Brooke Smith Homes for Sale

Brooke Smith Homes

Brooke Smith homes are a lot like those of nearby Houston Heights. A little less grandiose maybe, but still a mix of Victorian homes and Craftsman style bungalows. This neighborhood was established in 1906, so that’s a period when home styles were switching from Victorians to simpler Craftsman style.
Brooke Smith homes-Folk Victorian remodeled by Contemporary Craftsman

I LOVE Brooke Smith: Blocks and blocks of old one-story folk Victorian homes, (less ornate the the elaborate Queen Anne Victorians) and Craftsman style bungalows. I have been recommending this neighborhood for over 10 years and I still do.
This neighborhood had always been the stepchild of the Heights. Few people know about it or where it is. It has no major street through it, so you don’t drive through it going elsewhere. It was just hidden in the Northeast corner of the Heights. In fact people still misspell it as Brookesmith or Brook Smith.

Everyone in Houston knows about Houston Heights; they might even know about Woodland Heights with its Christmas tradition of Lights in the Heights. However, no one who doesn’t live here knows about Brooke Smith. Until recently it’s always been a stealth neighborhood.

Why I like Brooke Smith Neighborhood.

I have always liked Brooke Smith neighborhood. I have always recommended it…but…only to those who didn’t mind it being a little rough around the edges. I did not recommend it to people from the suburbs who liked uniformity.  Those buyers preferred the more prestigious Woodland Heights or the core areas of Houston Heights where most of the homes have been renovated. They paid more; but they liked being surrounded by other fancy, expensive homes.

Now, I recommend Brooke Smith to everyone wanting to be in the Heights  for several reasons:

  • Prices jumped up a few years back but it is still considerably cheaper than most of the Heights.
  • Home remodeling is occurring on just about every block in the neighborhood.
  • Gorgeous new homes have sold and many more are being built.
  • The building activity is pushing up land prices. This will drive up all home values in Brooke Smith.
  • Construction activity is what really makes a neighborhood attractive to buyers. People want to buy in an area that is improving, not stagnant.
  • Most importantly, homes are being remodeled, or new homes built that fit the neighborhood. The cohesiveness is being enhanced. Their isn’t a bunch of high-density homes shoved in where the don’t belong.

You too will love the neighborhood. Just drive down, Archer, Cordell or Enid and see the history that is here. The history that is being preserved and renovated.

Note: Another neighborhood I recommend is  Lindale Park.    It east of the Heights and is entirely different style and feel but has a great sense of community and big potential for price increase. I call it a “miniature West U.”

Brooke Smith Home Styles

Brooke Smith (Often misspelled Brookesmith, or called Brooke Smith Heights) has some wonderful old homes. 

The small folk Victorian homes are my favorites here. Tall peaked roofs, tall windows, lots of vertical lines. They sometimes even have Victorian wrought iron fences.An example is the house at the top of page. This house on Archer St was renovated by Contemporary Craftsman who also does stunning new homes in Brooke Smith.

There are lots of contrasting Craftsman bungalows too; it was this transition time between Victorian homes and the Arts & Crafts period when the neighborhood came into being. The bungalows are opposite of the Victorians in many ways: lower, horizontal lines, square porch columns. Pure and simple…nothing ornate.

The bungalow below was renovated by Urban Restoration.

Brooke_Smith_homes_Urban_Restoration

There are some homes just barely hanging on also. The good part is that the ugly little homes can be transformed/expanded into stunning homes.  I say this area has been the stepchild because most people like the better maintained areas of the Heights.
This original old Southern mansion below is for sale (as of Feb, 2018) if you want a big project. This is not a common style in the Heights, but there are a few scattered around.

Old Brooke Smith Mansion for Sale-403 Archer St.
See blog posts at the bottom of the page for latest prices, new home styles, etc.

Location:

Brooke Smith is in the NE corner of the Heights. It runs roughly between Airline Drive (near Farmers Market) and I-45. Cavalcade (extension of W 20th) is its northern boundary, down to the diagonal N Mains St.

The map below shows home sales in 2016

Brooke Smith Map of Home Sales 2016

Navigating in Brooke Smith has always been confusing to me. You can be going west and run into N Main, or you can be going south and still run into it. I am always lost in this tiny little pocket of homes. But my navigational skills were never good. I was an early adopter of GPS in my car.
Brooke Smith is a great area. Check it out.

Brooke Smith Zip Code: 77009

Misc. Brooke Smith Facts:

Civic Association:Yes, active
Deed Restrictions: Yes
Lot Size: Typically 50 X 100 with alley access
House Age: Early 1900’s to new (lots of new homes in last few years)
Historic Districts: No
Flood Zone: Mostly not, a little corner next to Little White Oak Bayou is in the flood plain.
Townhomes: Not a place to find condos or townhomes.
Rentals: Rents here are almost the same as the rest of the Heights, about $1.50/SF. Thus 1200 SF is about $1800. It varies widely with condition and location though, so there is a wide range.
Brooke Smith  Size: ~900 homes

Back in September 2011 I wrote about Brooke Smith being a Good Place to Buy. This has definitely come true. Their Civic Association is also very active.

I discuss Land Prices in Brooke Smith in this early 2014 post. This is outdated. 2016 prices were about $200-225K for a 5000 SF lot here. 2017 was a dead year for lot sales. I expect lot prices to jump to $250K in 2018.

Neighborhood 2018 New Home Prices are discussed here.

Renovated Brooke Smith homes prices in 2018 are a bargain compared to the rest of the Heights.

If you need advice on Brooke Smith homes,  give me a call: 713 868-9008. Heights Realtor Rich Martin.

See bottom of page for recent posts on this neighborhood.

MLS Search

If you want to see what Homes are on the market now in Brooke Smith, the below MLS search is for homes in this specific neighborhood.