hopes for homeownership

Fort Worth is the 4th most 'house rich' city in America, report finds

Homeownership isn't as unattainable in Fort Worth as buyers might expect.

With high interest rates and home prices making daily headlines, houses in Texas' current real estate market may seem out of reach for many potential homebuyers. But that isn't the case in Fort Worth. A new study has revealed Fort Worth is the No. 4 most "house rich" major city in the nation.

To define the term "house rich," home services provider All Star Home examined data from the U.S. Census Bureau regarding the median value of owner-occupied homes and the median household income across the 25 most populous American cities. A home-value-to-income ratio was established for each city based on the Census data, and rankings were determined based on whether a city had a low home-value-to-income ratio and high homeownership rate.

The study found Fort Worth's homeownership rate is 44.80 percent. Fort Worth's median home value is $212,300, and the city's median household income is $67,927 a year. That means Fort Worth has a 3.13 home-value-to-income ratio, which is the fourth lowest out of all 25 major cities.

With Fort Worth's median household income, affording a starter home in the city is not as unattainable as potential homebuyers might think.

Fort Worth wasn't the only Texas city to make it into the top five. El Paso took the No. 1 spot, and San Antonio ranked right behind Fort Worth in No. 5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (No. 2) and Indianapolis, Indiana (No. 3) were the two other cities that outranked Fort Worth with their high homeownership rates and home-value-to-income ratios.

Dallas appeared a little farther down the list in No. 15. Only 41.40 percent of housing in Dallas is owner-occupied, and the city has a 3.95 home-value-to-income ratio. Zillow says the average (not median) home value in Dallas is $306,310.

The top 10 most house rich major cities in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – El Paso, Texas
No. 2 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
No. 3 – Indianapolis, Indiana
No. 4 – Fort Worth, Texas
No. 5 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 6 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 7 – Columbus, Ohio
No. 8 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 9 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 10 – Phoenix, Arizona

All Star Home also analyzed the most house rich states in America, but Texas appeared at the bottom of the study's category for the least house rich states, ranking No. 21.

The full report can be found on allstarhome.com.

fort worth reports real estate

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