Higher school ratings correlate to higher home values in Cy-Fair

According to a 2019 study published by Paige Martin of Keller Williams Realty, homes zoned to the top-performing schools in the Houston area tend to be more expensive.

Community Impact Newspaper conducted an independent study comparing Cy-Fair ISD schools’ 2017-18 accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency to the median appraised value of homes in these campuses’ immediate neighborhoods from the Houston Association of Realtors.

Schools located in the northwest portion of the district were typically ranked higher by the TEA and had higher appraised home values. Those in the southeast corner of the district tend to have lower accountability ratings and appraised home values, according to data.

Homes in neighborhoods where the district’s top six rated schools are located had an average value of $308,849, and those in neighborhoods where the district’s lowest six rated schools are located averaged $171,501.

According to Cypress-based Realtor Amy Lippincott, homes ranging from $200,000-$299,999 are in higher demand than any other price range in Cy-Fair, and buyers will be hard-pressed to find new homes with large yards near top-ranked schools for this price.

This conclusion is based on the average days on market for houses in those popular master-planned communities, she said. As of the end of May, 1,051 Cy-Fair homes sold in the $200,000-$299,999 range in 2019 so far.

“They don’t stay on the market,” she said. “[Especially] in a newer neighborhood that doesn’t flood—there’s very little in that price range, and it’s really hard to find a good house.”