Arlington is Awesome

Surprising Texas ZIP code is one of hottest neighborhoods in the U.S.

This 76018 charmer, at 5600 Congressional Dr., is on the market for a mere $200,000.

Photo courtesy of Realtor.com

What may be a well-kept secret isn’t anymore — one of the hottest neighborhoods in the state, no, the entire United States, is in Arlington.

Seriously.

A recent Realtor.com report looked at the most sought-after neighborhoods in the U.S., and — surprise — Arlington’s 76018 ZIP code was the eighth-most sought-after neighborhood in the country.

“These are the kind of places where the average buyers don’t need to auction off their first-born child to have enough money to become a homeowner,” Realtor.com said. “Most offer median prices well below the national median list price of $316,000. But buyers had better be quick, because homes in these ZIP codes are selling much faster than the national median of 56 days on the market.”

And that’s true of 76018, too. We took a gander at how many homes were available in the median price for the zip of $215,050, and found a mere 41 listings in the $200,000 to $300,000 range — and several were already under contract.

And that makes sense, because the median days on market for the ZIP code is 20.

But what makes Arlington so hot? It’s nearly equidistant from Dallas and Fort Worth, making it ideal if you work in either city, want to hit a concert, go shopping, etc. It’s close to plenty of entertainment, thanks to AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, and the new ballpark, when it opens, as well as Six Flags.

But perhaps the biggest kicker is affordability. Even though home prices rose 7.5 percent year over year in this part of Arlington, they’re still a bargain, especially when put side-by-side with Dallas (median $495,000 within the city limits) and Fort Worth ($272,000). In Arlington, you can get a move-in ready, three-bedroom home starting at $200,000.

“People are looking for more affordable places to live,” said Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “Last year we saw people moving to far-out suburbs of major cities. This year, we’re seeing people move to smaller metro areas, which are even less expensive. And they still get access to city life — just not in the biggest cities.”

Curious to see what exactly that median will get you? Here are two examples.

For $210,000, there's a three-bedroom, two-bath house at 6303 Plainview Dr., with about 1,579 square feet of living space on a 7,275-square-foot lot. It’s benefited from a recent remodel and boasts an open floor plan, new granite in the kitchen and bathrooms, and upgrades throughout, said Realtor Aaron Jistel with Listing Spark.

For $200,000 on the nose, there's a three-bedroom, two-bath at 5600 Congressional Dr., listed by Dennis Tuttle with Keller Williams Realty Arlington. With 1,340 square feet (with an open floor plan in the common areas) on a 6,229-square-foot corner lot, this home next to Cravens Park backs up to a greenbelt, too, and has a covered patio.

Other neighborhoods in the top 10 included: Grand Rapids, Michigan’s 49505; Omaha, Nebraska’s 68144; Boise, Idaho’s 83704; Shawnee, Kansas’s 66203; Rochester, New York’s 14609; Livonia, Michigan’s 48154; Melrose, Massachusetts’s 02176; Goffstown, New Hampshire’s 03045; and Colorado Springs, Colorado’s 80916.

Want to read more? Click here.

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A version of this story originally was published on CandysDirt.com.

This home at 6303 Plainview Dr., on the market for $210,000, is in Arlington's hot 76018 ZIP code.

Photo courtesy of Realtor.com

This home at 6303 Plainview Dr., on the market for $210,000, is in Arlington's hot 76018 ZIP code.

home-for-sale rankings

they're durable, too

3D-printed Houston housing project cements a more affordable future

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.

Houston is putting itself front-and-center to help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality for 80 lucky homeowners in a scalable housing community that will hopefully catch on nationwide. Recently, developer Cole Klein Builders partnered with HiveASMBLD to pioneer what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale, one-of-a-kind, affordable housing development using 3-D printing technology, merging robotics, design, and sustainability.

Located across from Sterling Aviation High School, near Hobby Airport, Zuri Gardens will offer 80 two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes of approximately 1,360 square feet situated in a park-like setting, including walking trails and a community green space.

Homes in Zuri Gardens will hit the market in early summer of 2026. Final pricing has yet to be determined, but Cole Klein Builders expects it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.

Interestingly, none of the homes will offer garages or driveways, which the developer tells CultureMap will provide a savings of roughly $25,000 - $40,000 per home.

