Southside Place
Selling Your Home in Southside Place?
Pricing, preparation and marketing for Southside Place homeowners, with the local rules buyers will ask about.
Michael O’NealBroker · REALTOR® | The Michael O’Neal GroupKeller Williams Realty NortheastCall or text: 832-797-3780
Photo: WhisperToMe, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative photo of the area.
The short answer
Selling a home in Southside Place
Southside Place is a separate city of about a quarter square mile between West University Place and Bellaire, with Houston mailing addresses, Houston ISD taxes and its own police, volunteer fire department, water, sewer and trash. Its biggest seller-specific rule: the city requires a Certificate of Occupancy whenever an existing home is sold, so call the Building Department as soon as you decide to list. With few sales a year (HAR’s city page showed 54 over five years), pricing leans on the closest comparable sales here and in the neighboring cities.
Michael O’Neal holds Texas broker license #624124 (TREC record). The Michael O’Neal Group has helped 2,035 families over 13 years across Greater Houston.
Market data
Southside Place home values and market activity
Southside Place (city listings)
- 5Homes for sale
- $2,405,500Average list price
- $615Average list price / sq ft
- 4,171Average size of homes for sale (sq ft)
- 54Homes sold, last 5 years
Source: HAR.com · checked Oct. 25, 2026
What these numbers do not tell you: what a home like yours would sell for today. That comes from an MLS report on recent sales comparable to your home (Southside Place sales of similar size, age, lot and condition), which is what a pricing review is built on.
Get My Southside Place Pricing ReviewNeighborhood overview
Southside Place at a glance
- Its own city, with Houston mailing addresses
Southside Place is a separate incorporated city, but the Postal Service uses "Houston" for every Southside Place address. City Hall is at 6309 Edloe, Houston, TX 77005 (713-668-2341).
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Land area
The Census Bureau's boundary file gives Southside Place about 645,500 square meters of land (roughly 0.25 square miles) and almost no water area.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb via Census Geocoder) · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Incorporated in 1934
City council passed a resolution declaring Southside Place incorporated on August 3, 1934; T.L. Evans was the first mayor, with five council members.
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Opened on Easter 1925
The city's history says Southside Place opened on Easter Day 1925, as bungalow construction began and a new park, playground and swimming pool drew visitors.
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- The city has zoning
Southside Place is zoned, with land use and development rules for single-family and commercial districts. The city says the zoning document was last updated and approved in 2003 and is available at Town Center.
Source: City of Southside Place Building Department (FAQ) · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Services the city provides itself
The city lists its own police, fire, municipal court, building construction, water, wastewater, sanitation and parks services.
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Volunteer fire department
Southside Place has a volunteer fire department, established in 1935, with 29 active volunteers; the city provides the equipment and training. The city's page lists an ISO rating of Class 1.
Source: City of Southside Place Fire Department · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Southside Place Park, pool and tennis
Southside Place Park includes a city pool and tennis courts. A 2026 resident season pass ($600 per family, $350 for residents over 65) gives pool entry at the Farbar Street entrance, tennis reservations and 25% off clubhouse, pool and pavilion rentals.
Source: City of Southside Place Parks and Recreation · checked Oct. 25, 2026
Seller preparation
What Southside Place buyers will ask, and what to have ready
Schedule the Certificate of Occupancy
What to have ready: The city requires one whenever an existing home is sold. Contact the Building Department early so it does not hold up closing.
- The Building Department says a Certificate of Occupancy is required whenever an existing home in Southside Place is sold. Commercial properties also need one. (City of Southside Place Building Department (FAQ))
- Sellers: contact the Building Department (713-668-2341) early to arrange the Certificate of Occupancy the city requires when an existing home is sold. (City of Southside Place Building Department (FAQ))
Permits and final inspections
What to have ready: Gather permits and final inspections for additions, fences, drainage and tree work; the city permits most work before it starts.
- The city says a permit is usually required for work on a property and must be issued before work begins; fence repair or replacement usually needs a permit and a property survey. (City of Southside Place Building Department (FAQ))
- The Building Department's forms include building, demolition/moving, drainage and irrigation, driveway/sidewalk, electrical, fence, flood plain, mechanical, plumbing, sign and tree removal permits, plus a plan submittal checklist. A new fee schedule took effect January 6, 2025. (City of Southside Place Building Department)
- Ask the Building Department about permits, final inspections and any open items for past additions, fences, drainage or tree work. (City of Southside Place Building Department)
Zoning and trees for rebuild buyers
What to have ready: Buyers planning to build will ask for the current zoning ordinance, the 2025 amendments and the tree rules.
- The Building Department lists Zoning Ordinance 89 and amendments, the 2021 International Residential, Building, Energy, Fire, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas and Pool codes, and the 2023 National Electrical Code. (City of Southside Place Building Department)
- Zoning amendments the Planning and Zoning Commission took through public hearing in 2025 set a 5-foot minimum side yard for main and accessory buildings, an 18-foot setback for corner-lot garages facing a side street, and allow mechanical equipment to be raised for FEMA rules if not visible from a neighbor's ground floor. Confirm final adoption with the city. (City of Southside Place Planning and Zoning Commission)
- The city has a tree ordinance that applies to construction activity. Tree removal permits are approved by the Tree Review Committee under Code Sec. 19-9(b), replacements must come from the Master Tree Plan list, and work without a permit can bring a double permit fee. (City of Southside Place (Tree Removal Permit form))
Separate city tax bill
What to have ready: The city mails its own tax bill each October, apart from the county statement; show buyers both.
