Pocketbook pain

This fetching Fort Worth neighbor led the way for sky-high rent hikes in 2021, says report

The higher the rent, the further out of reach a down payment can be.

Photo by Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty

A recent New York Times article suddenly shot Euless to superstardom as the best place to live in the U.S. But now it has another, more dubious claim to fame: It's the Dallas-Fort Worth city with biggest sticker shock for renters last year.

An analysis by the Zumper website of rents in 14 DFW cities found the typical rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Euless jumped a whopping 25.3 percent from December 2020 to December 2021. That ranks as the steepest increase among the 14 cities. A one-bedroom apartment in Euless currently rents for $1,140 (which is low compared to some other local cities, like Frisco — keep reading).

Irving and Lewisville weren’t far behind Euless for the year-over-year rise in rent for a one-bedroom apartment. In Irving, the typical rent went up 24 percent to $1,290. Lewisville saw the typical rent for a one-bedroom apartment climb 23.8 percent to $1,300.

Only one of the 14 cities witnessed a single-digit rise in the rent for a one-bedroom apartment in December 2021 compared with December 2020. In Fort Worth, rent increased 6.7 percent to $1,120.

By comparison, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Dallas climbed 14 percent from December 2020 to December 2021, landing at $1,380.

Meanwhile, the Zumper analysis shows the region’s highest December 2021 rent for a one-bedroom apartment was in Frisco ($1,530, up 21.4 percent from December 2020). Next in line were Richardson ($1,460, up 15 percent) and Plano ($1,430, up 19.2 percent).

At the other end of the scale, Arlington claims the cheapest rent for a one-bedroom apartment — $1,000, up 11.1 percent from a year earlier. Arlington is preceded by Denton ($1,050, up 10.5 percent) and Garland ($1,090, up 17.2 percent).

The rise in DFW apartment rents reflects more demand than supply. From 2010 through 2020, North Texas has ranked first for apartment demand among U.S. metro areas, according to RealPage, a supplier of apartment data and analytics.

A new report from ApartmentData.com shows the December apartment occupancy rate in DFW stood at 93.4 percent. That was the highest occupancy rate among the state’s four major metro areas.

“In what has been a remarkable bounce-back year for the multifamily industry nationally, the Dallas-Fort Worth market has been the leader in both new supply and apartment demand,” ALN Apartment Data reported in October.

reports rent

farm for sale

Unusual ultra-modern Grapevine ranch is on the market for $7.2 million

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty

The Willow Wood Horse Farm in Grapevine is on the market for $7.2 million.

A stunning 10-acre property in North Texas that looks like it was made for an ultra modern cowboy family has just hit the market for $7.2 million.

Called the Willow Wood Horse Farm, this one-of-a-kind equestrian paradise is located on West Kimball Avenue in Grapevine, about 30 miles northeast from downtown Fort Worth.

The ranch is an extraordinary combination of elegant and thoughtful modern design paired with all of the practicality required of a fully functioning farm.

According to the listing, which is held by Burgher-Ray Ranch Group and managed by David Burgher and Harlan Ray, the farm includes several fenced pastures, an enclosed and insulated shop storage building with concrete flooring, and a seven-stall horse barn.

A covered and irrigated riding arena is attached to the barn, every stall has its own turnout, and six of the stalls are 12 feet by 12 feet wide, and the seventh is designated as a foaling stall. An additional turnout for grazing is located adjacent to the barn, as well as a training pen.

Willow Wood Horse Farm in Grapevine, ranch for sale The horse barn has seven stalls with individual turnouts.Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty

But the focal point of the entire estate is the 4,353-square-foot, three-story primary residence that sits at the highest point of the gently sloped property. The home was custom-designed and completed in 2022, featuring an exterior made of metal cladding, concrete, durable ipe hardwood, and glass.

Upon entering the front door, guests will notice unparalleled views that lead through the home's living areas and into the 3,000-square-foot back deck, past the 80-foot-long saltwater swimming pool, and out toward the pastures.

The chef's kitchen is outfitted with luxurious Gaggenau appliances, such as a steam convection oven, a conventional convection oven, a coffee machine, stove, dishwasher, a separate paneled refrigerator and freezer, and a warming drawer. A half bathroom and full butler's pantry is located to the side of the kitchen, which is equipped with a prep space and a dishwasher.

Additional features of the home include:

Koi ponds located on either side of the main door that welcome guests to the home
An open concept living space that contains the living room, kitchen, and dining rooms
A primary suite with a spacious walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom
Two additional bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms
Soft opening/closing doors in all main bedrooms
Dynaudio speakers installed throughout the home
Geo-thermal heating/cooling system

A custom-built metal spiraling staircase connects all three levels of the home. The second floor contains a viewing area with floor-to-ceiling windows and access to the covered porch and rooftop deck. The lower level leads to an "acoustically balanced" underground home theater featuring eight-foot concert walls, Dynaudio speakers, an Ember Audio sound system, a 250-bottle wine cooler, and a powder bathroom. The listing notes that this area could be converted into a storm cellar.

Willow Wood Horse Farm in Grapevine, ranch for sale The underground home theater has an impressive Ember Audio sound system with Dynaudio speakers.Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty

A detached three-car garage is located next to the home, which contains one EV charging station and two additional outlets for charging. Discreetly designed solar panels are hidden on top of the garage, which are capable of powering the entire residence.

The horse barn, irrigation system, and stock pond all run off of a water well located on the property, while the primary residence uses city water with a filtration system.

"Situated in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, just minutes from Lake Grapevine, Southlake, and an easy commute to DFW International Airport, this property affords someone the ability to have all the comforts of the city, while living just slightly removed from it all," the listing says.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty

The Willow Wood Horse Farm in Grapevine is on the market for $7.2 million.

real estate grapevine dallas fort worth ranches home for sale