Size Does Matter

Dallas-Fort Worth boasts some of the largest homes in the nation

In Texas, we like big things — and that includes houses. According to financial website 24/7, the Lone Star State boasts three of the top 10 cities with the largest homes.

With a median square footage of 1,828, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington homes are the 10 largest in the nation. Austin-Round Rock’s homes are slightly bigger — 1,837 square feet — which is good enough for a No. 9 ranking. The 1,900-square-foot median home size in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land puts the area at No. 2.

Only homes in Provo-Orem, Utah, are bigger than Houston’s, with a median square footage of 1,980.

For its findings, the site reviewed median square footage in the 200 largest core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) from Realtor.com. It also looked at median household income and educational attainment rates from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, figures on population density from the 2010 Census, and unemployment rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (for October 2014).

As for Dallas, the median estimated price of a home is $150,000 (88th lowest in the nation), the median household income is $57,398 (versus $52,250 nationally) and the unemployment rate is 4.8 percent. 24/7 notes that high incomes and lower population densities likely explain our grand homes.

Compare that to Austin — home to some of the state’s wealthiest and most-educated residents, according to the site — where the median home price is $207,000, and a typical household brings in $61,750. In Houston, houses are more affordable than both Dallas and Austin, with a median price of $144,000, and median household income is almost identical to Dallas, at $57,366. Unemployment rates are 4.0 percent and 4.7 percent in Austin and Houston, respectively.

A look at the top 10 reveals that only Colorado beats Texas for big homes:

Provo-Orem, Utah, median square feet, 1,980
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, 1,900
Colorado, Springs, Colorado, 1,899
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia, 1,872
Raleigh, North Carolina, 1,871
Boulder, Colorado, 1,865
Greely, Colorado, 1,854
Fort Collins, Colorado, 1,851
Austin-Round Rock, 1,837
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 1,828

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Luxe listing

Highland Park mansion built for former mayor hits market at $8 million

Photo courtesy of Compass

The home at 3900 Normandy Ave. in Highland Park is on the market for $8,050,000.

A French-inspired estate in Dallas' Highland Park enclave that originally belonged to a former mayor has been listed for a little over $8 million.

The 8,842-square-foot mansion, at 3900 Normandy Ave., occupies a less than half-acre corner lot. The property offers “rare architectural pedigree, historic provenance, and modern luxury,” says the listing from Becky Frey at Compass. It carries a price tag of $8.05 million.

Photo courtesy of Compass

The home at 3900 Normandy Ave. in Highland Park is on the market for $8,050,000.

“Set in one of Highland Park’s most coveted blocks, 3900 Normandy represents a rare opportunity to own a French residence of true significance — designed with intention, built with legacy in mind, and enhanced for modern luxury living,” the listing says.

The current owners bought the estate in 2007.

The two-story mansion — built in 1985 for an unidentified former mayor of Highland Park and designed by architect Jack Hubbell — features four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, one half bathroom, a three-car garage, three fireplaces, and a swimming pool and spa.

3900 Normandy, Highland Park One of several living spaces.Photo courtesy of Compass

Other highlights include:

Vaulted ceilings
Private elevator
Whole-house power generator
Basement
Built-in wine cooler
Close proximity to the Dallas Country Club, Highland Park Village, Southern Methodist University, and Turtle Creek

The home’s classic cream-colored façade “opens to graciously scaled interiors designed for both refined entertaining and everyday living,” the listing says.

“Architectural details, traditional materials, and balanced symmetry speak to the home’s enduring design,” according to the listing, “while modern infrastructure elevates its livability for today’s discerning buyer.”

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