- Southside Place mails its own city tax bill each October, separate from the Harris County statement; it is due January 31 and can be paid at 6309 Edloe. (City of Southside Place (FAQ))
- Pull the HCAD account for every taxing unit and exemption, remember the city sends its own tax bill, and file the homestead exemption with HCAD after moving in. (Harris Central Appraisal District)
Disclosures and due diligence
Flood, taxes, restrictions and insurance
- Look up the flood maps
Search the address on FEMA's Map Service Center and HCFCD's flood education map, and ask for any elevation certificate and the flood disclosure.
Source: FEMA Flood Map Service Center · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Poor Farm Ditch runs through the city
Poor Farm Ditch (HCFCD unit D111-00-00) is a man-made channel more than 55 years old that carries stormwater from parts of Southside Place, West University Place, Houston and Bellaire to Brays Bayou.
Source: Harris County Flood Control District · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Poor Farm Ditch reconstruction under way
HCFCD began rebuilding the Poor Farm Ditch channel lining in 2026 (groundbreaking July 13; first concrete October 9), working in about 100-foot segments, with roughly $9.9 million federal, $16.9 million state and $4.5 million 2018 county bond funding listed by the city.
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Citywide drainage and street project
State accessibility records list the city's Citywide Drainage Project (Auden, Harper and Edloe pavement, storm sewer and inlet reconstruction, estimated $6 million) as built from February 2023 to May 2024.
Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TABS) · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Auden Street drainage project
The city announced a $1.1 million drainage and street reconstruction project on Auden from Bellaire Boulevard to Carlon, starting in early November 2026 and expected to last about four months.
Source: City of Southside Place · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- City of Southside Place 2025 rate
HCAD's rate table lists the City of Southside Place (jurisdiction 079) at a 2025 total tax rate of $0.340896 per $100 of value.
Source: Harris Central Appraisal District, 4th Quarter 2026 allocations (2025 tax rates) · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- City over-65 and veteran exemptions
The city lists a $185,000 over-65 exemption, disabled veteran exemptions of $5,000 to $12,000 on the state schedule, and a full homestead exemption for 100% disabled veterans. The FAQ does not mention a general homestead exemption.
Source: City of Southside Place (FAQ) · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Houston ISD 2026 adopted rate
HISD says its board adopted a 2026 rate of $0.8421 per $100 ($0.6754 maintenance and operations, $0.1667 debt) on October 8, 2026.
Source: Houston ISD · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- HISD homestead exemptions
HISD lists a homestead exemption of $140,000 plus 20 percent of appraised value, an extra $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled, and an extra $5,000 local option. The page does not state the tax year.
Source: Houston ISD · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Check the assigned schools with HISD
HISD's Demographics and Zoning page has an address-based School Locator and 2026-2027 elementary, middle and high school boundary maps. School assignments and attendance boundaries can change, so confirm them directly with the district.
Source: Houston ISD · checked Oct. 25, 2026
- Water and sewer rates
Rates effective October 14, 2025: residential water $8.90 and residential wastewater $5.90 per thousand gallons, plus a meter charge ($34.80 for meters under 1 inch). Wastewater is based on winter (December and February) usage, and bills go out every two months.
Source: City of Southside Place Public Works · checked Oct. 25, 2026
Insurance: buyers will price homeowners and flood insurance before they commit. Have your current declarations pages, any elevation certificate and any flood-claim history ready; Texas sellers also answer flooding questions on the seller’s disclosure notice (Texas Property Code §5.008). See our Houston flood map guide.
Seller tools
Plan your sale in Southside Place
Your next step
Get your Southside Place home value review
Tell us about the home. We compare it with recent MLS sales of similar homes, explain the pricing range and the preparation that matters, and lay out a selling plan. Free and no obligation.
- A one-year home warranty, on us, when you list with us.
- The right to end our agreement if you are disappointed with our service; the terms are in writing before you sign.
Clients rate us 4.90 out of 5 on HAR.com from 90 surveys (checked Oct. 20, 2026). Read their reviews.
Seller questions
Selling in Southside Place: common questions
How much is my Southside Place home worth?
HAR's Southside Place city page showed 5 homes for sale at an average list price of $2,405,500 ($615 per sq ft) when we checked on Oct. 25, 2026; list prices are not sale prices. With few sales a year, a pricing review compares your home and lot with recent MLS sales in Southside Place and the closest comparable sales next door.
Sources: HAR September 2026 Housing Market Update · HAR.com Checked Oct. 25, 2026
Do I need a Certificate of Occupancy to sell a house in Southside Place?
Yes. The city's Building Department says a Certificate of Occupancy is required whenever an existing home in Southside Place is sold. Call the Building Department (713-668-2341) when you decide to list so the inspection is done before closing.
Sources: City of Southside Place Building Department (FAQ) Checked Oct. 25, 2026
Does Southside Place send its own property tax bill?
Yes. The city mails its own tax bill each October, separate from the Harris County statement, due January 31. HCAD lists the city's 2025 rate as $0.340896 per $100, and the city offers a $185,000 over-65 exemption.
Sources: City of Southside Place (FAQ) · Harris Central Appraisal District, 4th Quarter 2026 allocations (2025 tax rates) Checked Oct. 25, 2026
Nearby
No one can guarantee a sale, a price or a timeline. If your home is listed with another brokerage, this is not a solicitation of that listing.