Shady Acres

Just north of Timbergrove, and just South of Garden Oaks/Oak Forest (The GOOF) you’ll find yourself in Shady Acres… or what I have dubbed as the “McIntyre’s Corner” of town. I say this because Shady Acres surrounds an extremely popular bar called McIntyre’s. This place is packed almost any time you go, and is a city-wide fan favorite for year-round Houston sports watching, springtime crawfish, weekly steak night, drink specials, big-screen TV galore, and other bar sports.

I know.. You’re thinking a neighborhood really defined by a bar? But yes. With the stratospheric success McIntyre’s has created, other similar concept bars have taken up residence in the general vicinity. Now we aren’t talking like “Love in this club” type of bars. These bars are approachable with a fun & local neighborhood feel. You’ll find almost exclusively locals here, with a strong presence in the 23-45 age range. Some bars, like Preslee’s, are very family friendly and are often filled with young families getting out and about on the weekends.

Shady Acres used to be a little rough, but has dramatically improved since the early 2000’s. Mostly newer construction single family townhomes can be found in this area. While stucco is still present, in my opinion there is less stucco to be found in this little pocket. Most homes are brick and some type of siding, which is a big big bonus. Stucco problems can be painfully costly! We see a larger square building square footage here because land was much cheaper when regentrification began in the late 1990’s-early 2000’s. Pricing here is usually lower than Timbergrove, Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, and certainly The Heights, and for this reason we see a lot of first time home buyers.

Keep these things in mind when looking to buy here:

1. Where is the house located? Is it in a more residential area, or is it super close to a popular bar and/or restaurant?
2. Guest parking situation?
3. Is it built up enough? Shady Acres is technically characterized as being in the 100-yr flood plain, but any newer build will have been built up to proper regulations.
4. In your home inspection look for areas of high moisture within the walls. With siding & brick – sometimes not all the exterior areas are sealed correctly and completely so you’ll get elevated moisture levels in your walls. 
5. State of roof and HVAC ? Being built in the early 2000’s, if these houses haven’t been through an HVAC and/or roof replacement/overhaul … its getting to be about that time! Roofs in Texas (depending on weather and quality of product and insulation) last anywhere from 8-22ish years. As a frame of reference, 22 years for a shingle roof is ancient and should probably be replaced. (replaced – NOT overlaid with new shingles) 
6. Termites? With wood siding you might need a termite treatment. Remember that termites are not the end of the world. My favorite inspector says, “There are two types of houses in Texas: one that has/had termites, and one that will have termites” 

What to expect when you live here:

1. Located very well if you need quick access to the Northside of the Houston area. (Think 290, 610N, 45N, Hardy Toll Road, Bush Intercontinental Airport) But also easy access to I-10 West.  
2. Pretty decent street quality
3. Great daytime bars and close proximity to restaurants 
4. A massive little league baseball field complex
5. Mostly newer houses built from 2000 – present & a little more house bang for your buck
6. Close to Home Depot & Lowes and one of the few locations of Discount Tire (my favorite tire place) Driving around Houston regularly can be rough on your tires! 
7. Also close to a Chic-Fil-A!
8. Absolutely walkable to local favorites: Crisp , Cedar Creek , Bungalow (has great food), and The Boot! 
9. A younger crowd, similar to Cottage Grove