In an area as large and diverse as Dallas-Fort Worth, pinning down the most suitable geographic sectors in which to look for housing can be difficult. How can you establish what’s available? The following brief guide to major sections of Dallas and Tarrant counties may prove helpful.
Dallas County
Northwest (between Stemmons Freeway and Central Expressway north to Collin County line). This is indisputably the area with the most explosive growth and the greatest supply of high-quality housing in Dallas-Fort Worth, but it also has the area’s highest prices and worst congestion.
Tract houses (Centennial, Fox & Jacobs, U. S. Home, etc., mainly in suburbs of Piano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Richardson): $65, 000 to $90, 000.
Custom homes: $150, 000 to $750, 000.
Zero lot line homes: $125, 000 to $310, 000.
Condominiums: $40, 000 to $650, 000.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $125, 000 to $1, 000, 000 plus.
Historic homes: none on market.
Hottest spots: “Golden Corridor” area in vicinity of LBJ Freeway, Dallas North Tollway, and Preston Road; west Piano, just across Collin County line.
Northeast (from North Central Expressway to R. L. Thornton Freeway-Interstate 30 East). Prices can rival those in the northwest, but the average price is lower, and a greater number of less expensive homes are available.
Tract houses (Centennial, Fox & Jacobs, Raldon, Spies-Roberts, Mahaffey, etc., mainly in Garland, Rockwall, Rowlett suburbs): upper $40, 000’s to $90, 000.
Custom homes: $125, 000 to $350, 000.
Zero lot line homes: $45, 000 to $65, 000.
New inner-city homes (only area of Dallas where these are available): $90, 000 to $130, 000.
Condominiums: $35, 000 to $50, 000.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $30, 000 to $1, 000, 000 plus.
Historic Homes (Old East Dallas is city’s richest area for these): $60, 000 to $375, 000.
Hottest spots: Skillman-Abrams area of Dallas, Lake Ray Hubbard area of Garland, Rowlett, and Rockwall.
East (from Thornton Freeway-Interstate 30 to C. F. Hawn Freeway-U. S. 175). Both growth rate and living pace are noticeably slower here, with much open acreage still in, evidence, especially in the southern portions of the area. Average home prices are markedly lower than in the northwest and northeast. Custom homes are less plentiful, and there are more run-down pre-owned residences.
Tract houses (Fox & Jacobs, Mahaffey, Raldon, Smith, U. S. Home, etc., mainly in north Mesquite): lower $40,000’s to mid-$70,000’s.
Custom homes: $95,000 to $180,000.
Zero lot line homes: none available.
Condominiums: none available.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $20,000 to $250,000.
Historic homes (mainly in Park Row-South Boulevard area of Dallas): $30,000 to $80,000.
Rural acreage: $6500 to $17,000 per acre.
Hottest spots: Town East area of north Mesquite, Buckner Terrace area of Dallas.
South (Hawn Freeway-U. S. 175 to Marvin D. Love Freeway-U. S. 67). Highly varied in both natural terrain and types of housing, this area has some historic homes, wealthy suburbs with extensive custom development, as well as areas of blight and deterioration. From a geographic standpoint, it is the most scenic part of Dallas County.
Tract houses (Fox & Jacobs, Ryland, U. S. Home, etc., mainly in Lancaster and DeSoto): low $40,000’s to mid-$70,000’s.
Custom homes: $95,000 to $175,000.
Zero lot line homes: none available.
Condominiums: none available.
Pre-owned single-family homes: under $20,000 to $200,000 plus.
Historic homes (in near South Dallas, including some houses to be moved): $10,000 to $120,000.
Rural acreage: $6500 to $15,000 per acre.
Hottest spot: Lancaster-DeSoto area.
West (Love Freeway-U. S. 67 to Stem-mons-Carpenter-114). Another highly varied area containing older inner-city neighborhoods, old suburbs, new suburbs, and the second most explosive growth area in the county, Irving’s sprawling Las Colinas development in the vicinity of D/FW Airport.
Tract houses (Fox & Jacobs, Smith, Spies-Roberts, U. S. Home, etc., in Duncanville, Grand Prairie and Irving): mid-$40, 000’s to mid-$70, 000’s
Custom homes: $100, 000 to $375, 000.
Zero lot line homes: $125, 000 to $250, 000.
Condominiums: none on market.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $25, 000 to $350, 000.
Historic homes: none available.
Hottest spots: Redbird Airport area of Duncanville-Dallas, Mountain Creek Lake area of Grand Prairie, Las Colinas.
Tarrant County
North west (Interstate 30-West Freeway to Interstate 35W-North Freeway). Highly diverse area encompassing Fort Worth’s most exclusive residential sections, such as Westover Hills and Rivercrest, as well as much of Tarrant County’s open land and burgeoning suburbs.
Tract houses (mainly U. S. Home): mid-$40, 000’s to mid-$60, 000’s.
Custom homes: $80, 000 to $300, 000 plus.
Zero lot line homes: $125, 000 to $450, 000.
Condominiums: mid-$20, 000’s to mid-$80, 000’s.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $45, 000 to $1, 000, 000 plus.
Historic homes: none on market.
Hottest spots: Eagle Mountain Lake area, West Point area.
Northeast (Interstate 35W to Interstate 30 East-Turnpike). This bustling Mid-Cities area contains mushrooming sections around D/FW Airport and a half-dozen major suburbs. It also includes some of the most attractive terrain in Tarrant County.
Tract houses (Fox & Jacobs, Centennial, U. S. Home, etc., mainly in Bedford, Hurst, Euless, Grapevine, and Fort Worth): mid-$40, 000’s to mid-$70, 000’s.
Custom homes: $80, 000 to $200, 000 plus.
Zero lot line homes: none on market.
Condominiums: $35, 000 to $60, 000.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $25, 000 to $250, 000.
Historic homes: none available.
Hottest spots: Bedford, Hurst, Wood-haven Country Club, D/FW Airport area.
Southeast (Interstate 30 East to Interstate 35W-South Freeway). The dominant force in this area is the City of Arlington (although the upper-income northern portion is located in northeast Tarrant County). If Arlington were not located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, it would be a major Texas urban area.
Tract houses (Fox & Jacobs, Centennial, etc. ): $45, 000 to $70, 000.
Custom homes: $75, 000 to $160, 000.
Zero lot line homes: none on market.
Condominiums: none on market.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $20, 000 to $150, 000.
Historic homes: none available.
Hottest spots: Lake Arlington area, Mansfield, 1-20 area.
Southwest (Interstate 35W to Interstate 30-West Freeway). This section contains some of the finest examples of older architecture in Fort Worth in well-maintained and restored neighborhoods. It also includes fashionable Ridglea and Arlington Heights, as well as large-scale new home and condominium developments.
Tract houses(Fox& Jacobs, Ryland, etc., in Benbrook and Fort Worth): low $40, 000’s to $65, 000.
Custom homes: $80, 000 to $150, 000 plus.
Zero lot line homes: $50, 000 to $60, 000.
Condominiums (Tarrant County’s best selection): $25, 000 to $60, 000 plus.
Pre-owned single-family homes: $35, 000 to $130, 000.
Historic homes: $65, 000 to $150, 000.
Hottest spots: Candleridge area of FortWorth, Benbrook.
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