This charming Tudor home is located in the exclusive University Place neighborhood near Colonial, Avondale, and in the Tanglewood Elementary School system. | Photo provided by Williams Trew Real Estate
Whether you’re planning your next move or just love scrolling Zillow, NBC’s home buyer index — which debuted earlier this year and is updated monthly — might help you keep better tabs on the Fort Worth real estate market as it shifts from month to month.
How it works
The study uses a 0-100 scale to measure the level of difficulty when purchasing a home; the higher the score, the more difficult. It’s measured using four factors: cost, competition, scarcity, and economic instability (think: market volatility, unemployment, and interest rates).
Is it legit? A real estate industry analyst, bank economist from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and other experts helped develop the tool, according to NBC News. Examine the methodology.
A few caveats: The index does not capture additional homebuying difficulties for certain groups, such as those with lower credit scores, and it can’t always capture data for more rural communities.
Tarrant County’s rating
The data listed below comes from August 2024, but it’s updated monthly — in other words, you can check back whenever you’re curious. Check out Tarrant County’s numbers, on a scale of 0 (easy) to 100 (difficult):
Overall difficulty index | 60.2
Cost index | 77.6
Competition index | 32.5
Scarcity index | 25
Economic instability index | 95.6
The index also shares that a median income buyer here in Tarrant County can afford a $415,000 home — compare that to the median list price for a home, which is $354,000.
Our pro tip? It’s a good idea to factor in some of the local real estate predictions for the year. For instance, those who are flexible and patient during the process may have better luck in FTW, according to Joseph Berkes of the Joseph Berkes Group – Williams Trew.
Asked
What is the overall home buyer difficulty index for the entire nation (100 being most difficult)?
The Big Laugh Open Mic | Monday, Sept. 30 | 7:30-9:15 p.m. | Big Laugh Comedy Club | $2 | Test out your jokes on pals in the comedy world.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Silent Book Club | Tuesday, Oct. 1 | 4-9 p.m. | Hotel Dryce | Free | Kick back with a beverage and dive into your latest read with other bookworms.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Pickin’ Round the Campfire | Wednesday, Oct. 2 | 8-11 p.m. | Dirty Water Saloon | Free | Grab your guitar and join other musicians for a fireside song session.
Thursday, Oct. 3
“The Ives Archives” | Thursday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 5 | Times vary | Theatre Wesleyan | $10 | Get ready to laugh at these six one-act comedies written by playwright David Ives.
Friday, Oct. 4
TCU Football | Friday, Oct. 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Amon G. Carter Stadium | $18+ | Watch the Horned Frogs line up against the University of Houston Cougars.
Waterfront property alert: An 11,000-sqft home on 25 acres just hit the market in Caney City. The Cedar Creek Lake home features a gym, outdoor athletic courts, two-story covered patios, and three private guesthouses in addition to the nine-bedroom main residence — all with sweeping views of the lake.
Edu
TCU just made US News and World Report’s “Best National University Rankings.” The Horned Frogs nabbed the 105th spot based on metrics like classroom resources + graduates’ starting salaries. Educate yourself on what’s coming soon to TCU.
Biz
Fort Worth-headquartered American Airlines is the No. 43 company for workplace well-being, according to a nationwide study by Indeed. Read more about top local industries and employers.
Trending
WFAA digital journalist Paul Livengood shared that Netflix will release a three-part docuseries about the match up between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, who will square off in the ring at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Nov. 15. Get tickets to see the action.
Sports
It was a big weekend for North Texas sports — the Horned Frogs traveled to Kansas, the Rangers wrapped up their season in California, and the Stars headed to Minnesota for a preseason game. Get the full weekend recap from the local experts of DFW Sports with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Eat
Heads up, Fort Worth: Today is the last day to participate in the #SaveTheTacos initiative and cast your vote for the city’s favorite taco. Head to one of 12 participating Arlington restaurants and channel your inner foodie before one winner is announced on National Taco Day on Friday, Oct. 4.*
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Finance
Rates just dropped. Now could be the perfect time for you to tap into your home equity — calculate your payment.*
The Buy
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I had a blast with some of the other Texas editors — hey, DALtoday + ATXtoday — at the State Fair of Texas opening day on Friday. Stay tuned for a recap of what we saw, tried, and ate + follow us on Instagram for a first look at the fair.
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