Rental Beast is pleased to announce that our database of listings not found on the local MLS is available to Houston agents! To celebrate The Bayou City (or H-Town or Magnolia City or just Houston— take your pick) we’re devoting this whole week to exploring this vibrant city, and some of our listings inside it. Houston is especially attractive for Millennials, and even members of Gen Z, who rank it high for affordability, connectivity, and ease of engaging in activism. How come Houston is experiencing a population increase? Why are people flocking to The Bayou City? Check out just 8 reasons why Houston’s booming, and get ready to built your business of Houston renters when Rental Beast is in Houston.
Affordability
With an average rent of $1342, the prices in Houston come in at a bit below the general statewide average rent, and is lower than rent in Dallas and Austin. In 2017, Forbes ranked Houston as the 4th most affordable city in the Unites States, and its reputation for affordability has bolstered its desirability amongst millennials and members of Generation Z. However, exactly how affordable Houston is depends on the area of the city. While lots of places have apartments for low prices, Downtown Houston is flush with pricy rentals that, in price per square footage, shape up to be as expensive as high-flying cities like Chicago and Miami.
Renter Friendly Downtown
Houston’s made strides in developing a pedestrian, renter-friendly downtown. The city’s efforts have certainly paid off— Rental occupancy is at 90%. In fact, rental occupancy across North Texas is up. And, with a vibrant restaurant and entertainment scene, and the influx of new hotels brining reliable quantities of tourists, Downtown Houston is set to seem even friendlier for renters.
Houston’s not the only city where rental occupancy is rising! All across the country, individuals of all generations are choosing to rent their homes. And, Now that Rental Beast is in Houston, there’s a way to capitalize on the growing popularity of rentals!
Related: Why Rentals Matter Right Now
Good Suburban Areas
The Downtown’s not the only place that ranks highly for livability. It’s no secret that suburban living is gaining in popularity—with urban housing prices soaring, and suburban schools faring better in statewide exams, many young families opt to move outside city limit and get more band for their buck. In from 2008-2018, Houston saw a 107,000 increase in renter households with children— the largest increase of any city in the US. And, with affordable home prices, excellent public education, Houston’s suburbs prove to be especially attractive, especially for Millennial renters hoping to make the leap into homeownership, Houston’s suburbs are particular attractive.
No State Income Tax
Just another factor bolstering Houston’s affordability— there’s no income tax in the state of Texas! While Texans do pay tax on their investment income and interest, their personal income does not get taxed. This means that they have more room to spend their income on housing and entertainment in downtown Houston.
Job Market
Houston boasts a strong job market. The average salary in Houston is also a few thousand above the national average, and those with (or hoping to find) carrels in the agriculture business or energy sector can expect to rake in much more every year. The job market is especially favorable to those looking to secure a job in healthcare. The city’s healthcare industry is booming. In fact, The Texas medical center is the largest employer in the city. It has 21 hospitals, 8 academic and research institutions, and 50 related not-for-profit organizations.
Entertainment
There’s no shortage of things to do in H-Town. Renters and homeowners are poised to enjoy everything that Houston has to offer.
Here’s just a a few things that you can enjoy in Houston.
Restaurants
The whole city’s known for its delicious eats— Houston’s restaurant scene is ever-evolving, lightning fast, and super-dynamic. In particular, Houston boasts a cultural diverse culinary scene with an array of delicious Vietnamese, Cajun, and Mexican food.
Open Space
While having a car is a must in this automobile-driven city, there’s also green space galore. In total there’s 50,632 acres of park space in Houston that you can use to cleanse your mind, walk your dog, or stretch your legs. Houston strikes just the right balance between steel and concrete metropolis and green city.
Arts & Culture
Downtown Houston is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene as well as its booming. With acclaimed museums like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Rothko Chapel, culture junkies will be thrilled. Looking for something a little louder? Every March, Houston holds the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the largest indoor livestock exhibitions and rodeo in the world.
With so much to do, Houston renter’s will always have packed weekends.
Take Your Pick!
The competitive energy sector in Houston means that companies regularly compete to get energy prices as low as possible, and that Houston’s economy is fairy stable. Of course, this is great news for people who live in Houston. Think about it this way–the more you save on energy, the more you can spend on Houston’s delicious food!
Great public higher education
Houston is home to The University of Houston and Rice University. The former is public, tier one research university, and the latter is a top-ranked, super-selective liberal arts school. Their numbers combine to almost 50,000 students.
Higher education is top-notch throughout the lone star state. The University of Texas system boasts some of the most well respected, prestigious universities in the world— that offer a range of programs in a variety disciplines. And because of strong employment prospects in state, many individuals who attend Texas’ world-class institutions—like The University of Houston and Rice University—stay in their adopted cities after receiving their diplomas.
Were so excited that Rental Beast is in Houston and we’re ready to start helping Houston agents build their book of business by working with rentals, and leveraging our database of thousands of off-MLS listings. We’re also so excited to start working with Texas landlords! Get ready to take advantage of our database, CRM, and application engine. To learn more about the Rental Beast platform or to request a no-obligation demo visit Rental Beast for Real Estate Agents.
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