Garland is the DFW city with more soul than it gets credit for. It’s the Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas, a freshly designated Music Friendly Community where Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger was recorded, two official Texas cultural districts, and one of the most authentically diverse communities in the entire metroplex.
Garland is a city of about 250,000 on the west shore of Lake Ray Hubbard. You’ll find a walkable downtown on DART rail, Firewheel golf-course homes, established ranch-home neighborhoods, lake-area living and new infill townhomes. Here are 11 areas with dated price context.
Priced individually
Garland’s historic core around the rebuilt Downtown Square, with an event lawn, treehouse, pavilion and fountain from the 2019 bond program.
Walk to the Downtown Garland DART station and the restaurants on the square. Newer lofts, apartments and townhomes join older homes nearby. Garland ISD.
About $560K median
About 455 homes built mostly from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, typically 2,400 to 3,600 square feet, along the Firewheel golf course.
Mandatory HOA with modest base dues and an optional amenity tier for the pool, tennis and community center. Garland ISD; confirm by address.
About $471K typical value
A Firewheel-area subdivision in north Garland, near the Bush Turnpike and Firewheel Town Center.
Zillow’s typical value was about $471,000 in June 2026, down 1 percent. Ask for the HOA’s dues and resale certificate.
Mostly rentals
About 920 apartments and townhomes beside the open-air Firewheel Town Center, including The Lively, opened in 2021.
Walk to shopping, dining and a movie theater. An H-E-B is approved on an adjacent site, not yet built.
About $332K median
Subdivisions from several decades north of downtown, generally newer and larger than central Garland.
Redfin’s median was about $332,000 for the three months through August 2026. Mostly Garland ISD; HOAs vary by subdivision.
About $300K median
Established neighborhoods near I-635, with a mix of older ranch homes and infill.
A Joe V’s Smart Shop is approved at Centerville Road and I-635. Mostly Garland ISD, with part in Mesquite ISD.
About $200K–$320K
An established south-central subdivision of single-story homes, about 1,400 to 1,700 square feet.
Recent Redfin sales ran from about $199,900 to $299,500 in August and September 2026. Older homes; budget for updates. Garland ISD.
From lake condos to new homes
East Garland along Lake Ray Hubbard, from small lake-area condos to new homes at Fireside by the Lake, listed around $414,000–$490,000.
Dallas owns the shoreline Take Area; eligible owners sublease it under Garland’s Lake Edge rules, and docks need Garland and Dallas approval. Garland ISD.
Priced individually
The westernmost neighborhoods near the Richardson line, including the Spring Park and Spring Creek Forest area.
The city says these areas are in Richardson ISD, not Garland ISD. Confirm the district for each address.
About $195K–$235K
Older subdivisions such as Monica Park, Freeman Heights, Bellaire Heights and Las Mariposas, generally smaller single-story homes.
Zillow values cluster around $195,000–$235,000. Plan for foundation, sewer-line and plumbing inspections on older homes. Garland ISD.
About $379K–$475K
Infill townhomes and small new-home projects, such as Crescent Heights on Rowlett Road and new homes on SH 66.
Builder pricing changes often; compare HOA dues and confirm the electric provider for each address.
Swipe or drag sideways to see them all.
Redfin’s citywide median was $299,752 in August 2026, down 3.3 percent. Zillow’s typical value was about $287,000, down 3.9 percent.
Prices range from about $195,000 in older central areas to $560,000+ in Firewheel Estates.
About 85 percent of Garland homes buy electricity from municipal Garland Power & Light, with no retail choice.
The rest are in Oncor territory. Confirm the provider by address.
The city adopted $0.6799 per $100, which falls to $0.643254 if Proposition A fails on November 3, 2026. Dallas County’s rate is on the ballot too.
Garland ISD is set at $1.1393.
Most of Garland is in Garland ISD, which uses Choice of School. Far west Garland is in Richardson ISD and part of the south is in Mesquite ISD.
The DART Blue Line stops at Forest/Jupiter and Downtown Garland.
Garland, incorporated in 1891, covers about 57 square miles of land, mostly in Dallas County with small portions in Collin and Rockwall counties, and counted 246,018 residents in the 2020 census (Census estimate 249,625 for July 2025). Area names follow subdivision, brokerage and listing usage; boundaries are approximate. Price figures are dated snapshots: Redfin medians through August 2026, Zillow typical values from June and July 2026 and undated 2026 Zillow neighborhood values, Redfin sale examples and builder or listing prices; neighborhood figures rest on small samples and are context, not values. Eras, sizes, amenities and HOA dues come from listing, HOA and brokerage sources and should be confirmed with the HOA’s resale certificate. Firewheel Town Center unit counts are from Simon. H-E-B and Joe V’s were approved by the City of Garland in 2026 and are not built. Take Area rules are from the City of Garland. Tax rates are 2026 adopted rates from the City of Garland, Garland ISD and Dallas County; the city and county rates are subject to November 3, 2026, elections. The Garland Power & Light share is from the City of Garland. School districts are listed at the district level only; whether any Garland addresses are in Plano ISD or Rockwall ISD was not confirmed. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Garland’s food and shopping scene runs from the Downtown Square, with a smokehouse brewery and New Haven-style pizza, to banh mi on Walnut Street and Firewheel Town Center in the north. Here’s a 2026-checked list of 17.
W. State St. & Main St. by the DART station
Garland’s rebuilt square, with a smokehouse brewery, New Haven-style pizza and a tavern around an event lawn, treehouse and fountain.
The Downtown Garland DART station is a short walk away.
509 W. State St.
Smoked meats and house-brewed beer on the square.
500 Main St., Ste. 100
New Haven-style apizza, open since 2024.
601 W. State St.
A downtown tavern facing the square.
3110 Saturn Rd., Ste. 103
A long-running Garland diner, serving for more than 70 years.
240 E. Avenue B
A small barbecue shack with short, limited hours; check before you go.
3212 N. Jupiter Rd.
A Vietnamese food court, grocery and shops under one roof; host of a Lunar New Year celebration.
3300–3500 blocks of W. Walnut St.
A stretch of Vietnamese bakeries and delis known for banh mi; check individual shops for hours.
Firewheel Town Center, 245 Cedar Sage Dr.
One of the center’s 2026 additions.
Firewheel Town Center, 245 Cedar Sage Dr.
Korean corn dogs and egg toast, new at Firewheel in 2026.
Firewheel Town Center, 245 Cedar Sage Dr.
Sit-down options include Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, Razzoo’s, Laughing Crab and Ferah Tex-Med Kitchen.
245 Cedar Sage Dr.
An open-air center opened in 2005, with Dillard’s, Macy’s, Barnes & Noble, World Market, Dick’s and an AMC theater.
