Buying a House: Houston vs Dallas (Fort Worth, Mansfield: 2015, neighborhood, live in)

[SLKNWJXNQ]

I have been browsing Zillow for houses in both of these cities. My price range is from 160k to 250k.

From what ive seen alot of the houses in Dallas metro are actually pretty small. Most of the houses are single story and seem more expensive.

Houston on the other hand, it looks like you get way more for your money in this price range. The houses are alot nicer and lots of them are more then 2 stories.

Why is this? is there a big demand for houses in the Dallas metro? is it true that you get more for your money in Houston?

[citidata18]

I have also noticed that homes seem to be relatively cheaper in Houston than Dallas.

My guess would be a couple reasons:

1. Many of the homes in Houston are built on flood plains (because of city's location), which reduces their resell value.

2. Houston has a much more cyclical economy that's prone to more severe downturns, which keeps demand for housing at bay.

[LocalPlanner]

In my observations (which I have to make for my work purposes), DFW generally has more expensive homes. In your price range, you are likely to find a greater range of decent options in the Houston area. My best guess is that DFW's economy has been consistently stronger than Houston's from 2015, and that and its related residential growth impacts has boosted prices above Houston's.

I have also noted that new "entry-level" homes in DFW are priced from the high $200s, while in the Houston region they mostly start in the low-to-mid $200s. This may be partly due to MUDs, which are used in Houston to help lower new home prices.

[As Above So Below...]

Regardless of flood plain, Houston is just cheaper than DFW by metro area. I dont know that it always was that way, but it certainly is now.

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Regardless of flood plain, Houston is just cheaper than DFW by metro area. I dont know that it always was that way, but it certainly is now.

Definitely wasn't always this way, historically they were about the same with Houston being slightly more expensive at times.

DFW has gotten a lot more expensive (at least relative to Houston) in the last decade or so, particularly as we started to come out of the recession. I'd chalk it up to the economy there more than anything else.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

No one has brought up the most important reason. Which is that Dallas is smaller. Dallas and the Dallas metropolitan region are smaller than Houston and Greater Houston respectively while DFW overall is a bit bigger than HOU. On the Fort Worth side, housing is cheaper than in most of Houston.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

No one has brought up the most important reason. Which is that Dallas is smaller...

No one brought it up because the OP made it clear they were comparing the entirety of the metro areas and not just the city propers. It's irrelevant to this discussion.

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

On the Fort Worth side, housing is cheaper than in most of Houston.

The Fort Worth side of the Metroplex is not as cheap as you think.

According to Realtor.com, the median listing price in the Fort Worth, TX proper was $265K. In all of Tarrant County, it was $270K. Meanwhile, in the Greater Houston area, the median listing price is $310K.

But regardless, comparing only the Fort Worth side of DFW (which is 1/3rd the size of Greater Houston) with Greater Houston is not apples to apples. It's only fair to compare the whole DFW area with Greater Houston to make reach any reasonable conclusions.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by citidata18

No one brought it up because the OP made it clear they were comparing the entirety of the metro areas and not just the city propers. It's irrelevant to this discussion.



The Fort Worth side of the Metroplex is not as cheap as you think.

According to Realtor.com, the median listing price in the Fort Worth, TX proper was $265K. In all of Tarrant County, it was $270K. Meanwhile, in the Greater Houston area, the median listing price is $310K.

But regardless, comparing only the Fort Worth side of DFW (which is 1/3rd the size of Greater Houston) with Greater Houston is not apples to apples. It's only fair to compare the whole DFW area with Greater Houston to make reach any reasonable conclusions.

That’s the point. Dallas is a bit higher, Fort Worth is a bit lower. You can find some really good bargains across the metroplex. In either metro, you’ll pay the price in an affluent or semi affluent area while if you live in a more moderate neighborhood and don’t mind a commute, you’ll find all kinds of bargains for metros of the size.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

That’s the point. Dallas is a bit higher, Fort Worth is a bit lower. You can find some really good bargains across the metroplex. In either metro, you’ll pay the price in an affluent or semi affluent area while if you live in a more moderate neighborhood and don’t mind a commute, you’ll find all kinds of bargains for metros of the size.

I recently examined new developments across the southern side of the DFW area (Mansfield to Waxahachie and the inner suburbs just to the north), which is definitely not the "premier" side of the metro, and the lowest-priced new homes were in the high $200s. That is considerably higher than what you can find in suburban Houston for new homes.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

I recently examined new developments across the southern side of the DFW area (Mansfield to Waxahachie and the inner suburbs just to the north), which is definitely not the "premier" side of the metro, and the lowest-priced new homes were in the high $200s. That is considerably higher than what you can find in suburban Houston for new homes.

Yeah, DFW is easily more pricey than Houston right now. It might not be that way forever but it objectively is right now.