Neighborhood Spotlight: How to Research an Emerging Houston-Area Neighborhood

"Which neighborhoods are up and coming?" I hear it every week. Here's my honest answer: I don't rank neighborhoods or predict which ones will appreciate. I can't back those predictions with data I'd stand behind, and a guess from your lender shouldn't drive the biggest purchase of your life.

What I can do is show you how to research any area yourself, with the same free public tools I use when I'm preparing a pre-approval. These are the things that change your monthly payment and your risk. You'll get a far clearer picture of a place from these than from any "hot neighborhoods" list.

One more thing, up front. Fair housing laws exist for good reason. I describe places, not people, and I'll never steer anyone toward or away from an area based on who lives there. Choosing the right place is your call. My job is to make sure the numbers work wherever you land.