Laura is a Louisiana native who has been exploring her second bayou-home since graduating from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism in 2015. Joining the Houstonia team in August 2017, she has taken the reins of SagaCity’s custom publications and also contributes data-focused and animal-related content to Houstonia.

Previously, she served as data reporter for the Houston Business Journal, where she managed the annual Book of Lists. She has also reported on an array of subjects in Houston, Louisiana and Chicago ranging from technology to weddings to tacos.

Laura is a die-hard LSU Tigers fan, having competed for the school’s varsity swim team in undergrad, and living five minutes from campus for 22 years of her life. Now she, her husband and their golden retriever live in a 1954 fixer-upper in Garden Oaks–Oak Forest.

Wide Open (Concept) Spaces

Houston's Most 'High-End' Rental Locations Might Surprise You

No, they're not River Oaks, Memorial, or even The Woodlands.

05/21/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

Pets Guide

My Pet Project

Our guide to everything you need to know about owning an animal in Houston.

05/21/2021 By Gwendolyn Knapp, Laura Furr Mericas, Kaitlyn Miller, and Dianna Wray

Good Vibes Only

Peek Inside This Transformed Retro Hotel in the Heights

The overhauled Heights House Hotel boasts a hip restaurant, pool, discounted concert tickets, and more for travelers and locals.

05/14/2021 Photography by Laura Furr Mericas

pooch perfect

18 Houston Pet Services and Activities That Are Squad Goals

Pet shops, parks, hotels, groomers, and other hot spots that are simply the best for treating your pet—and yourself—right.

05/14/2021 By Gwendolyn Knapp, Laura Furr Mericas, and Kaitlyn Miller

The best bang for your buck

5 Home-Improvement Tips to Boost Your House's Resale Value

In a new report, Realtors list where to spend and save when staging your home to sell.

05/07/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

March Madness

Houston's Luxury Real Estate Market Is a 'Buying Bonanza'

Go ahead and scrub the record books.

05/03/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

Joanna Who?

On the Market: A Modern Heights Farmhouse with Major Wow Factor

It's hard to choose our favorite view: the kitchen or the downtown sight lines.

04/28/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

Pretty In Pink

Check out Houston Designer Nina Magon's Luxurious Kips Bay Debut

The room is designed with an Italian contessa in mind.

04/21/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

Howdy, Neighbor

Houston Saw an Influx of Renters Last Year. Here's What We Know about Them

A new report introduces us to these New-stonians, telling us where they come from and how much money they probably make.

04/15/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

How Covid-19 Actually Boosted Houston Real Estate Last Year

The growth in Houston’s market isn’t going to be extinguished any time soon.

03/26/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

5 Home-Design Trends That Developed During the Pandemic

Styles come and go—think Italianate exteriors and (dare we say?) sliding farmhouse doors—and the pandemic has only helped expedite that process. Here are five trends that home builders are seeing in the market.

03/25/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

Friendly, Happy People

This Posh Houston Suburb Was Just Named the Best Place to Live in America

Meanwhile, the Bayou City earned top marks for diversity.

03/24/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

9 Houston Home Builders You Should Know

Local custom builders and renovators to help you perfect—or create—the home you’ve been dreaming about.

03/24/2021 By Catherine Wendlandt, Laura Furr Mericas, Denise Cathey, and Timothy Malcolm

Spruce Up

5 Tips for Perfecting Your Spring Greening Game at Home

Jemine and Matthew Oakes, founders of The Flora Culture, talk all things indoor plants.

03/23/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

So You Want to Build a House in Houston?

Here's what you need to know.

03/23/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

A By-the-Numbers Look at Houston Real Estate

A primer on home prices, growth rate, square footage, and more per Bayou City neighborhood.

03/22/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas

home sweet home

A Map of 2020 Median Home Prices in Houston

A look at the Houston-area and Harris County neighborhoods that are hot—and those that are not—according to home value fluctuations over the past year.

03/22/2021 By Laura Furr Mericas Illustrations by Monica Fuentes Carroll