Instead of parking for individual units, 140 parking spaces will be provided. Ideally, this small-town-inspired design will provide opportunities for neighbors to meet, connect, and build community.

Each two-story home is comprised of a ground floor printed by HiveASMBLD, using a proprietary low-carbon cement alternative by Eco Material Technologies that promises to enhance strength and reduce CO2 emissions. The hybrid homes will have a second floor built using engineered wood building products by LP Building Solutions. Overall, the homes are designed to be flood, fire, and possibly even tornado-proof.

The Zuri in Zuri Gardens is the Swahili word for “beautiful,” a choice that is fitting considering that the parks department will be introducing a five acre park to the project — with 3-D printed pavilions and benches — plus, a three acre farm is located right across the street. The Garver Heights area, where Zuri Gardens is located, is in what’s classified as a food desert, which means that access to fresh food is limited. Residents will have access to the farm’s fresh produce, plus opportunities to participate in gardening and nutrition workshops—that’s a win for everyone.

With the novelty of Zuri Gardens, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood already has an 800 person waitlist, but with stringent buyer requirements, it’s unclear how many of those 800 will qualify. Developer Cole Klein Builders created Zuri Gardens in partnership with the Houston Housing Community Development Department, who provided infrastructure reimbursements for the roads, sewer lines, and water lines. In return, CKB agreed to push the purchase prices for the homes as low as possible.

Zuri Gardens also received $1.8 million dollars from the Uptown Tourism Bond, 34 percent of which must be used with minority owned small businesses. Qualified buyers must fit a certain area of median income according to HUD guidelines, and must be owner occupied at all times — so no property investors or short term vacation rentals will be allowed.

“They’re trying to bridge that gap to make sure there is a community for the homebuyers who need it — educators, law enforcement, civil workers, etc.,” Cole Klein Builders’ co-principal Vanessa Cole tells CultureMap. “You have to go through a certification process with the housing department to make sure that your income is in alignment for this community. It has been great, and everyone has been really receptive.”

Cole has also brought insurance underwriters to visit the site and to help drive premiums below regular rates for Houston homeowners since homes in Zuri Gardens are not built to traditional standards — claim risks for one of the 3-D homes are extremely low. Tim Lankau, principal at HiveASMBLD, notes that the 3-D hybrid design allows for a more traditional appearance, while having the benefits of a concrete structure: “That’s where the floodwaters would go, that’s where you can hide when there’s a tornado, and that’s where termites would eat. So you get the advantages of it while having a traditionally-framed second floor.”

It’s important to note that Zuri Gardens is not located in a flood prone area, nor did it flood during Hurricane Harvey — being flood proof is merely a perk of a cement house. The concrete that Eco Material Technologies developed is impervious. The walls are printed into hollow forms, which house rebar, plumbing, and accessible conduits for things like electrical lines and smart house features. Those walls are then filled with a foamcrete product that expands to form a “monolithic concrete wall.”

David McNitt, of Eco Material Technologies, explains that his proprietary concrete is made of PCV, and contains zero Portland cement. Instead, McNitt’s cement is made from coal ash and is 99 percent green (there are a few chemicals added to the ash). Regardless, it’s made from 100 percent waste products.

“This is a product that has really been landfilled before,” says McNitt. “It’s coal ash, and it’ll set within 8-10 minutes. It’s all monolithic, and one continuous pour — it’s literally all one piece.”

Eco Material Technologies’ concrete product is impressively durable. A traditional cinderblock wall will crush at around 800 psi, while this material crushes at about 8,000 psi.

“It’s ten times stronger than a cinderblock wall that can withstand hurricanes,” claims McNitt. “I don’t think you’d even notice a hurricane. It’ll be really quiet inside, too — so you won’t get interrupted during your hurricane party. It’s way over-engineered, it really is.”

The second story is built using weatherproof and eco-friendly products by LP Building Solutions. Their treated, engineered wood products come with a 50 year warranty, and their radiant barrier roof decking product blocks 97% of UV rays, and keeps attic temperatures 30° cooler than traditional building materials. These materials, combined with the concrete first floor, will keep heating and cooling costs low — something the folks at HiveASMBLD refer to as “thermal mass performance.”

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.