Granbury TX Homes for Sale: Buying Guide for Lake Granbury Real Estate
Granbury sits about 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth, and it sells on one thing: the lake. Granbury TX homes for sale carried a median sale price of $367,081 in July 2026, according to Redfin. That number is the easy part. The harder part is knowing what you are buying. Lake frontage or river frontage. City taxes or county taxes. A dock that transfers with the house or one that does not.
We work Fort Worth every day, and Granbury is one of our service areas. Here is what we would want you to know before you tour a single home.
Granbury homes for sale: what the market looks like right now
The median sale price for Granbury homes was $367,081 in July 2026, down 1.5 percent from a year earlier. Homes took a median of 75 days to sell. Here is what the market is showing.
| Metric | July 2026 | Change vs. last year |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $367,081 | Down 1.5% |
| Median days on market | 75 days | Up 17 days |
| Homes sold | 126 | Up 74.8% |
| Sale-to-list price | 97.1% | Down 0.38 points |
Source: Redfin, Granbury TX housing market, July 2026. Citywide figures. Lakefront and gated-community homes price differently.
Homes are sitting 17 days longer than they did a year ago and closing at 97.1 percent of list. That gives a buyer room to negotiate. It does not mean every listing is soft. A well-priced lake home with a clean dock permit still moves.
When you are ready to look, start with our current Granbury listings.
Lake Granbury real estate: what you are actually buying
Lake Granbury is a reservoir on the Brazos River in Hood County with 8,172 surface acres and 103 miles of shoreline, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The Brazos River Authority (BRA) began filling it in September 1969 behind the DeCordova Bend Dam, and the BRA still operates it.
That last point matters. You are not buying a private pond. You are buying next to a managed public reservoir, and the BRA sets the rules for what you can build on the water.
You also do not need frontage to use the lake. The BRA lists five public access areas for picnicking and fishing and four parks with primitive camping. A house ten minutes from a ramp can be a smarter buy than a frontage lot you will pay a premium for and use twice a summer.
Lake frontage vs. river frontage
Lake frontage and river frontage are two different products, and listings blur them. Lake Granbury is a managed reservoir with a normal pool elevation of 693 feet above sea level. The Brazos River below the dam moves with rainfall and upstream releases.
Pecan Plantation is where buyers get tripped up. It sits on De Cordova Bend of the Brazos River, downstream from the lake and about 12 miles southeast of Granbury. Its waterfront homes are river frontage, not lake frontage. Ask which water a listing touches before you compare prices, and ask for the flood zone on any waterfront home. River-adjacent homes are the ones most likely to sit in a mapped floodplain.
Docks, permits, and lake rules
You need a BRA permit to build, change or transfer a dock on Lake Granbury. The rules are specific.
- One dock per shoreline lot.
- No more than 2,000 square feet in total.
- No farther out than the lesser of one-third of the distance between shorelines or 100 feet.
- No floating habitable structures.
- No-wake speed within 100 feet of the shoreline or any dock.
The BRA charges $75 for a new dock, an addition, or a title transfer when you buy the home. Pumping water out of the lake takes a separate permit, which the BRA priced at $25 to apply and $51 a year for up to 60,000 gallons in 2022. Get the dock permit history in writing before you close. An unpermitted dock is your problem the day you own it.
Sources: Brazos River Authority, Lake Granbury lake regulations and resident FAQ. Check the BRA for current fees.
Water levels and swimming
Lake levels change with drought and releases, so check the BRA’s current lake level before you fall for a cove. In a dry stretch, shallow shoreline can show. You can swim in Lake Granbury, but the BRA says to stay inside the marked swim areas, avoid stagnant water and “Do Not Swim” signs, and watch for sudden drop-offs outside those areas when the water is low.
Granbury neighborhoods and communities to know
The main Granbury communities differ by water access, amenities and how far they sit from town. This table covers the ones buyers ask about most.
| Community | Water access | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
| In-town Granbury | Lake nearby | Closest to the historic square and the Granbury Opera House. City services and city taxes |
| Harbor Lakes | Lake Granbury | Gated. Homes on the water or on the 18-hole golf course. Community boat ramp. Single-family homes, townhomes and condos |
| DeCordova Bend Estates | Lake Granbury | Gated, all-age community about 6 miles east-southeast of Granbury with a marina and 27 holes of golf |
| Pecan Plantation | Brazos River | A 2,200-acre development built around a private airpark with hangar homes |
| Acreage outside city limits | Varies | More land, county taxes only, and often septic and a well or water-supply-corporation service |
Sources: Harbor Lakes HOA, Wikipedia entries for DeCordova and Pecan Plantation. Amenities, dues and gate rules change, so confirm with each association.
Pick by how you will live, not by the brochure. Want a boat slip and a tee time? Harbor Lakes and DeCordova Bend Estates put both close. One thing to ask: the Harbor Lakes golf course is a separate entity from the HOA, so find out what membership costs. Want a runway behind the house? Pecan Plantation is built around an airpark. Want to be near the square? Buy in town. Want land? Go outside city limits and accept the septic and well questions that come with it.
If land and horses matter more than water, look at the equestrian and acreage properties in Weatherford too.
Daily life in Granbury runs around the historic square, where many buildings are registered landmarks and the Granbury Opera House still stages productions. US 377 is one of the main routes in.
What it costs to own a home in Granbury
The purchase price is only part of it. Owning in Granbury means school and county property tax, a city tax if you are inside city limits, and insurance. Texas has no state income tax, so property tax is the big recurring bill.