Downtown Garland Square
The rebuilt square’s event lawn, observatory treehouse, play area and fountain host concerts and festivals.
Garland’s eastern border
A Dallas-owned reservoir along Garland’s east side; most lakeside dining is across the lake in Rockwall.
519 W. State St.
Under construction in the historic Jones Hardware building; hiring began in September, but no opening date was confirmed.
Crist Rd. & Firewheel Pkwy.
A flagship H-E-B approved in May 2026 next to Firewheel; not yet built.
1040 W. Centerville Rd.
H-E-B’s Joe V’s format, approved at Centerville Road and I-635; not yet built.
Garland eats in three main places: the Downtown Square by the DART station, Firewheel Town Center in the north and the Vietnamese corridor on Walnut Street and Jupiter Road.
Grocery news: H-E-B and Joe V’s were approved in 2026 but aren’t built yet.
Compiled October 2026. Listings are from the City of Garland, Simon, Yelp, Texas Monthly, the Dallas Morning News, Local Profile, CW33 and other 2025–2026 reporting, and were not confirmed with owners; call ahead to confirm hours and that a business is still open. Meshack’s keeps short, limited hours, and its 2026 status wasn’t confirmed with a dated source. Individual Walnut Street bakeries and Firewheel restaurant suite numbers weren’t confirmed. Texas Land & Cattle on Bass Pro Drive had conflicting open/closed reports and is not listed. Bankhead Brewing is in Rowlett, not Garland. H-E-B and Joe V’s were approved by the City of Garland in 2026, with completion deadlines of 2030 and 2029. Coming-soon businesses had not opened as of this writing. Businesses listed are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any business named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
From Rival Railroad Towns to a City on Lake Ray Hubbard
Settlement began in the 1840s, and by 1846 a log cabin on Duck Creek served as community center, school and Union Church. Duck Creek was one of the original Peters Colony settlements.
Early Duck Creek businesses included a general store, a gristmill and a cotton gin, according to the state historical marker. The first Duck Creek post office operated from 1854 until 1866, and around 1868 the school took the name Duck Creek Academy.
The post office returned in 1877, about a decade before two railroads arrived. Their routes would split the community and set off a long rivalry between neighboring towns.
In 1886 the Santa Fe and the Dallas and Greenville railways both bypassed Duck Creek. Embree grew up on the Santa Fe line, and a new Duck Creek rose on the other line, soon part of the Katy.
Embree was named for Dr. K. H. Embree, a physician, storekeeper and Duck Creek postmaster. In early 1887 fire consumed much of Old Duck Creek’s business district, and on February 1, 1887, the post office moved to the Santa Fe depot at Embree.
Tempers flared. Duck Creek partisans recorded a map giving the whole area their name, and Embree incorporated on November 12, 1887, amid accusations that it had counted Duck Creek residents to reach the required population.
Congressman Joseph Abbott placed a new post office between the towns on December 9, 1887, named for U.S. Attorney General Augustus H. Garland. Garland incorporated on April 21, 1891, absorbing both towns.
Local legend says residents accepted the name because the attorney general, who served under President Grover Cleveland, had never been to Texas. By 1890 Garland had 478 residents, four churches, three gristmills and three steam cotton gins.
The first mayor was merchant M. Davis Williams. The Duck Creek News became the Garland News in 1891, and Citizens Bank, the town’s first bank, was chartered in 1895.
In 1899 a fire destroyed 28 of Garland’s 30 businesses. The town rebuilt around a central square and grew to 819 residents by 1904 and more than 1,400 by 1920.
Plank sidewalks and a fountain for watering horses were added to the new square. Jones Hardware & Furniture Company, founded in 1899, occupied part of the square’s north side for nearly a century.
By 1914 Garland had two banks, three cotton gins and telephone and telegraph service. In the early 1920s voters approved a $100,000 bond for a 2,300-foot well and a storage tank that brought running water to homes.
Four streetlights around the square were Garland’s first electric lights in 1915. In 1923, citizens bought a generator and started a city utility, Garland Power and Light.
According to the Handbook of Texas, Garland Power and Light grew into the fourth-largest municipal utility in Texas. Before city water arrived, each house had its own well, and the town’s first car dealerships opened in the 1920s.
The utility remains part of civic life: in 2025 the city marked 100 years of Garland Power and Light with a display at Christmas on the Square.
In the early hours of Monday, May 9, 1927, a tornado destroyed much of Garland. The Handbook of Texas reports 17 deaths, among them former mayor S. E. Nicholson.
The Garland Landmark Society says the tornado touched down south of town, lifted briefly, then tore through several blocks of homes just west of the square. Damage was estimated at $75,000.
The former mayor’s brother bought the former Citizens National Bank building on the square for the city in memory of his mother and brother. Six years later, the Nicholson Memorial Library opened.
In the late 1930s the Craddock pickle company and the Byer-Rolnick hat factory, maker of Resistol hats, moved to Garland. The KRLD radio tower went up in 1937, and Garland had 2,233 residents in 1940.
Several aircraft plants operated in the area during World War II. Afterward, Kraft Foods bought the Continental Motors plant and retooled it for food production, and Garland was a major onion-shipping point in the 1940s.
Hat making left a lasting mark: in 2013 the Legislature named Garland the Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas. Central Park, the city’s first park, was bought in 1948.
Garland grew from 10,571 residents in 1950 to 38,501 in 1960, 81,437 in 1970 and 138,857 in 1980 as Dallas-area growth spread northeast.
Garland adopted city-manager government in 1951, and by the late 1960s it had 15 parks, two hospitals and 28 schools. Garland Civic Theatre was founded in 1968.
In 1974 the Garland Landmark Museum opened in the city’s 1901 Santa Fe depot. In 1983 voters joined the new Dallas Area Rapid Transit system, and Firewheel Golf Park opened the same year.
The City of Dallas built the Rockwall-Forney Dam on the East Fork of the Trinity, creating the reservoir on Garland’s eastern border. Impoundment began in 1968, and the dam was completed in 1969.
The reservoir was first called Forney Lake and was renamed for Ray Hubbard, longtime president of the Dallas Park Board. Dam construction began in 1964, after the 1950s drought pushed Dallas to find new water supplies.
The lake covers about 22,745 acres, and Rush Creek Yacht Club was founded in 1969 while it was still filling.
The DART Blue Line reached Garland on November 18, 2002, opening the Forest/Jupiter and Downtown Garland stations. The President George Bush Turnpike reached SH 78 in 2000 and was extended to I-30 in 2011.
Forest/Jupiter Station opened with 561 parking spaces in an industrial district that once grew onions and cantaloupe. Garland was the second suburb to get DART light rail.
