By KATHERINE FESER Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
Major renovations have boosted the curb appeal and the prices of homes in
Afton Oaks.
Updates such as top-of-the-line kitchen appliances, Italian tile floors and
granite counters have transformed many of the original 1950s ranch houses into
properties that rival recently built homes.
"They have all the amenities that you expect in new construction," says Jeff
Dunn, an agent with John Daugherty, Realtors.
Other common upgrades include solid cherry-wood cabinets, master bath suites
with walk-in closets, plantation shutters and professional landscaping.
Prices range from $250,000 to $500,000 for original houses, more for newer
ones, Dunn says. Updated homes that sold for $250,000 just a few years ago sell
for closer to $400,000 now.
While around a dozen homes have been built over the last decade, houses are
more likely to be remodeled than torn down due to their general good condition
and ample sizes. Most houses contain three bedrooms and two baths, while the
exceptions contain either two or four bedrooms.
The tear-down and rebuild trend is more evident in the nearby neighborhoods
of Oak Estates and Royden Oaks, which are close to River Oaks.
Homes in Afton Oaks are comparable in style to those in Highland Village and
Lynn Park, although typically a bit more expensive because they are farther from
the railroad tracks. Also, values in Afton Oaks depend on the location within
the neighborhood. Houses on secluded streets east of Newcastle often command a
premium over those closer to the West Loop.
Adjacent is Kettering Oaks, a tiny subdivision comprised of Bryn Mawr,
Ivanhoe and Banning streets with some of the bigger lots and houses in the area.
Lots in Afton Oaks are large compared with some Inner Loop neighborhoods in
the same price range, Dunn says. Afton Oaks lots are usually 8,000 to 10,000
square feet, compared with a typical size of 5,000 square feet in West
University Place.
The community contains a mix of original residents and young professionals
with children. The prime location near the West Loop and Richmond Avenue offers
easy access to Greenway Plaza, the Galleria and downtown.
