WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Local realtor Chris Meza of Carbajal Realty Inc. talks on the starter home trend as a national study ranks the Waco metro area 64th in a 185-metro area study for best cities to find a starter home. He explains what a starter home is and why the Waco metro area is a popular area to start the home-buying process
- 71.7% of Waco metro homes are starter-sized (having three or fewer bedrooms) and show a median sale price of $217,239.
- The monthly mortgage payment for a typical Waco metro starter home commands 37.2% of its median renter's income.
- The Waco metro area ranks 64th out of 185 small U.S. metros on the list of best cities to find a starter home.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s summer, and some people are looking to move before the fall when school starts back up again . A new national study ranks the Waco area among the best places to buy a starter home in the U.S. Local realtor Chris Meza with Carbajal Realty Inc. talks about who is getting in on this trend and who can benefit from it most.
Buying a new home can be exciting and a little scary, especially for first-time buyers. A lot of people don’t even know where to start. That’s why Chris Meza with Carbajal Realty Inc. explained what this is to see if a starter home is right for you.
“A starter home is where a young couple, a single individual, or a family picks where to start their home buying and ownership journey," Chris said. "So, it’s a place where they plant their roots at the beginning of the whole home ownership process."
According to Construction Coverage’s data, 71.7% of Waco metro homes are starter-sized, which means they have three or fewer bedrooms, and the median sale price is $217,239. Why are so many Wacoans going this route?
“It comes from a lot of homes being developed a long time ago that just fit the mold of what a starter home," Chris said. The requirements that families need a starter home. A lot of Waco homes are fitting those requirements and standards for families, and that’s why Waco’s a great area for families to start their starter home."
The Waco metro ranks 64th out of 185 small U.S. metros on the list of best cities to find a starter home.
Chris has been in the Waco metro area all his life. He sees how much this area has grown, and why it is a popular choice for community members to buy a home for the first time or start their growing families.
“Waco’s a great place for families to have a starter home or begin their home ownership process," Chris said. "It started way back in the 1930s, Waco developed a lot of two-bath homes, a lot of three-bed one-bath homes in North Waco and South Waco. These homes were being developed and now they’re being remodeled, renovated, and getting new life and becoming great starter homes for families in Waco here in 2025."