Downtown Garland Station was the Blue Line’s northern end until the line reached Downtown Rowlett in December 2012. The 9.9-mile turnpike extension, opened December 21, 2011, runs through Sachse and Rowlett to I-30.
Simon’s open-air Firewheel Town Center opened October 7, 2005, near the Bush Turnpike and SH 78. Garland ISD’s Curtis Culwell Center opened the same year.
At opening, the center covered about 785,000 square feet, anchored by Foley’s and Dillard’s, with an AMC theater due that December. “Coming soon” signs had first appeared in 1984, but construction didn’t begin until 2003.
The center takes its name from neighboring Firewheel Golf Park. Garland’s major employers have included the school district, the city and Kraft Heinz, with manufacturers such as Hatco and Daisy Brand.
An EF4 tornado traveled about 13 miles from near Sunnyvale through Garland into Rowlett on the evening of December 26, 2015. The National Weather Service recorded 10 deaths, nine of them in Garland.
The National Weather Service ranks it as the highest-rated December tornado on record in Dallas County, with winds estimated at up to 180 mph. The worst damage came just before it crossed Interstate 30.
It was the strongest of 12 tornadoes confirmed in North Texas that evening. Neighborhoods along its path rebuilt in the years that followed.
Garland’s first National Register listings came in 2017: the Travis College Hill Historic District and the Garland Downtown Historic District. The rebuilt Downtown Square reopened October 14, 2023.
The Travis College Hill district on South 11th Street includes homes dating to 1913. The five-story Garland Bank & Trust building, built in 1966 and listed in 2023, is being restored as part of a mixed-use project.
Voters approved the Square’s renovation in the 2019 bond program, and construction began in 2021. About 24,000 people attended Christmas on the Square that first year.
On May 19, 2026, the City Council approved agreements for an H-E-B near Firewheel and a Joe V’s Smart Shop at Centerville Road and I-635. Voters will decide the city’s tax rate on November 3, 2026.
H-E-B committed to invest at least $17 million on the 21-acre Firewheel-area site and at least $7 million to redevelop a long-vacant South Garland property.
The adopted city rate is $0.6799 per $100; if voters reject it, $0.643254 applies. Separately, the Granville Arts Center is closing for renovations and is expected to reopen in 2028. The Census estimated 249,625 residents in July 2025.
Compiled from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas (Garland and Duck Creek entries), Texas Historical Commission markers as transcribed by the Historical Marker Database, the City of Garland, the Garland Landmark Society, the National Weather Service, DART, Simon Property Group, the North Texas Tollway Authority, the Dallas Morning News and the U.S. Census Bureau. Where sources conflict, the widget follows the Handbook of Texas. Death counts for the 1927 tornado range from 14 to 17 by source; the Handbook gives 17. The Handbook gives 819 residents for 1904, while its data table lists the figure for 1900. Lake Ray Hubbard’s dam completion and renaming dates vary by source. The 2000 turnpike date is from a highway reference rather than an NTTA document. Which Indigenous peoples lived in the area before settlement was not confirmed, so the timeline begins with settlement. The November 3, 2026, election outcome was not known at publication. Census figures are total population. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Fall Fest on the Square, Día de los Muertos and Christmas on the Square
A tongue-in-cheek 546-yard “race” around the Square, followed by a free fall festival with live music, a kids’ zone and pumpkin activities. Held in 2022 and 2024; Saturday, October 3, 2026, 5 to 10 p.m.
The 2026 theme is the 1970s, with a disco roller derby. Race registration is paid; the festival is free.
Formerly billed as the Garland Guzzler 0.5K Race & Oktoberfest.
Performances, altar displays, food trucks and an artisan market. Free. Launched in 2017 with Garland ISD and community leaders; Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The official tree lighting, with live music, reindeer, a snow hill, photos with Santa and train rides. Free. Held 2022 through 2025; Friday, December 4, 2026, 5 to 9 p.m.
Farm-fresh food, vintage goods and handcrafted items, with night markets in July and August. Free to browse. Held in 2024 and 2026; next market Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Garland’s Independence Day festival with live music, food, games and carnival rides, ending with fireworks or a drone show. Free. Held July 3 in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
A long-running summer musical theater series, staging two shows each summer since the early 1980s. Ticketed. 2026 brought Fiddler on the Roof and Hello, Dolly!; the 2027 venue will be announced during the arts center’s renovation.
Rowlett’s free Independence Day festival at Pecan Grove Park, with live music and fireworks. Held July 4, 2026.
Rockwall’s downtown birthday festival with a farmers market and evening concerts. Held May 16, 2026.
Garland’s signature events happen on the rebuilt Downtown Square, steps from the Downtown Garland DART station.
Most are hosted by the City of Garland and free; the Guzzler race and Summer Musicals are ticketed.
Dates move for weather, so check visitgarlandtx.com before you go.
Timing shown is the usual pattern for each event; exact dates, times and prices change from year to year and should be confirmed with organizers. Event details are from the City of Garland, Visit Garland, Garland Summer Musicals, the City of Rowlett and Rockwall-area reporting; each event listed was found in at least two years, except that Día de los Muertos’ earlier dates come from the city’s description of its 2017 launch. The Guzzler’s edition number varies by source and is not shown. The city’s funding for several events in its 2026–27 budget depends on the November 3, 2026, tax election, so 2027 schedules may change. The Granville Arts Center is closing for renovations through about 2028. City-listed events with only 2026 evidence, including Art Made Here, the Asian American Heritage Festival, Juneteenth and the Music Made Here concert series, are not shown. Events under “Nearby” are held in Rowlett and Rockwall, not in Garland. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What to know about Garland schools:
The ratings: 2026 ratings are preliminary until TEA finishes appeals in December. Review the full results at TXschools.gov.
Nearby: Dallas College serves Dallas County, and Garland ISD offers an early college high school program.
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete Garland schools guide →
Garland ISD serves most of Garland and earned a B (86) in 2026. Far west Garland is in Richardson ISD and part of the south is in Mesquite ISD. In Garland ISD, a Choice of School process decides many assignments. Confirm the district by address.
District-wide
Serves most of Garland, plus Rowlett and Sachse. High schools in Garland include Garland, North Garland, South Garland, Lakeview Centennial and Naaman Forest.
District rating: B (86) in 2026, up from a B (84) in 2025 and a B (81) in 2023.
Enrollment is down about 14.5 percent since 2016, per the Texas Tribune.
District-wide
Serves the farthest west areas of Garland, near the Richardson line.
District rating: B (83) in 2026, up from a C (79) in 2025.
District-wide
Serves a portion of south Garland.
District rating: B in both 2025 and 2026, as reported by the district; numeric scores were not confirmed.
District-wide
Families entering kindergarten, 6th or 9th grade, or new to the district, rank up to six schools or magnet programs. Siblings and proximity get priority, and current students can stay.
