the reasons for its popularity are:

  • Convenient location: Minutes from downtown, the Galleria, Med Center, freeways. If you want the culture and amenities of downtown, but still want the feel of a small town, Garden Oaks offers it. Close to everything, but its own little neighborhood feel.
  • Prices: While prices have gone up considerably, where else can you get such huge lots at an affordable price? Certainly not inside the loop. Anything inside the loop (especially new homes) is going to be on a smaller lot and have an even bigger price.
  • Deed Restrictions: Garden Oaks is deed-restricted. Builders cannot buy a lot, chop it up and put in multiple homes. Those big lots on curving streets are going to remain. The neighborhood is also very cohesive’ no random warehouses and businesses scattered about the residential areas. Deed restrictions are strictly enforced by the Civic Association.
  • New home construction has been strong. This pushes up land prices, and therefore raises all prices. See recent posts below to see recent house prices.

Garden Oaks Home Search

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Notes:

  • Transfer fee. There is a transfer fee of 0.75% on the sale of Garden Oaks homes in 4 of the 5 sections. Section 4 is the only one without this fee. This fee is typically paid by the buyer.
  • Townhomes? There are none. The lots cannot be subdivided, so townhomes cannot be crammed in.

Garden Oaks adjoins neighboring Oak Forest. Oak Forest is a bigger area with many more homes. Typically it has smaller homes, on smaller lots, so are generally more affordable. So, if you like Garden Oaks homes but they are too big for you, try adjacent Oak Forest.

For other similar areas look here at Areas Surrounding the Heights for synopsis of close-in neighborhoods such as; Oak Forest, Mangum Manor and Timbergrove Manor/Lazybrook.

December Garden Oaks Gazette

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on November 30, 2014
December Garden Oaks Gazette

The Garden Oaks Civic Club meets Tuesday December 2nd at 7:00 pm. It is a brief meeting followed by a pot-luck dinner. It is being held at a different location this year, the Garden Oaks Montessori, 901 Sue Barnett. Details are in the Garden Oaks Gazette, attached. Garden Oaks is a unique area’ it was […]

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Garden Oaks Lot for Sale – 951 W 42nd St

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on July 12, 2014
Garden Oaks Lot for Sale – 951 W 42nd St

Garden Oaks Lot for New Construction November Update.  The third time was the charm on this house. The first two buyers jumped in without first determining if they could build what they wanted. They then backed out. Oh well, we got decent option money and a survey out of it. It closed back on 11/08 for […]

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Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & Nearby Price Trends

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on May 15, 2014
Garden Oaks, Oak Forest &  Nearby Price Trends

The Houston Chronicle Home Price Survey came out last Sunday May 4, 2014. Every homeowner or wannabe homeowner looks at this. The paper is a little cumbersome to use because it fills up pages. I just condensed some of their data into an easy to compare table   This little table gives a wealth of information. […]

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Garden Oaks Prices-4th Q 2013

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on January 29, 2014
Garden Oaks Prices-4th Q 2013

  Garden Oaks Prices-End of Year See my Page on Garden Oaks. It gives info on the neighborhood, history, location, types of homes and more. It also has links to recent posts.. Of course, the story is the same. Sales are strong, prices are up. The table below shows Garden Oaks prices at the end of […]

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Garden Oaks Sales prices

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on February 1, 2013
Garden Oaks Sales prices

Garden Oaks Sales-4Q 2012 Garden Oaks had 26 home sales in 4th Quarter 2012 compared to 15 in the same quarter of 2011. Neighboring Oak Forest also saw the same big jump. Of these 26 sales 2 were new construction. 4th Q Sales, 2012 Resale Sold Prices New Construction Prices Total Sales New Homes $ […]

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Available Homes in Garden Oaks

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on April 16, 2012
Available Homes in Garden Oaks

Garden Oaks Houses Garden Oaks is Oak Forest’s big brother. (See my Oak Forest page). Bigger lots, bigger homes, generally older. See my page on Garden Oaks describing how it was to be the next River Oaks until WWII came along and changed it.   While in Oak Forest you can buy a cute home for […]

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Garden Oaks Luxury Homes & New Construction

Filed in Garden Oaks Homes for Sale by on February 3, 2011
Garden Oaks Luxury Homes & New Construction

Garden Oaks Luxury Homes-2011 This post follows one I just did on Heights Luxury Homes. Garden Oaks is a mid-century neighborhood just north of the 610 N Loop, West of Shepherd. Great old ranch style homes on huge lots. The term luxury home is relative of course. Luxury in the Heights, or Garden Oaks would […]

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