Let’s start with the obvious question. What exactly qualifies as a mansion? Not just an expensive house, but a mansion. Our answer is “you’ll know it when you see it.” And when you click on the carefully curated searches below, you will hopefully agree with our assessment.
We’ve picked nine areas where someone in the market for a bona fide mansion should look and we have roughly ordered the areas according to our preferences based on price, amenities in the local area, and school districts. For each area, we have three tabs (Property Search, School Info, Other Links).
Of the top 10 independent school districts in Texas, seven are in Dallas-Fort Worth! Of the many reasons to move to the Dallas area, we put “the best place to raise a family” at the very tippity top. So don’t hate us if we brag on our schools! For each area, click on the School Information tab to get links to ratings from niche.com.
Important note: non-mansion buyers can get a great home in an A+ rated school district for as low as $275K! And there are another 16 ISDs rated as A or A- ! Contact us for more information.
Notable Disclaimers:
- We’ve created searches based on price, square footage of the home and size of the lot. In all cases, the top end of the price range is limited. There are a lot more mansions in the Metroplex. These searches were designed to showcase mansions at a price point that buys an ordinary house in certain parts of the country.
- The bulk of expensive houses (over $750K) in the Metroplex are not mansions. Fabulous homes, often nicer than a mansion, generally too close to the neighboring houses to qualify as a mansion in our esteem. A mansion is just one type of expensive home; if you are serious about buying a house for more than $600K in the Metroplex, there are lots of other options.
- If you are interested in buying a property of any size, we would be happy to help! There is no substitute for a customized search performed by a Realtor after a discussion of your wants and needs. Realtors have access to much more precise searching tools. Whether you are interested in a mansion or a starter home, please contact Betsy Lintel at elizabeth.lintel@exprealty.com to get started.
Have fun viewing! If you’re not really interested in a mansion, but are interested in the possibility of moving to Dallas-Fort Worth, contact us with your interests and requirements (i.e., public schools, 4 BR, $300K-500K). You’ll be surprised at how far your money can go!
1A. Rockwall-Heath-Sunnyvale
Picking the top spot was not easy, so we declared it a dead heat between the Rockwall area and the Frisco-McKinney area. What set Rockwall apart was (1) a fairly low entry point ($715K) and rural living with an easy commute to downtown Dallas. The cherries on top were Rockwall’s charming Historic Downtown District and the Harbor Rockwall. Since mansions and private planes go together like peanut butter and jelly, you’ll be happy to know that Rockwall has its own small airport. Did we mention the A+ rated schools? Or its location next to Lake Ray Hubbard?
Property Searches for Rockwall-Heath-Sunnyvale
1B. Frisco-McKinney
The Frisco-McKinney area was neck and neck with Rockwall. McKinney and Frisco have a higher entry price point for a mansion, but there is a lot more activity in the immediate area. Frisco was planned to be a high-end residential and commercial development. Everything about Frisco is first class. Downtown McKinney is the perfect destination for a casual meal or elegant dining. With Plano and Allen to the south, almost everything you need is a short trip from the confines of your mansion: fantastic dining, office space. high end shopping, sports (major league soccer, minor league hockey and baseball). And, of course, a municipal airport.
Property Searches
Questions? Email an Agent!
3. Flower Mound-Double Oak
This came as a bit of a surprise, but the FloMo Double Oak area simply cannot be overlooked due to the large number of mansions under $1M. Sandwiched between two popular lakes, Grapevine Lake and Lake Lewisville, Flower Mound-Double Oak is the first area on the list that is situated between Dallas and Fort Worth and also has an easy commute to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.
Property Searches for Flower Mound-Double Oak
4. Grapevine-Colleyville
Grapevine-Colleyville could easily be ranked number 1 on this list. With a highly ranked school district (#8 in all of Texas), beautiful terrain, and, must we say it, Historic Downtown, Grapevine-Colleyville is an amazing place to live. If your lifestyle includes frequent commercial flying, this is definitely the best option, being located next to Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Also, Grapevine-Colleyville is one of the most exclusive areas in the Metroplex, with the median house listing at $635K.
Property Searches for Grapevine-Colleyville
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5. Argyle-Bartonville
This is premier horse country! Rural, but definitely sophisticated, with Argyle ISD being an A+ rated school district and #13 in the entire state. Breathtaking views and access to major highway make this a must view destination for someone envious of the rural life while keeping close to the amenities of living in a major city. For golfers, the renowned Tour 18 course, with each hole being modeled after one of the most iconic holes in the world, is located just outside the Bartonville city limits.
Property Searches for Argyle-Bartonville
6. Fairview-Parker-Lucas
This is perhaps our favorite of all the areas. The only reason it wasn’t number 1 on the list is that all available mansions are currently priced above $1M. The predominate school district, Lovejoy, is #5 in the state, the highest of any area on this list. Of currently available homes of any type, the current median list price is over $1M, which means you can literally get a mansion for the price of an average home (as long as the average home is in Fairview-Parker-Lucas). You get all the amenities of nearby Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney, with a very distinct country lifestyle. Fairview Town Center and Watter’s Creek are first class dining and shopping destinations.
Property Searches for Fairview-Parker-Lucas
7. Prosper-Celina
Shhh! Let’s keep this to ourselves, but the elite have been quietly moving to Prosper for some time. As Dallas has grown, it has grown most rapidly to the north. And the sweet spot for real estate in this growth area has been the land between the North Dallas Tollway and Preston Road. Prosper and Celina are right in the middle of that sweet spot, just north of Frisco. Prosper is quite developed already; Celina is still mostly farm land, but development is red hot. Celina has a plan and the gist of the plan is to be amazing! Smart buyers should take a very close look. Both are just minutes away from top shelf dining, shopping and entertainment in Frisco and Plano. Proper and Celina are very possibly the next big things!
Property Searches for Prosper-Celina
8. Mansfield-Burleson-Cleburne
These three cities have very good access to downtown Fort Worth and Arlington. What sets them apart is the number of available mansions and the low prices. The values are incredible, with a number of mansions for sale in the $600K - $700K range. If you are a baseball fan and plan to go to all the games, Mansfield is a great place to live. Mansfield ISD is A rated.
Property Searches for Mansfield-Burleson-Cleburne
9. Weatherford-Aledo
Weatherford and Aledo are on the far west side of the Metroplex. The distance to downtown Fort Worth, Sundance Square and TCU is reasonable. The values are magnificent. Especially attractive to buyers that like the idea of being away from city life, but appreciate the occasional benefits of being nearby.
Property Searches for Weatherford-Aledo
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