hottest 'hoods

Dallas-area ZIP code makes list of hottest U.S. housing markets in 2024

4210 Bullock Lane, Forney home for sale on Opendoor

This charming home in Forney's 75126 ZIP code is on the market for $321,000.

Photo courtesy of Opendoor

The Dallas metro's strong real estate market has shown it can persevere through another year of high mortgage rates, and one local ZIP code, in Forney, stands out: It was one of the top 10 hottest housing markets in the nation in 2024.

A just-released report by Opendoor has revealed Forney's 75126 ZIP code has remained the No. 6 hottest U.S. housing market for the second year in a row. It was the only North Texas ZIP code to make the top 10.

The study examined the U.S. ZIP codes where people bought homes the fastest in 2024, using local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data in markets where Opendoor operates. The ZIP codes were ranked by the total number of homes that went into contract within 90 days of listing.

This North Texas suburb is situated 21 miles east of downtown Dallas, where homes have an average value of $325,842, according to Zillow's Homw Values Index.

Forney's home prices have fallen 4.3 percent over the last year, which matches Opendoor's prediction that homeowner interest in suburban living will continue to grow as prices steadily drop.

"Over the past three years, we’ve seen people choose to move away from city centers in favor of tighter-knit communities, but still live close enough to commute and be close to the action," the report says. "This year’s most popular areas are known for being fast-growing cities with plenty of new development, with healthy job growth in Florida and Texas in particular."

Aubrey, a suburb located 50 miles north of Dallas, did not appear in this year's report after previously ranking No. 7 in Opendoor's 2023 report.

Texas cities, however, dominated the top 10 for a second year in a row, with four additional ZIPs earning spots in the report: 77493 in Katy (No. 1); 77433 in Cypress (No. 2); 78253 in San Antonio (No. 3); 78130 in New Braunfels (No. 4); and 78640 in Kyle (No. 10).

Sitting just outside the top 10 hottest housing markets isMcKinney's 75071 ZIP code, which ranked 12th nationally.

Under-the-radar neighborhoods to watch in 2025
Opendoor also revealed its new list of "hidden gem" American neighborhoods where new listings grew from January to November 2024.

ZIP code 75074 in Plano was ranked the No. 4 best hidden gem neighborhood for homes between $400,000 and $600,000.

Tomball, a city 35 miles north of downtown Houston, was the only other Texas city to be included in the report's list of top under-the-radar neighborhoods. The Houston suburb's 77377 ZIP was ranked the No. 4 best hidden gem with homes under $300,000.

"These [hidden gem] lists offer neighborhoods across different price points with something for everyone," the report says. "Similar to the top 20 list, these are neighborhoods that are fast-developing, with something more turnkey, and in a smaller community."

Opendoor's top 10 hottest ZIP codes of 2024 are:

No. 1 – Katy, Texas (77493)
No. 2 – Cypress, Texas (77433)
No. 3 – San Antonio, Texas (78253)
No. 4 – New Braunfels, Texas (78130)
No. 5 – Summerville, South Carolina (29486)
No. 6 – Forney, Texas (75126)
No. 7 – Yukon, Oklahoma (73099)
No. 8 – Clarksville, Tennessee (37042)
No. 9 – Parrish, Florida (34219)
No. 10 – Kyle, Texas (78640)

forney zip code housing market opendoor opendoor report real estate real estate market reports hidden gem neighborhoods home-for-sale

moving trends

Dallas tops U-Haul list as No. 1 U.S. destination for movers in 2024

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Movers have set their sights and GPS on Dallas-Fort Worth.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington climbed the charts all the way to the top as the No. 1 metropolitan area for people on the move in 2024, according to U-Haul's Top U.S. Growth Metros and Cities report.

This is a big jump for DFW, which rose eight points from its No. 9 rank in 2023. Yay us.

Sean Fullerton, the U-Haul Company of South Central Dallas president, says the influx of new arrivals is partly due to the cost of living, a major draw for those seeking a more affordable place to live.

"We are seeing unprecedented growth in the Dallas metro area, both within the city and also suburbs like McKinney, Plano and Addison," Fullerton said in a release. "Job growth has led to wages and earnings going up, and tax breaks have led to a lot of people moving to the area."

Dallas bests Austin, which comes in at No. 5 for the second year in a row; and Houston, which ranks No. 9.

College Station, the popular college town, is another Texas perennial: It's No. 6 for the second consecutive year on an accompanying U-Haul list of top growth cities (distinguished as being located outside the top metros).

Alas, Texas was unseated as the top state for movers, according to U-Haul's Top Growth States Report. The Lone Star State landed in the No. 2 spot, pushed aside by South Carolina, which topped the list for the first time.

The annual migration report is based on how many one-way transactions were made by DIY movers using a U-Haul truck, trailer, or U-Box moving container across the U.S. and Canada.

While U-Haul's numbers don't directly correlate to population or economic growth, it is an interesting look at the performance of the top American cities and states that are attracting newcomers.

The full list of top 10 growth metros for 2024 are:

No. 1 – Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
No. 2 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 3 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 4 – Lakeland, Florida
No. 5 – Austin, Texas
No. 6 – Nashville, Tennessee
No. 7 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 8 – Palm Bay, Florida
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – Greenville, South Carolina

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