For 2026–27, grades 1–12 applied December 1 to January 12 and Pre-K and kindergarten April 1 to May 1; 2027–28 dates hadn’t been posted.
Busing to a chosen school isn’t guaranteed; it depends on each campus’s transportation zone.
District-wide
Classes run August 10, 2026, to May 27, 2027. The rate fell from $1.1709: $0.7553 for operations and $0.3840 for debt.
Voters approved a tax-rate election in November 2025 and a $1.279 billion bond in May 2023 that funds four replacement elementary schools and a career center expansion.
District-wide
With enrollment declining for eight years, Garland ISD combined some campuses: Freeman moved to Golden Meadows in 2024–25 and Montclair to Heather Glen in 2025–26.
Both will move into new replacement buildings, with the Montclair-site campus expected for 2027–28. No new closures were confirmed as of October 2026.
District-wide
The 2026–27 rate is $0.7419 for operations and $0.39 for debt. Voters approved a $1.4 billion bond in November 2025 for new middle schools and a career center.
The board decided in May 2026 against a November 2026 tax-rate election.
District-wide
Mesquite ISD asks voters on November 3, 2026, to raise its operations rate by 9 cents per $100, projected at about $16 million a year.
The district estimates about $8.75 a month on a $250,000 homestead after the $140,000 exemption. Its 2026 adopted rate wasn’t confirmed.
Texas rules
Texas treats homeschools as private schools; TEA doesn’t register or regulate them.
Private and charter schools operate in the area; confirm each school’s location and admissions directly.
Dallas County
Dallas College serves Dallas County, and Garland ISD runs an early college high school program.
Campus locations, dual-credit options and partner programs should be confirmed with Dallas College and Garland ISD.
Most Garland addresses are in Garland ISD, but the far west and part of the south are in other districts.
In Garland ISD, choice applications open each December, so timing a move matters.
On a $300,000 homestead, the school share runs about $1,820 in Garland ISD and $1,810 in Richardson ISD.
All three districts apply the $140,000 state exemption, plus $60,000 and a tax ceiling at 65.
Garland ISD earned a B (86), Richardson ISD a B (83) and Mesquite ISD a B in 2026.
Ratings are preliminary until TEA finishes appeals in December. Review results at TXschools.gov.
Garland ISD enrollment has declined for eight years, leading to campus consolidations and new replacement schools.
Garland ISD classes started August 10.
Accountability ratings are shown at the district level only; campus ratings are intentionally not shown. Ratings change every year; use TXschools.gov for current ratings. 2026 ratings were released by TEA in August 2026 and are preliminary until final ratings on December 11, 2026. Mesquite ISD’s numeric scores and its 2024 rating were not confirmed. District areas are from the City of Garland; no Garland addresses were confirmed in Plano, Rockwall or Wylie ISD. Enrollment and campus counts differ by source and year. Choice of School details, the calendar, consolidations and bond and tax-rate election results are from Garland ISD; Richardson ISD details are from the district and Community Impact; Mesquite ISD’s Proposition A details are from district presentations as reported by local media, and the election is pending. Tax rates are 2026–27 adopted rates; school tax examples are illustrations, not quotes. Homeschool rules are from the Texas Education Agency. Specific charter, private and college campuses were not confirmed and are not listed. School district assignment is determined by address and must be confirmed with the district. School information is provided for general reference only and is not a recommendation regarding any school, district, neighborhood or property. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Median Sales Price
What Garland homes actually sold for each month. With 1950s ranch homes, Firewheel golf-course streets and lakefront homes trading side by side, the mix of what sold moves this line as much as the market does.
Garland’s median moves with which homes sold: older ranch homes, Firewheel-area homes or lakefront. Redfin put it near $299,800 through August 2026, down 3.3 percent from a year earlier. Read the trend, not one month.
A 1950s ranch near downtown, a Firewheel golf-course home and a Lake Ray Hubbard lakefront can all land on this one line. The chart is not your comp. Your comps match your size, age, updates, lot and school district.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so portal prices are models. This is MLS. Ask for the actual comparable sales, plus the electric provider, school district and any take-area sublease on lakefront homes.
Days on market describes how buyers behaved. Redfin reported Garland homes selling in about 40 days at roughly 98 percent of list in summer 2026, a market with room to negotiate.
The first two weeks bring the most traffic a listing will ever get. If they pass without an offer, that is pricing information. Acting in week three beats acting in week ten.
When homes sit longer, there’s usually room to negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs. A listing that has waited a while is usually where the negotiating room is, especially on older homes due for updates.
Under 10 showings means buyers are deciding quickly. Rising counts mean people are walking through and walking away, which is a different problem from nobody looking at all.
This separates a pricing problem from a presentation problem. Plenty of showings and no offer usually means something specific is putting people off, and that is fixable without dropping the price.
High showings-to-pending means you can be selective without losing homes. Read it against days on market: low on both is a hot market, high on both means the leverage is yours.
Check how many homes closed before you read anything into the price or days-on-market charts. A dip in closings can move the median without any change in what homes are worth.
Your competition includes homes in Rowlett, Sachse, Mesquite and Richardson, and builders offering incentives nearby. Price against true comparables and have foundation, sewer-line and roof records ready before you list.
Inventory runs from 1950s ranch homes to newer construction. Confirm the school district, electric provider, HOA and November 3 tax outcome early, because they affect cost more than the price chart does.
Charts supplied by NTREIS via 10K Research and Marketing and update automatically. Data reflects residential activity reported to the MLS and may be revised as late-reported sales come in. Listings may be filed under a Garland address whether or not the property is inside city limits, and Garland includes parts of three school districts, so these charts may not match the city boundary. The median, days to sell and sale-to-list figures cited are Redfin’s for summer 2026, with days on market and sale-to-list as reported from Redfin data by a secondary source. These charts do not separate school district, electric provider, new construction or resale. Market statistics describe the area as a whole and are not a substitute for a comparative market analysis on a specific property. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so publicly available sale prices elsewhere are estimates rather than recorded figures. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Pick a purchase year and the price fills in. If you own here, type over it with what you actually paid. This calculator runs on the Dallas County index, the federal repeat-sales measure for the county that holds nearly all of Garland. A home bought in 2015 is worth about twice its price on the index, in line with Texas, with the biggest jump between 2020 and 2022 and a flat stretch since.
Bought here? Tap the number and enter what you paid.
Federal house price index growth, indexed to the purchase year, where the purchase year equals 100.
From 2015 to 2025 the Dallas County index rose about 98 percent, roughly matching Texas, with the biggest jump between 2020 and 2022.
It peaked in 2024 and dipped slightly in 2025; Garland’s sale prices are down about 3 percent from a year ago.
