DALLAS — Read this story and more North Texas business news from our partners at the Dallas Business Journal
A trio of North Texas ZIP codes rank among the hottest in the nation for home-buying activity, led by one on the east side of the Metroplex, according to an Opendoor analysis.
Forney's 75126 ZIP ranked No. 6 in the Opendoor analysis, which tracked the number of homes that went under contract within 90 days of listing in 2023. Opendoor, a residential real estate company that pioneered the iBuyer model of online home transactions, said it used multiple listing service data in the markets where its brokerages operate.
Opendoor did not publish the data behind the ranking but the list is a useful barometer of home-buying sentiment.
The ZIPs highlighted by Opendoor are teeming with new home construction, a bright spot for residential real estate amid heightened interest rates.
The 75126 ZIP is home to growing neighborhoods including Overland Grove, Fox Hollow and Travis Ranch. It actually fell a spot from the 2022 rank.
Forney has been one of the Metroplex's hottest housing markets in recent years. Its population reached an estimated 32,000 or so in mid-2022, up nearly 37% from 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. And Forney is in Kaufman County, which is the fastest-growing county in North Texas. Relative affordability has driven many buyers to this corner of the Metroplex: the median home price in Forney is $352,000, compared with a $440,000 median price in Dallas, according to Redfin.
Two other North Texas ZIPs made Opendoor's top 25 for 2023: Denton County's 76227 at No. 7, up from 13 a year prior, and 76179 at the northwest edge of Fort Worth at No. 10.
Texas dominated the top 10 with seven of the hottest ZIPs, including No. 1 and No. 2 in the Houston-area communities of Cypress and Katy.
The top neighborhoods showcase buyers' desire to live in areas with convenient amenities instead of larger cities, keeping up with a trend Opendoor saw in its 2022 analysis. Price continues to be top of mind, and homebuyers and sellers still believe they’re operating in a competitive housing market with overpriced homes.
The ranked North Texas ZIPs "reflect that homeowners prefer to escape the hustle and bustle of bigger cities for towns that offer most everything they need, including the right price," Jackson Upcheshaw, Opendoor brokerage lead, said in a statement.
Turnkey homes in these areas also appealed to price-conscious buyers, especially as mortgage rates remain near decades highs, according to Upcheshaw.
