Roman Forest

Driving through Texas, you can be forgiven if you momentarily think you might have ended up in Europe somehow. In just the eastern part of the state, you can visit Athens, Paris and Naples. Head a little further west, and you can stop off in Italy, Dublin and London. Not to be outdone by those towns, Roman Forest, situated 35 miles north of Houston, also lays claim to the category of Texas towns with European names. And while you won’t find the Coliseum or the Pantheon in Roman Forest, you will find a variety of homes lining narrow, tree-lined streets in a quiet, rural community. “It’s a charming area,” says Montgomery County native Elizabeth Harrell, a broker with Rhoden Real Estate for nearly a decade. “It’s got that small-town feel where you know your neighbors. It’s peaceful. And the location is ideal.” Regarding the location, Roman Forest is conveniently located near major highways that afford easy access to downtown Houston, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and other major attractions. However, because of the lack of sidewalks and rapid transit in the area, prospective buyers should be aware that while conveniently situated, Roman Forest is also car-dependent. But the area’s combination of rural lifestyle and modern convenience is proving especially attractive to those living in bigger cities. “Houston has grown so much, and we’re seeing a lot of people moving north so they can get away from the crowds,” says Harrell.

One of the characteristics of Roman Forest real estate is the neighborhood's wide variety of home styles. Tudor-inspired Craftsman homes sit next to ranch-style houses and across the street from farmhouse-style homes. The median price of real estate in Roman Forest is $336,000, and buyers should expect to pay approximately $160 per square foot. A typical three-bedroom/two-bathroom ranch-style home can start at $257,000, and a spacious four-bedroom/four-bathroom contemporary home can fetch up to $568,000.

Students in the neighborhood can attend Northside Elementary, Keefer Crossing Middle and Caney Creek High School. Northside earns a C-plus rating on Niche.com, and both Keefer Crossing and Caney Creek High earn a B-minus. In addition to offering more than 30 Advanced Placement classes, Caney Creek High School allows students to enroll in the school’s dual-credit program, which allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. Alternatively, parents can avail themselves of some of the state’s best private schools in Houston, including St. John’s School, which is rated the #1 best private school in Texas by Niche.com.

For outdoor recreation, residents head to Roman Forest Park on the town’s western edge, where they have access to a playground, swimming pool, splash pad and picnic pavilion. A few miles south of the neighborhood is Lake Houston Wilderness Park, a 5,000-acre forested area that offers visitors 20 miles of hiking trails, 13 miles of equestrian trails, an archery range, a nature center and much more. For even more fun, Big Rivers Waterpark is located 10 minutes north on nearby I-69, where you’ll find a variety of water slides, pools and other aquatic attractions, as well as a zipline course and restaurant. And if you still feel the need for a big-city fix, Houston is a 30-minute drive down I-69, which sits less than a mile west of town. “I like to describe Roman Forest as a rural town with a lot of conveniences,” says Harrell.

Speaking of conveniences, Valley Ranch Town Center, a concentration of shops, restaurants and entertainment, is located just 10 minutes down I-69. There, you’ll find Kroger Marketplace for groceries and stores, including Home Goods, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Hobby Lobby and other retail establishments. When hunger strikes, Valley Ranch Town Center is home to restaurants ranging from Gringo’s Mexican Cantina to Dave’s Hot Chicken.

Written By

Andrew Spencer

Photography Contributed By

Ashley Boyles

Video By

Drew Webster