Property taxes in Hood County
The 2025 adopted rates per $100 of taxable value are 0.9296 for Granbury ISD, 0.2797 for Hood County and 0.42 for the City of Granbury, according to the Hood Central Appraisal District.
| Taxing unit | 2025 rate per $100 | Exemptions |
|---|---|---|
| Granbury ISD | 0.9296 | $140,000 homestead, $60,000 over-65 |
| Hood County | 0.2797 | $15,000 over-65 |
| City of Granbury | 0.4200 | $20,000 over-65 |
Source: Hood Central Appraisal District, adopted tax rates, tax year 2025.
Run the numbers on a $367,000 primary residence inside city limits. School tax comes to about $2,110 after the $140,000 homestead exemption. County tax is about $1,027. City tax is about $1,541. That is roughly $4,700 a year. The same house outside city limits lands closer to $3,150, which is why some buyers choose the county.
Treat that as an estimate. It leaves out special districts and other exemptions, so pull the actual parcel on the Hood CAD site before you write an offer. One protection worth knowing: Texas caps the yearly rise in a homestead’s appraised value at 10 percent.
Granbury vs. Fort Worth cost of living
BestPlaces estimates overall living costs in Fort Worth run 3.7 percent below Granbury, with homeowner housing costs 16 percent lower. That is a third-party model, not a local measurement, so use it as a gut check. Granbury is not the discount option. The lake is what you are paying for.
Insurance deserves its own quote. Ask for homeowners, wind and hail, and flood pricing before your option period ends, especially on anything near the water.
Granbury ISD and the drive to Fort Worth
Two things decide whether Granbury works for a household long term: the schools and the drive. Check both before you fall in love with a house.
Schools
Granbury ISD serves Granbury, DeCordova, Stockton Bend and most of Cresson. The district lists 10 campuses, including Granbury High School, two middle schools and several elementary and early-learning campuses. In September 2026 the district reported that seven of its campuses earned the TEA Purple Star designation.
Attendance zones follow the address, not the neighborhood name. Use the district’s attendance zone lookup for any home you are serious about, then read each campus’s report card on the TEA site. Do not rely on a listing photo or a listing agent’s word for the school.
The commute
Granbury is about 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth, and the Harbor Lakes association puts the drive at about 40 minutes. Your real number depends on where you are going and when. Drive it on a Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. before you commit.
If the commute is your top priority, compare Weatherford and Aledo and Benbrook, which sit closer to Fort Worth. If the lake is the point, the drive is the price you pay, and plenty of buyers pay it happily.
What to check before you make an offer
Check these seven items on every Granbury home before your option period ends.
- Which water the property touches, lake or river, and where the lot sits relative to normal pool.
- Whether the home is inside Granbury city limits, which changes your tax bill and your services.
- The FEMA flood zone, plus insurance quotes for wind, hail and flood.
- Whether the dock is permitted and whether that permit transfers with the sale.
- HOA or POA dues, rules and any lake or airpark covenants.
- Septic or sewer, and a well or water-supply-corporation service.
- The drive to Fort Worth at the hours you would actually travel.
Two things standard checklists skip. First, a general home inspection usually stops at the house, so hire someone who works on the water to look at the dock, any seawall and the boat lift. Second, talk to your lender early if the property has acreage, a well or a septic system. Some loan programs limit acreage or ask for extra inspections, and you do not want to learn that during your option period.
If you plan to rent the home short term, check the city rules and the HOA rules before you buy, not after.
Working with a Fort Worth broker on a Granbury purchase
The Kirk McDonald Group has closed more than $800 million in volume across 2,100+ transactions in 16+ years in the DFW market, and Kirk McDonald was born and raised in Fort Worth. You can read more on Kirk McDonald’s track record. Our Google Business Profile shows 5.0 stars across 68 reviews.
Buying at the lake while you own in Fort Worth adds a sequencing problem. Sell first and you may be renting for a month. Buy first and you carry two payments. There are contract tools for both, including a sale-of-other-property addendum, and we will be straight with you about which one makes sense for your numbers. If you need a price for the house you are leaving, start with what your home is worth.
Ready to look? You can search every Granbury listing, browse Fort Worth luxury real estate if you are comparing markets, or contact Kirk McDonald directly at (817) 442-2508.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average price of a house in Granbury, Texas?
The median sale price in Granbury was $367,081 in July 2026, according to Redfin. That is a citywide figure, so treat it as a starting point. Each community and property type prices differently, and lakefront homes need their own comparison.
Is Granbury, TX a good place to live?
Granbury is a good fit if you want lake access, a historic town square and more land than a Fort Worth lot offers at a similar price. The tradeoffs are a drive of about 30 miles to Fort Worth and a property tax bill that includes a city rate if you buy inside city limits.
Is it expensive to live in Granbury, TX?
Granbury costs a little more than Fort Worth overall, mostly because of housing, according to BestPlaces. Property tax on a $367,000 primary residence inside city limits runs roughly $4,700 a year at 2025 rates, or about $3,150 outside city limits.
Can you swim in Lake Granbury?
Yes, in designated swimming areas. The Brazos River Authority tells swimmers to stay inside the marked areas, avoid stagnant water and “Do Not Swim” signs, and watch for sudden drop-offs when water levels fall.
Do I need a permit to build a dock on Lake Granbury?
Yes. The Brazos River Authority requires a permit to build, change or transfer a residential dock. Docks are limited to one per shoreline lot and 2,000 square feet, and the permit fee for a new dock or a title transfer was $75.
Last updated September 19, 2026. Prices, tax rates and lake rules change. Confirm current figures with Redfin, the Hood Central Appraisal District and the Brazos River Authority before you rely on them.