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    live like royalty

    Fairytale castle just 3.5 hours from Houston returns to market for $5.5 million

    Amber Heckler
    Nov 15, 2023 | 9:00 pm

    A grand fairytale castle less than 140 miles from Austin has re-entered the housing market for $5.5 million.

    Parsons Castle

    Photo courtesy of Hackers Property Group

    The property was initially listed for sale in 2021 for $6.5 million.

    The Parsons Castle in Clifton (near Waco) is a glorious cliffside escape with a very apt nickname: The Getaway Capital of Texas.

    As CultureMap previously reported, the castle was listed for sale in 2021 for $6.5 million. It didn't sell at the time, so it was taken off the market. Eric Hacker of Hacker Property Group now holds the listing.

    "With the price adjustment and with the time lapse in our market, we felt that [$5.5 million] was going to be a much more appealing price for the public and for what this venue has the possibilities of [accomplishing]," Hacker explained to CultureMap.

    The castle and event venue, which overlooks Lake Whitney, features 10 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms across 11,500 square feet of space that's destined to make every guest feel like a real royal.

    There are balconies on every floor of the five-story castle, a private pool and hot tub, a 3,000-square-foot ballroom, a bridal suite and groom's dressing room, gazebos galore, and much more. Like every good castle, it has a drawbridge and a moat.

    Parsons CastleThe 3,000-square-foot ballroom can do more than host large formal dances, like setting the stage for a beautiful Photo courtesy of Hacker Property Group

    The property was bought by its sole owners – Stuart and Rebecca Parsons – in 2005, and the slab that would become the genesis for the castle was poured in 2009. By 2017, the magnificent structure had been fully constructed, and has since lived an illustrious life as a venue for weddings, reunions, and many other special occasions.

    Hacker expects his primary audience to be those who already have a business plan lined up to keep the property as an event venue, but he's not counting out potential buyers who fall in love with the castle.

    "There could always be an individual who comes in and just falls in love with how special it is and find it appealing for themselves," he says. "But it's really highly accommodating for someone who sees it as an event venue that can hold large events and parties."

    Back in 2021, the castle caught the attention of Zillow Gone Wild's Facebook page, with one commenter dubbing it "Taj Ma Y’all."

    If $5.5 million seems, well, almost affordable, consider this: The Parsons Castle is cheaper than this other urban palace outside Houston that was the most expensive home in Texas for two years in a row, with a hefty price tag of $65 million.

    More information about the Parsons Castle can be found at theparsonscastle.com.

    real estateaustinexpensive homeswedding venuetexasluxury housing
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    real estate news

    Memorial City developer acquires all of CityCentre's retail properties

    Eric Sandler
    Oct 14, 2025 | 12:21 pm
    CityCentre green space
    Photo by ShauLin Hon
    Many of the businesses are adjacent to this green space.

    One of Houston’s premier shopping and dining destinations has a new owner. Houston-based real estate developer MetroNational has acquired the retail portions of CityCentre from Midway, which is also a Houston-based real estate developer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

    Notably, the deal includes an over 300,000-square-foot property that’s home to more than 20 restaurants — ranging from casual concepts such as Hopdoddy, Grimaldi’s, and Bellagreen to more upscale options such as Daily Gather, the Capital Grille, North Italia, and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood — as well as retailers such as Kendra Scott, Sur la Table, and Warby Parker. It also includes entertainment destinations such as movie theater Star Cinema Grill and upscale bowling concept Bowl & Barrel.

    However, the deal does not include The Moran hotel or CityCentre’s office buildings or apartments. Midway will retain ownership of those properties.

    Since MetroNational also owns the 300-acre Memorial City complex, its holdings now consist of several large tracts that run along the south side of I-10 from Bunker Hill Road to the Sam Houston Tollway, including Memorial City Mall, Gateway Memorial City, Hotel ZaZa Memorial City, and Memorial Hermann Tower. Earlier this year, MetroNational added the 15-story office tower at 990 Town & Country Boulevard. It also has holdings north of I-10, including Greenside, a new project that will transform former industry buildings into retail and dining spaces. In total, it owns more than 10 million square feet of commercial real estate.

    “For the last 15 years, we have watched and admired how well Brad Freels and Midway have enhanced the customer experience with the CityCentre offering,” MetroNational CEO Jason Johnson said in a statement. “We believe CityCentre is a legacy asset that will perform for many more decades. Together, Memorial City and CityCentre expand the footprint of premier amenities, supporting our vision for a ‘city within the city.’ This transaction not only enhances our portfolio but also underscores a long-term commitment to positioning Memorial as one of Houston’s most dynamic business and leisure destinations.”

    Just as it did for Greenside, MetroNational is working with Houston’s Radom Capital to “reimagine and elevate the retail experience at CityCentre,” according to press materials. Radom is known for developing a number of mixed-use developments, including MKT Heights, the Montrose Collective, and the historic Tower Theater complex and adjacent buildings on lower Westheimer.

    “We are proud to partner with MetroNational and CityCentre on this exciting opportunity,” added Steve Radom, managing principal of Radom Capital. “Their vision for vibrant, connected destinations aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering best-in class spaces that bring people together.”

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