Editor's Note: Houston, the surrounding areas and beyond are loaded with must-have houses and properties for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. In this continuing series, CultureMap snoops through some of the best and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.
A Farnham Park 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.
A bit of background
Beyonce purchased the two-story, traditional-style manse at 20 Farnham Park Drive in the Memorial Villages 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.
Walk through
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 sold for $2.9 million to current owner, pastor and developer Kirbyjon Caldwell.
"The house has been prepped for extensive remodel, presenting a wonderful opportunity for completion in the buyer's own style," the HAR listing notes.
Step outside
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.
Square footage: 9,029
Asking price: $2,850,000
Listing agent: Mary Elizabeth Hahnfeld, Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty
The living room at 20 Farnham Park Drive.