Redfin’s three-month median sale price for Garland was about $299,800 through August 2026, with homes selling in about 40 days at 98.3 percent of list.
Older central homes run lower; Firewheel homes run higher. Type over it with what you paid.
The chart uses Dallas County, home to nearly all of Garland. Indexes are county-wide, so value any specific property from true comparables.
A $300,000 Garland ISD homestead pays roughly $5,000 a year at adopted rates, or about $4,840 if both the city and county rate elections fail on November 3.
At 65+, about $3,340; Garland ISD caps school taxes for seniors, but the city has no tax freeze.
Growth rates are the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, annual values 2009 through 2025: Dallas County, Texas (FRED series ATNHPIUS48113A, base 2000 equals 100, last updated 31 March 2026), the State of Texas (TXSTHPI) and the United States (USSTHPI). State and national figures are annual averages of published quarters. The Dallas County series recorded 155.22 in 2015, 307.02 in 2024 and 306.66 in 2025. FHFA describes county indices as developmental and subject to revision, and the annual series does not cover 2026. The prefilled dollar figures are derived and illustrative, not published: they apply the Dallas County index to a $300,000 anchor near Redfin’s three-month median sale price for Garland ($299,752, ending August 2026). Zillow’s area typical value was $287,246 in July 2026. The index is built from conforming loans and excludes jumbo lending and all-cash purchases. Equity figures assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at that year’s Freddie Mac annual average rate (2025 approximately 6.60 percent), held to today, with no refinancing, no extra principal and no additional borrowing. They exclude closing costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and selling costs. The tax examples use 2026 adopted rates for the City of Garland (0.679900, subject to a November 3, 2026, election; 0.643254 if Proposition A fails), Garland ISD (1.1393), Dallas County (0.248650, subject to a November 3, 2026, election; 0.224650 if rejected) and Dallas College (0.106575), plus Parkland Hospital District’s 2025 rate (0.212), whose 2026 rate was pending. They assume a $300,000 appraised value with no homestead cap benefit and a newly qualified owner 65 or older; they apply the city’s 11 percent homestead and $60,000 over-65 exemptions, the $140,000 school exemption ($200,000 at 65+) and the 20 percent homestead and $100,000 over-65 exemptions for Dallas County, Parkland and Dallas College (2025 figures). They are illustrations, not quotes. Garland ISD provides a school tax ceiling for owners 65 or older or disabled; the City of Garland says it has no tax ceiling. Richardson ISD and Mesquite ISD portions have different school rates. The homestead appraisal cap limits increases in a homestead’s taxable appraised value to 10 percent a year and ends on sale. Confirm taxing units, exemptions and protest deadlines with the Dallas Central Appraisal District. This is an illustration for general reference, not an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, a valuation or investment advice. Past appreciation does not predict future appreciation. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Garland is a city of about 250,000 between Dallas and Lake Ray Hubbard. The DART Blue Line stops twice in town, the I-635 East rebuild finished in September 2026, and the city runs its own electric utility.
Estimated Off-Peak Drive Time from Central Garland
Around Town and Beyond
Estimated minutes off-peak from central Garland; the DART time is the scheduled ride from Downtown Garland to Akard. These are planning estimates, so check a live map before relying on any of them.
Blue Line trains stop at Downtown Garland and Forest/Jupiter every 15 minutes at peak, about 32 minutes to Akard downtown. A DART day pass is $6.
The $1.7 billion 635 East rebuild added Garland’s first continuous frontage roads.
The city lists 63 parks and six recreation centers, plus the Spring Creek Forest Preserve, a designated old-growth Community Forest.
Firewheel Golf Park has 63 holes of city-owned golf.
Garland Power & Light, water and trash come on one bill, with one $200 deposit. Brush and bulky items go out every week on trash day.
The library offers free cards to residents.
The City Council approved an H-E-B near Firewheel and a Joe V’s on Centerville Road in May 2026; no opening dates have been released.
The Granville Arts Center is being renovated, reopening about early 2028.
Garland has no full-service hospital since 2018; residents use hospitals in Richardson, Rowlett and Plano. Most homes can’t shop for electricity.
A $300,000 Garland ISD homestead pays roughly $5,000 a year at adopted rates.
Proposition A asks voters to approve the city’s adopted rate of $0.6799 per $100, labeled a tax increase; if it fails, the rate is $0.643254.
Dallas County’s rate is on the ballot too.
Drive times are planning estimates from central Garland, not live traffic; check a live map before you rely on them. Rush-hour times can run much longer, and the President George Bush Turnpike is tolled. DART frequencies and fares are from DART; scheduled ride times are from published timetables. The 635 East details are from TxDOT, the City of Garland and WFAA. Park, utility, sanitation and library details are from the City of Garland; golf details are from Visit Garland. H-E-B and Joe V’s approvals are from the City of Garland. The hospital closure is from Becker’s Hospital Review and the City of Garland. The tax example is the Garland ISD illustration from our equity widget, using 2026 adopted rates and a 2025 Parkland rate. Population is the Census Bureau’s July 2025 estimate (249,625); the 2020 census counted 246,018. No crime, school ranking or flood zone claims are made. This information is provided for general reference and is not a representation about any specific property, commute or future development outcome. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Answered with verified specifics, from DART rail, Garland Power & Light and the November tax vote to utility deposits, rental permits, watering days and the new H-E-B.
Garland has two DART Blue Line stations, Downtown Garland and Forest/Jupiter. DART says Blue Line trains run every 15 minutes at peak, every 20 minutes midday and every 30 minutes late at night, seven days a week.
Published timetables show about 32 minutes from Downtown Garland to Akard and about 37 minutes to EBJ Union Station; Forest/Jupiter is a few minutes closer. A DART local day pass is $6.
Schedules and fares change, so check DART’s trip planner or the GoPass app for real-time arrivals and parking at each station before you count on a commute time.
No. Garland remains a member of Dallas Area Rapid Transit and did not call a withdrawal election in 2026. A Texas Comptroller list of DART participant cities updated in September 2026 still includes Garland.
City staff briefed the council on DART governance and estimated that leaving could tie up 15 to 19 years of Garland’s DART sales-tax receipts to cover its share of system obligations. Several other member cities scheduled withdrawal votes for May 2026, and some later cancelled them.
Service in Garland continues, but regional DART funding and governance are still evolving, so watch for changes if rail access matters to your plans.
Most Garland homes buy power from Garland Power & Light, the city-owned utility. The city says GP&L is the sole provider for about 85 percent of residents, and homes in its area don’t choose a retail electric provider.
The remaining areas are in Oncor territory, where you pick a retail plan. GP&L bills electricity together with city water and trash on one statement.
