DeCordova offers waterfront living in east-central Hood County
DeCordova comprises several subdivisions overlooking the Brazos River and Lake Granbury. The largest is DeCordova Bend Estates, a gated community in Hood County that incorporated as the City of DeCordova to avoid being annexed into the neighboring City of Granbury. Despite being a separate municipality with its own mayor – and not taxed at the Granbury rate – locals generally consider themselves from Granbury.
Knieper, a Knieper Team Real Estate broker associate and Granbury native, says people tend to refer to all of Hood County as Granbury, but DeCordova is a little niche community. “What draws people here is that we’re a lakefront community with a small-town vibe that still has access to city amenities.”
Variety of house styles in DeCordova Bend Estates, other subdivisions
Despite incorporating as the City of DeCordova more than 25 years ago, the name on the community’s gates is DeCordova Bend Estates. Regardless of what they call it, the curved, shady streets here are lined with New Traditional, Contemporary and ranch-style homes. Cottages and custom-built mansions, as well as townhomes and condos, are also available. The subdivision next door, Montego Bay, has a mix of manufactured and ranch-style homes. The gated Timber Cove community nearby has mostly New Traditionals.
The median single-family home price hovers around $555,000. Large, custom-built properties overlooking Lake Granbury can sell for more than $1 million, while small cottages can go for closer to $235,000. Townhomes and condos go for between about $165,000 and $695,000, depending on size and view. The median price for townhomes and condos is unavailable.
Waterfront properties are typically more flood-prone than those inland, and the risk of flooding and wind damage increases during hurricane season. Hood County is also vulnerable to tornadoes; in May 2013, an EF4 tornado caused widespread devastation in the Granbury area.
Granbury High has a variety of Career & Technical Education pathways
DeCordova is zoned to the Granbury Independent School District, which earns a B-plus grade from Niche. The district serves nearly 8,000 students across 10 schools with a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Controlled open enrollment is available. DeCordova students may attend Acton Elementary and Acton Middle, which get A-minuses, then Granbury High, which gets a B-plus. “One of the cool things that Granbury has done in the past few years is that they’ve completely redone the high school. They’ve expanded the campus with all kinds of new wings, and they have a lot of vocational schools there now,” Knieper says. Granbury High’s Career & Technical Education programs include aviation, carpentry, digital communication, culinary arts and more. Cornerstone Christian Academy is a nearby private school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Private DeCordova Bend Estates amenities and recreation in Granbury
Private amenities in DeCordova Bend Estates include golf courses, a marina, an outdoor pool and a fitness center. The private North Gate Park has a picnic pavilion, a driving range, pickleball courts and RV parking. Granbury, less than 10 miles away, has public recreation options like Granbury City Beach Park, a sandy, swimmable waterfront with a splash park and seasonal kayak rentals. Granbury City Park has a playground and picnic pavilions, along with athletic fields. The Dana Vollmer Municipal Swim Center, nearby, is a public, outdoor pool with a twisty slide and six lap lanes.
Shopping, dining and entertainment in downtown Granbury
David’s, a supermarket on Farm to Table Road 4, is a close option for groceries. Shopping centers along U.S. Route 377 have retailers like H-E-B, Kroger Marketplace, Marshalls and Maurices. Historic Granbury Square, just over 7 miles away, is full of locally owned boutiques and eateries. Knieper recommends 1890 Grille & Lounge and Christina’s, popular American restaurants. “1890 is a fantastic steakhouse and Christina’s does an amazing lobster roll. I’ve never had anything bad there,” she says. The lively downtown district is also home to Granbury Live, a popular music venue, and the Granbury Opera House, which hosts theater performances and education programs, including private voice lessons and audition coaching.
Getting around Hood County, from DeCordova to Fort Worth and Dallas
U.S. Route 377 runs west toward the Lake Granbury Medical Center, less than 10 miles away, and curves northeast toward Fort Worth, more than 30 miles away. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is just over 60 miles from most homes. Cleburne Highway and U.S. Route 67 connect to Dallas, just over 70 miles away. The Transit System, Granbury’s public transportation system, provides shuttle service to non-urbanized areas of Hood County.
