Hottest headlines of 2023

Mall demolition and time-capsule homes top hottest Dallas real estate headlines of 2023

Valley View Mall caught before decimation by photographer Justin Terveen.

Justin Terveen

Editor's note: As the year comes to a close, we look back at the 10 most-read real estate stories in Dallas for 2023 — including time-capsule homes, buzziest housing markets, and the unfortunate demise of a Dallas icon.

1. Site of former Valley View Mall in Dallas meets sad unfortunate end. A once-beloved North Dallas mall met its timely ending: The former Valley View Mall at LBJ Freeway and Preston Road saw demolition begin on March 16, putting an end to nearly a decade of inept waffling.

2. Untouched Dallas house for sale from the '50s is a wood-paneled temple. Times were tough last spring for Dallas Redfin-watchers who love '50s homes for sale that were still in original, untouched condition. But hark — there was a house for sale in East Dallas in February that had not yet been decimated by a "to the studs" update.

Front of the home at 10212 Pinecrest Dr. images.estately.net

3. North Texas town boasts 5th hottest ZIP code in U.S. for buyers, report says. A small town east of Dallas was a big magnet for homebuyers. Forney, in fact, boasted one of the hottest ZIP codes in the country. According to OpenDoor’s latest Hottest ZIP Codes in America report, Forney's 75126 was the fifth most popular ZIP code for buyers around the U.S. last year.

4. Grab this '60s East Dallas home with only one owner before flippers get it. A '60s house in East Dallas with only one owner that was basically untouched was on the market in March at a great deal of a price. Located at 2323 Homeway Cir., it was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home built in 1969, with 1,802 square feet and an attached two-car garage.

5. HGTV's No Demo Reno seeks homeowners north of Dallas for design makeover. In March, a buzzy HGTV show was seeking participants: No Demo Reno, the renovation series hosted by Jenn Todryk, AKA the "Rambling Redhead," was casting homeowners who lived north of Dallas. Way north.

no demo reno Jenn Todryk hanging out in the bathroom. Instagram

6. North Dallas neighbor takes new title as No. 1 U.S. housing market, report says. When it came to places to buy a house this year, you couldn't do any better than McKinney. So said WalletHub's highly anticipated 2023 report on the best real estate markets in the U.S. The study, released August 22, named McKinney the No. 1 most attractive real estate market in the country. It was followed closely by No. 2-ranked Frisco.

7. Time capsule home with wild tiled bathrooms for sale in Dallas' Lakewood. In August, a rare Dallas real estate find was on the market: A beautiful home designed by famed architect Cliff Hutsell and built in 1932 that was in nearly original condition. Located at 7226 Lakewood Blvd., it was an original Spanish Eclectic time capsule near White Rock Lake.

Custom tile work at the entrance of 7226 Lakewood Blvd. gives a hint to what's within. Photo courtesy of Zillow

8. Dallas buyers must earn this much more to afford a starter home in 2023. An August income analysis by online real estate brokerage Redfin revealed just how much more a potential homeowner needed to earn this year to afford a "starter home" in Dallas: $72,885, which is 10.6 percent more income than was required in 2022.

9. Magnificent mansion next to 'Mount Vernon' on White Rock Lake listed for $12M. A stunning, resort-style mansion next to the iconic "Mount Vernon" estate on Dallas' White Rock Lake went on the market February 17 for $11,995,000. Situated on a 1.49-acre gated lot at 4033 W. Lawther Dr., the 10,000+ square foot home has dreamy views and ultra-luxurious interior and exterior appointments.

This home at 4033 W. Lawther Dr. is for sale for $11,995,000. Courtesy of Dave Perry Miller Real Estate

10. 3 Dallas neighbors make list of the buzziest bargain suburbs in the U.S. Life in Dallas may not be as affordable as it used to. But three cities in the DFW area are still a bargain, according to a November report on "The Top 20 Fastest-Growing Affordable U.S. Suburbs." DFW suburbs Little Elm and Burleson both made the top 10, while Rockwall came in at No. 20.

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hottest zips

Surprising Dallas neighbor ranks among hottest ZIP codes in U.S.

City of Lavon/Facebook

Movers are loving Lavon for its small-town feel and proximity to the big city.

A recent analysis of American relocation trends has revealed the small city of Lavon outside Dallas was one of the top five hottest ZIP code for movers nationwide in October 2025.

Lavon's 75166 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on MovingPlace's new list ranking the U.S. cities with the highest number of new movers per 1,000 current residents during the month of October.

According to the study's data, 961,650 moves took place across the nation last month. Lavon (population: 13,800) saw 10.8 moves per 1,000 residents in October, the fifth highest moving rate out of all U.S. cities.

Lavon is located 32 miles northeast of Dallas in Collin County. It was praised as a highly sought-after locale for movers who want to live somewhere affordable outside Dallas while still reaping the benefits from a community with a small-town feel.

The report also added that Lavon's 75166 ZIP was the No. 1 hottest ZIP code in September, but relocations dipped 7.7 percent from September to October.

"When looking at the top ZIP codes in each state, it’s clear that less populated ZIP codes often show dramatic month-over-month increases, sometimes exceeding 100 percent," the report said. "Larger cities, by contrast, maintain consistently high move volumes without extreme spikes, because their larger populations dampen the impact of individual moves."

These are the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on moves per capita in October:

No. 1 – 78616 in Dale, Texas
No. 2 – 34987 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida
No. 3 – 37228 in Nashville, Tennessee
No. 4 – 80019 in Aurora, Colorado
No. 5 – 75166 in Lavon, Texas
No. 6 – 32461 in Inlet Beach, Florida
No. 7 – 10004 in New York, New York
No. 8 – 43137 in Lockbourne, Ohio
No. 9 – 30346 in Atlanta, Georgia
No. 10 – 78656 in Maxwell, Texas

The hottest U.S. ZIP codes by total move volume
Five Texas ZIPs ranked among MovingPlace's separate analysis of the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on total move volume.

McKinney's ever-popular 75071 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on the list after gaining 298 new residents last month, only 72 residents shy from No. 1-ranking Washington, D.C.'s new resident count.

This North Dallas suburb also previously ranked as the No. 8 most popular ZIP for movers during the first five months of 2025.

The report said McKinney's most attractive qualities are its safety, its high-performing schools, and its proximity to outdoor recreational activities. it also helps that the suburb consistently ranks as the No. 1 hottest housing market in America, and it frequently tops lists comparing the best cities for renters or the most affordable cities in the U.S.

The top 10 hottest American ZIP codes in October based on total move volume were:

No. 1 – 20002 in Washington, D.C.
No. 2 – 78130 in New Braunfels, Texas
No. 3 – 78641 in Leander, Texas
No. 4 – 77433 in Cypress, Texas
No. 5 – 75071 in McKinney, Texas
No. 6 –32256 in Jacksonville, Florida
No. 7 –77493 in Katy, Texas
No. 8 – 85142 in Queen Creek, Arizona
No. 9 – 98052 in Redmond, Washington
No. 10 – 28269 in Charlotte, North Carolina

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