To report an outage, call 972-205-3000 or text OUT to 972-205-4000. Confirm which utility serves a specific address before closing, since it changes how you shop for power.
Apply online, call 972-205-2671 or visit Utility Customer Service at 217 N. Fifth St. on weekdays. The deposit is $200 for GP&L electric customers and covers water and trash too; water-only accounts start at $75.
You can pay the deposit up front or with your first bill. A letter of credit from a previous utility showing no more than one late payment in the past 12 months can replace it, and a $30 account fee appears on the first bill.
Buyers may be asked for proof of ownership, so have your closing documents handy when you call.
Garland Sanitation collects trash in green carts every week and recycling in blue carts every other week. Brush and bulky items are picked up weekly from the front curb on the same day as trash.
Carts may go out after 6 p.m. the day before and must be out by 7 a.m. Use the MyGarland address lookup to find your day and recycling week.
Residents can also use the transfer station at 1426 Commerce St. and the city landfill in Rowlett free with proof of residency. Call Sanitation at 972-205-3500 with questions.
Garland is a member city of the North Texas Municipal Water District. Under the city’s seasonal schedule, in-ground sprinkler systems may run twice a week from April 1 through October 31 and once a week from November 1 through March 31, on days you choose.
Hand-held hoses, soaker hoses and drip irrigation are allowed any day and time, as long as there’s no excessive runoff. Watering new sod more than twice a week needs a variance.
Some websites list different fixed watering days, so follow the City of Garland Water Utilities page, which can change with drought conditions.
Most of Garland is in Garland ISD, which earned a B (86) in the 2026 state ratings. Parts of far west Garland are in Richardson ISD, and some southern areas are in Mesquite ISD.
Garland ISD uses a Choice of School process: families entering kindergarten, 6th or 9th grade, or new to the district, rank up to six schools, and busing to a chosen school isn’t guaranteed.
District lines don’t follow city limits or ZIP codes, so confirm the district and campus for any address directly with the district before you buy, and review results at TXschools.gov.
Garland doesn’t currently have a full-service community hospital. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center–Garland closed in February 2018, and the building at 2300 Marie Curie Dr. is now the Garland VA Medical Center for eligible veterans.
Garland has urgent care clinics, freestanding emergency rooms and physician practices. For inpatient care, residents typically use hospitals in nearby Richardson, Rowlett and Plano.
The city also approved an opt-out telehealth service billed through utility accounts. Ask your insurer which nearby hospitals are in network, and check drive times from the address you’re considering.
Proposition A is the only city item on Garland’s November 3, 2026, ballot. It asks voters to approve the adopted tax rate of $0.679900 per $100, which exceeds the voter-approval rate, so the ballot carries the words “this is a tax increase.”
If it passes, the budget funds items including additional police officers, firefighters and 9-1-1 dispatchers, parks maintenance and city events. If it fails, the rate becomes $0.643254 and the council revises the budget.
Early voting runs October 19 through 30. VoteGarland.com has a tax impact calculator, and Dallas County’s own rate is on the same ballot.
A Garland ISD homestead is taxed by the City of Garland ($0.6799 per $100 adopted), Garland ISD ($1.1393), Dallas County, Parkland Hospital District and Dallas College.
On a $300,000 homestead, that works out to roughly $5,000 a year at adopted rates, or about $4,840 if both the city and county rate elections fail on November 3. An owner 65 or older pays about $3,340.
The city offers an 11 percent homestead and a $60,000 over-65 exemption but no tax freeze; Garland ISD caps school taxes for seniors. These are illustrations, not quotes, so check the property’s tax record.
File with the appraisal district for the county the home sits in; nearly all of Garland is in Dallas County, so most owners file with the Dallas Central Appraisal District. Homes in the small Collin or Rockwall portions file with those districts.
The home must be your principal residence, and districts generally ask for a Texas driver’s license or ID showing the property address. The exemption cuts $140,000 off school taxable value and starts the 10 percent yearly cap on your homestead’s taxable value.
Owners 65 or older or disabled should also ask about the extra school exemption, the city’s $60,000 exemption and the school tax ceiling. File soon after you move in.
Garland’s combined sales tax rate is 8.25 percent, according to the City of Garland: 6.25 percent to the state, 1 percent to the city and 1 percent to DART.
That DART share is how Garland pays for its transit membership, including rail and bus service. Garland is at the maximum combined rate allowed under Texas law.
Groceries and prescription drugs are generally exempt under state rules. Businesses collecting tax should confirm their rate with the Texas Comptroller’s rate locator, which looks up rates by address. Garland’s share helps fund city services, from parks to public safety.
Short-term rentals, meaning stays of fewer than 32 days, are regulated by Garland Code Compliance. Rules enforced since September 2025 require a $500 annual license, a 48-hour minimum stay, an annual inspection, proof of liability insurance and a floor plan.
Guests may not park on the street, and three violations in 12 months can lead to a suspended license. In fall 2026 the city was considering a zoning change that would allow new short-term rentals only in commercial districts or authorized planned developments, with some existing permits continuing.
If you’re buying to rent short term, check the current rules with the city and any HOA before you write an offer.
Yes. Garland requires single-family rental properties to be permitted through Code Compliance. The annual fee for a standard single-family rental is $65 with a completed application.
Short-term rentals use the same program but pay a minimum $500 a year, with added inspection, insurance and floor-plan requirements. Rentals must meet the city’s minimum property standards, and the city can require an inspection tied to starting utility service.
Apply before tenants move in, keep owner and property manager contact information current and renew the permit each year. Buyers of an existing rental should ask whether the permit is current.
Garland uses the Garland Emergency Notification System, which replaced CodeRED. Sign up online or call 972-781-7272 for help, and choose phone, text and email options. You can also tell responders where your safe room is.
The city lists 16 outdoor warning sirens, placed mainly in parks, ball fields and other outdoor gathering spots. They sound for tornado warnings and some severe storm warnings.
The sirens are meant to warn people outdoors, not inside homes, so keep a weather radio or phone alerts as well, and know where your home’s safest interior room is.
North Texas gets spring hail, high winds and occasional tornadoes, and Garland has been hit directly. On December 26, 2015, an EF4 tornado with winds up to 180 mph crossed Sunnyvale, Garland and Rowlett.
When you buy, ask about the roof’s age and material, any prior insurance claims and your policy’s wind and hail deductible. Impact-resistant roofing may earn a discount with some insurers, and a professional inspection is worth the cost.
For homes near Duck Creek, Rowlett Creek or Spring Creek, check FEMA flood maps for the specific parcel. No city storm shelter rebate program was found.
Garland’s parks department lists 63 parks and six recreation centers. Audubon Park has an 18-hole disc golf course, and the Spring Creek Forest Preserve along Holford Road was designated an old-growth Community Forest in 2024.
