Celebrity Real Estate

Former Beyonce family mansion has sizable price tag despite abandoned renovations

A Houston mansion once fit for a queen — make that Beyonce and Solange's mother, fashion designer Tina Knowles — is back on the market as an abandoned renovation project without heating or cooling. The price tag, still a royal figure, is $2,850,000.

Beyonce purchased the two-story, traditional-style manse at 20 Farnham Park Dr., in the prestigious Memorial Villages subdivision, for her mother in 2004. In 2012, Martha Turner Properties, as the agency was called at the time, listed the then-8,885 square-foot home for $3.449 million, just days after Tina Knowles re-filed for divorce from her longtime husband (and Bey's dad/former manager) Mathew Knowles.

At the time, Martha Turner told CultureMap that there might be some interest in the new owner once the identity was revealed. The house went for $2.9 million to current owner, pastor and developer Kirbyjon Caldwell.

The manse, now recorded at 9,029 square feet according to the Harris County Appraisal District, once featured grand formals with floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as five bedrooms and seven baths. Today, ceilings are skinned and columns are notched. Floors are covered in dust from the incomplete renovation. Work tables stand in the middle of bare rooms. Some window swags do remain.

"The house has been prepped for extensive remodel, presenting a wonderful opportunity for completion in the buyer's own style," the HAR listing notes. Listing agent is Mary Elizabeth Hahnfeld of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty.

The grounds of the 2.6-acre property remain intact, with swimming pool complete with an island, bridges and lush landscaping. Hedges are manicured and stone sidewalks are clear of debris. The expansive lawn gently slopes down to Buffalo Bayou. The mansion sits on a secluded cul-de-sac within this prestigious subdivision offering a 24-hour guarded entrance.

20 Farnham Park Dr., the former home of Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, is back on the market for $2.85 million.

Photo courtesy of Houston Association of Realtors

20 Farnham Park Dr., the former home of Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, is back on the market for $2.85 million.

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Made-for-TV listing

Chip and Joanna Gaines put fixed-up Waco mansion on market for $7.4M

Facebook/Magnolia Realty

A Waco mansion fixed up for TV by Chip and Joanna Gaines is on the market for $7.4 million.

A Waco estate that will star in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ latest TV series, Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, has gone on the market for $7.4 million.

The more than 14,000-square-foot mansion sits on a 5.7-acre site at 5305 Hillcrest Dr. that boasts views of Lake Waco. The listing, held by Amanda Nesbitt of the Gaineses’ Magnolia Realty, says the home “will be thoughtfully reimagined to reveal a timeless, more neutral-leaning palette for a future owner.”

Listing photos show the pre-renovation state of the mansion.

The European-style mansion, featuring a red-brick and cast-stone façade, looks similar to luxury homes you’d find in Preston Hollow, Highland Park, and other high-end neighborhoods in the Dallas area.

A light-filled, two-story foyer with a floating staircase and ornate iron banisters greets visitors, as do parquet flooring and stately columns.

Gaines Waco mansion The mansion foyer before the renovation.Facebook/Magnolia Realty

Venturing into the six-year-old home, you’ll find six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The first-floor primary suite offers two bathrooms, several closets, and courtyard access. A guest suite comes with a bedroom, bathroom, living area, kitchenette, and private entrance.

Amenities include:

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Facebook/Magnolia Realty

A Waco mansion fixed up for TV by Chip and Joanna Gaines is on the market for $7.4 million.

Private study
Billiard room
Media room
Wet bar
Wine cellar
Butler’s pantry
Gym with a steam shower

Outside, several covered porches, an outdoor kitchen, an infinity-edge pool, and a pond let residents and visitors soak up nature. A motor court and four garage bays provide ample space for parking.

As part of the Fixer Upper renovations, the home’s architectural details, such as trim, moldings, and millwork, “will be preserved and elevated in order for their craftsmanship to shine,” the listing says.

Gaines Waco mansion The mansion has a splendid view of Lake Waco.Facebook/Magnolia Realty

Meanwhile, the kitchen will be turned into the “central heart” of the mansion, according to the listing.

“Additional design refinements throughout the home will set an elegant, renewed vision for all that Hawkesdene Estate will become,” the listing says.

Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, a six-episode series, is scheduled to debut Dec. 27 on the Gaineses’ Magnolia Network and HGTV. New episodes will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max, according to TV Insider.

Chip purchased the mansion three years ago as an investment property, People magazine reported. The series follows the Gaineses as they confront budget challenges and a three-month deadline to sell the property.

“This will be the biggest fixer we’ve ever done,” Joanna says in a clip from the show.

Chip and Joanna recently sold a 136-year-old Waco castle that served as the foundation of another series, Fixer Upper: Welcome Home – The Castle. They listed 6,176-square-foot Cottonland Castle at nearly $2.7 million. The sale price wasn’t disclosed.

chip and joanna fixer upper hgtv luxury mansion texas waco home-for-sale