Firewheel Golf Park, at 600 W. Campbell Rd., is city-owned and has 63 holes across three regulation courses. Lake Ray Hubbard on the city’s east side is used for boating and fishing.
The rebuilt Downtown Square hosts the city’s festivals, from Red, White & You in July to Christmas on the Square in December.
Yes. The Nicholson Memorial Library System issues free cards to residents of Garland and its service-area cities: Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse and Wylie. Other Texas residents can get a card for a $50 annual fee.
Adults need an unexpired state photo ID showing their current address; if the ID shows an old address, bring a utility bill or lease. Children under 18 can get a card with a parent or guardian as cosigner.
A card lets you check out materials, use public computers, reserve study rooms and use online resources across the Central Library and branches.
No opening dates have been released. On May 19, 2026, the City Council approved agreements for a roughly 115,000-square-foot H-E-B along the Bush Turnpike next to Firewheel Town Center.
The council also approved a roughly 50,000-square-foot Joe V’s Smart Shop on West Centerville Road near I-635. H-E-B must invest at least $17 million and receive a certificate of occupancy before December 31, 2030, to qualify for incentives.
Neither store was open as of October 2026, so treat any specific opening month as unconfirmed until H-E-B announces it. Nearby, H-E-B opened a Murphy store in July 2026.
The historic Downtown Square reopened after a rebuild in October 2023, with an event lawn, treehouse, pavilion and fountain steps from the Downtown Garland DART station.
The Draper, a 155-unit apartment community at 217 S. Garland Ave., is complete. The Owl Icehouse is redeveloping the 1899 Jones Hardware building at 519 W. State St., and the Granville Arts Center is getting a $25 million renovation, with reopening expected about early 2028.
Downtown also hosts the monthly Urban Market and the city’s signature festivals, so check event calendars before you plan a visit.
Answers were verified as of October 2026 from the City of Garland, Garland Power & Light, DART, TxDOT, the Texas Comptroller, the Texas Education Agency, Garland ISD, Visit Garland, the Nicholson Memorial Library System, the National Weather Service, the Dallas County elections office and 2025–2026 local reporting. Rates, fees, providers and hours change; verify anything you intend to rely on. Tax figures use 2026 adopted rates, including city and Dallas County rates subject to November 3, 2026, elections and a 2025 Parkland rate; they are illustrations, not quotes. School ratings are preliminary until TEA finishes appeals. DART ride times are from published timetables. The short-term rental zoning change was pending at publication. The fire department’s ISO rating, internet providers and drive times were not confirmed. This is general information, not legal, tax, lending, insurance, environmental or engineering advice. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Verified numbers and links for Garland. Two things will catch you out: the city is your electric company for most homes, so there’s no plan to shop for; and lakefront living means a take-area sublease and two sets of permits. Start with the green first-week cards; county offices are in blue, health care in red and anything outside town in purple.
One city account covers GP&L electric, water, trash and stormwater. The deposit is $200 with electric ($75 water-only), plus a $30 account fee.
972-205-2671 217 N. Fifth St. · drive-thru 717 W. State St. Do this firstNearly all of Garland files with the Dallas Central Appraisal District. Small Collin and Rockwall portions file with those districts.
214-631-0910 2949 N. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas Do this firstAbout 85 percent of Garland buys power from city-owned GP&L, with no retail choice. Oncor areas choose a plan at PowerToChoose.org.
Oncor outages: 888-313-4747 GP&L outages: 972-205-3000 Do this firstFamilies rank up to six campuses in a lottery. Grades 1–12 apply in December and January; Pre-K and kindergarten in April.
garlandisd.net Far west: Richardson ISD · part of south: Mesquite ISD Do this firstSign up for alerts on severe weather, water outages and evacuations; it replaced CodeRED.
972-781-7272 Before you buyCheck any home near Duck Creek, Rowlett Creek, Spring Creek or Lake Ray Hubbard, and ask for an elevation certificate.
msc.fema.gov VehiclesVehicle registration, titles and property tax payments, right downtown.
214-653-7811 140 N. Garland Ave., Ste. 101 Driver LicenseDriver licenses and IDs on the Bush Turnpike; book ahead and confirm hours on the DPS site.
214-861-3700 5250 N. President George Bush Hwy. Do this firstRegister or update your address with Dallas County Elections. The November 3, 2026, ballot includes city Proposition A.
469-627-8683 1520 Round Table Dr., Dallas HomesteadFor the small part of Garland in Collin County.
469-742-9200 250 Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney City HallCity departments, the City Secretary and Council.
972-205-2000 200 N. Fifth St. TrashTrash weekly, recycling every other week, brush and bulky items weekly on trash day.
972-205-3500 TrashFree drop-off for residents with proof of residency; loads must be tarped.
972-205-3500 1426 Commerce St. Water24-hour line for main breaks and emergency shutoffs.
972-205-3210 PermitsPermits and inspections, including Lake Ray Hubbard take-area construction.
972-205-2300 800 Main St., 1st Floor RentalsSingle-family rentals need a $65 yearly permit; short-term rentals a $500 license. New zoning limits are pending.
garlandtx.gov Phone unconfirmed; use the city page PetsAdoptions, lost pets and animal service calls; closed Wednesdays.
972-205-3570 1902 Hwy. 66 PoliceNon-urgent reports such as abandoned vehicles or noise. For emergencies, call 911.
972-485-4840 1891 Forest Ln. FireFire administration, inspections and the Fire Marshal.
972-781-7100 1500 Hwy. 66 CourtCitations, payments, payment plans and court dates.
972-205-2330 Recreation63 parks, six recreation centers, programs and pavilion rentals.
972-205-2750 634 Apollo Rd. LibraryFree cards for residents, plus study rooms and public computers.
972-205-2500 625 Austin St. EventsEvents on the Downtown Square, attractions and visitor information.
972-205-2749 Visitor center: 501 W. State St. HistoryLocal history in the 1901 Santa Fe depot at Heritage Crossing, Thursday–Saturday.
garlandtx.gov 393 N. Sixth St. BusinessBusiness directory, networking and community events.
972-272-7551 520 N. Glenbrook Dr. GasNatural gas service; it isn’t on the city bill. Gas leak? Leave, then call 866-322-8667 and 911.
888-286-6700 Before you digFree utility line locates before you dig for fences, trees or pools.
811 LakeDallas owns the shoreline take area; Garland subleases it to eligible owners. The base payment is $750, plus $50 a year.
972-205-2300 Building Inspection LakeThe lake’s owner; docks and shoreline work need Dallas Water Utilities approval as well as a Garland permit.
214-243-1533 GolfCity-owned 63-hole golf complex.
972-205-2795 600 W. Campbell Rd. Emergency24-hour freestanding ER on Buckingham Road.
medicalcityhealthcare.com 3318 W. Buckingham Rd. HospitalFull-service hospital with an ER, just west of Garland. Garland has no full-service hospital.
469-204-1000 2831 E. President George Bush Hwy., Richardson HospitalFull-service hospital with an ER, just east across the lake.
972-520-8000 6800 Scenic Dr., Rowlett HospitalFull-service hospital in Plano.
972-596-6800 3901 W. 15th St., Plano VeteransVA medical center for enrolled veterans, in the former Garland hospital building.
469-797-2100 2300 Marie Curie Blvd. Help linesPoison Control 1-800-222-1222; 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; 211 for Texas health and social services.
1-800-222-1222 TransitRail from Downtown Garland (430 W. Walnut St.) and Forest/Jupiter (3232 Forest Ln.) to downtown Dallas.
214-979-1111 TollsTollTag accounts for the Bush Turnpike and regional toll roads.
972-818-6882 CollegeNearest community college campuses for credit and workforce programs.
972-238-6100 Eastfield: 972-860-7100 BuyingA $10,000 assistance loan with a Mortgage Credit Certificate for homes in Garland, with income limits.
469-716-4629 1675 W. Campbell Rd.Links, phone numbers and addresses verified October 2026 against the City of Garland (utility customer service, GP&L, water, sanitation, the transfer station, building inspection, code compliance, animal services, police, fire, municipal court, parks, library, the emergency notification system, Lake Edge rules), Visit Garland, the Garland Chamber, the Dallas Central and Collin Central appraisal districts, the Dallas County Tax Office and Elections, Oncor, Atmos Energy, Garland ISD, Dallas College, DART, NTTA, Firewheel Golf Park, Medical City Healthcare, Methodist Health System, Baylor Scott & White, the VA and the Garland Housing Finance Corporation, and subject to change; if something has moved, tell me and I will correct it. Most Garland homes buy electricity from Garland Power & Light; confirm the provider and the school district by address. Several items could not be fully confirmed and are flagged rather than presented as certain: the North Garland DPS Mega Center’s address and phone are from map and third-party listings; the Code Compliance phone and the Municipal Court’s address weren’t confirmed; the Landmark Museum is listed with two phone numbers; the Lake Pointe phone also appears as 972-412-2273; Medical City ER Garland’s phone wasn’t confirmed on an official page. Transfer station Saturday hours conflict between city pages and are not shown. Lake take-area fees are Garland’s, not Rowlett’s; a surveying fee may also apply. GHFC terms change; confirm eligibility and limits. Dallas County’s UPCAP program does not list Garland. Several services are not in Garland and are listed under where you actually go: the appraisal district, elections office and most hospitals are in Dallas, McKinney, Richardson, Rowlett and Plano. Listings are provided for general reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any organization named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Garland is a city of about 250,000 between Dallas and Lake Ray Hubbard, with two DART rail stations, a city-owned electric utility and neighborhoods ranging from 1950s ranch homes to Firewheel golf-course streets. Buying here is about the electric provider, school choice, lake leases and pricing in a softer market. I sort out the details that matter here, and the awkward parts are named.
About 85 percent of Garland buys power from Garland Power & Light, with no plan to shop for; the rest are Oncor areas with retail choice. I check which utility serves the address and ask for recent bills before you’re committed.
The shoreline take area belongs to Dallas and is subleased through Garland: a $750 base payment plus $50 a year, and docks need Garland and Dallas approval. Rowlett’s fees don’t apply here. I confirm the seller’s sublease before you write an offer.
Garland ISD assigns many seats through Choice of School, with a lottery window in December and January for grades 1–12, and busing isn’t guaranteed. I time searches around the window for families who care.
Proposition A asks voters to approve the city’s $0.6799 rate; if it fails, $0.643254 applies. A $300,000 Garland ISD homestead pays roughly $5,000 at adopted rates, and the city has no senior tax freeze.
Long-term rentals need a $65 yearly permit; short-term rentals a $500 license, inspections and a 48-hour minimum. A pending zoning change would limit new short-term rentals to commercial districts, so don’t count on that income.
Redfin’s median was about $299,800 through August 2026, down 3.3 percent, with homes selling in about 40 days at roughly 98 percent of list. Buyers can ask for repairs; sellers who price to recent sales still sell close to list.
Garland has real trade-offs: no full-service hospital, many older homes due for foundation, sewer-line and panel checks, and H-E-B and Joe V’s approved with no opening dates. If any of that is a dealbreaker, you will hear it from me first.
Confirm the electric provider, GP&L or Oncor. Second, confirm the school district and, in Garland ISD, the choice timeline. Third, on lakefront homes, collect the take-area sublease and permits for any dock. Fourth, inspect older homes for foundation, sewer line, plumbing and electrical panel issues. Fifth, check rental rules if you plan to lease. And sixth, file your homestead exemption with the Dallas Central Appraisal District.
Garland-specific things to raise with all four. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.28 percent on October 1, 2026, so ask about rate locks and buydowns. The 2026 FHA limit for Dallas County is $563,500, and the conforming limit is $832,750. Ask about the Garland Housing Finance Corporation’s $10,000 assistance loan and Mortgage Credit Certificate; Dallas County’s UPCAP program doesn’t cover Garland. I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.
Either is fine. I answer my own phone, and you will never be routed to a call center or handed to a junior agent. Send me an address and I will tell you who supplies its electricity, which school district it’s in, whether its HOA is mandatory, what the lake sublease looks like and what the tax bill looks like under either November outcome.
Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® · Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team · 214-228-0003 · northtexasmarketinsider.com
Information on this page is provided for general reference and is not legal, tax, insurance, environmental, engineering or lending advice. The tax example is an illustration using 2026 adopted rates, including city and Dallas County rates subject to November 3, 2026, elections and a 2025 Parkland rate; it is not a quote. The Garland Power & Light share is from the City of Garland. Take-area sublease terms are from the City of Garland’s sublease agreement and Lake Edge FAQ; a surveying fee may apply. Garland ISD Choice of School timing is for 2026–27. Rental permit and short-term rental rules are from the City of Garland; the zoning amendment was pending at publication. Market figures are Redfin’s for August 2026, with days on market and sale-to-list as reported from Redfin data by a secondary source. H-E-B and Joe V’s approvals are from the City of Garland. Older-home inspection advice is general guidance. The FHA limit is from lender tables and should be confirmed with HUD; the conforming limit is FHFA’s 2026 limit. Down payment program details are from the Garland Housing Finance Corporation and Dallas County and change often. The mortgage rate is Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for 1 October 2026. School district assignment is determined by address. All real estate services are provided through Legacy Realty Group. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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