Katy TX Real Estate & Neighborhood Guide
Covering a 181-square mile area, Greater Katy has grown from its humble roots as “Cane Island.”
Covering a 181-square mile area, Greater Katy has grown from its humble roots as “Cane Island.”
Katy is one of Houston’s top ranked suburbs. Katy homes are popular thanks to:
Due to the Greater Katy area’s size and number of communities, its real estate market can be tricky to navigate. Consulting with the best Katy realtor can greatly benefit homebuyers.
Located about 29 miles west of Downtown Houston, the city of Katy covers a 10.7-square mile area.
Known as Old Katy or “Katy – Old Towne”, the city is west of Grand Parkway, bisected by Interstate 10 (Katy Freeway).
Greater Katy spans a much larger 181-square mile area, covering unincorporated neighborhoods and communities within Harris, Waller, and Fort Bend counties. The area’s boundaries are based from the KISD’s, with the city of Katy serving as its anchor.
There have been several residential and commercial developments within the larger Greater Katy area over the past few years. New construction master-planned communities and gated neighborhoods have continued to grow in the area, including Cinco Ranch, Grand Lakes, and Seven Meadows.
Katy homes have excellent access to major freeways and roads, including I-10 (Katy Freeway), TX 99 (Grand Parkway), and Westpark Tollway.
Several business and employment centers are located within Katy, while the Energy Corridor, a major Houston employment hub, is just a few miles east. Thanks to residential growth in Greater Katy, several new retail, dining, and entertainment hotspots have also taken root in the area.
Katy real estate are under several zip codes, including 77449, 77450, 77491, 77492, 77493, and 77494. (View Houston zip code map.)
West of Katy
North of Katy
South of Katy
Katy homes are zoned to Katy Independent School District (KISD), a district rated by the Texas Education Agency as “Recognized”.
Serving a 181-square mile area, the KISD features several National Blue Ribbon and multi-award winning schools. More campuses are planned to open to relieve its existing schools. Once the district is built out, it will have a total of 17 junior high schools and 44 elementary schools.
*Note: Due to the number of schools serving Katy homes, we opted to list them and highlight those that have been named National Blue Ribbon School.
The following are some of the more notable private schools near Katy.
To find an updated listing of all Katy real estate zoned to any specific public school, please send an email to Paige Martin at [email protected] with the property preference and budget that you’re working with.
*Note: School zoning tends to change from year to year, information provided above are accurate but not guaranteed. Please double check by visiting the school’s website.
Katy real estate has steadily appreciated over the last 10 years, posting a median sales price of over $250,000.
Compared to nearby areas like Memorial, Katy real estate is certainly more affordable. Thanks to continuing development in the area, however, property values are on the rise.
Note: Given the large Greater Katy real estate area, it may be best to take a closer look at each neighborhood and community with a reliable realtor for more accurate trends.
(Data sourced from the Houston Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
For updated information regarding Katy real estate pricing and trend analysis, please contact Paige Martin at [email protected].
Homes in the Greater Katy area are mostly detached single-family homes.
Traditional bungalows with 3 to 4 bedrooms are common, though new construction custom-built homes are also a popular option in the area.
Typically, Katy homes sit on lots ranging from 5,000 to more than 21,000 square feet. Living spaces can be between 1,500 to more than 5,000 square feet.
Some of the most expensive Katy real estate properties are within private enclaves and feature sprawling grounds, private pools, and grand estate-style homes. These properties can feature half-acre (21,780 square feet) to more than 4-acre (174,420 square feet) lots.
Architectural styles vary, though traditional aesthetics are common.
There are several master-planned communities in the area, among which the most notables ones include Cinco Ranch. Communities in the area have great amenities, including golf courses, hike-and-bike trails, and lakes. Lakefront homes and estates overlooking golf courses are available at some master-planned communities.
Real estate is hyper local. Due to the large number of neighborhoods, subdivisions, and communities located within the Greater Katy area, it’s best to check into each to see home styles and trends. Some areas are also deed-restricted.
Katy homes for sale typically start at around $150,000. The most expensive real estate in the area can sell for more than $2,000,000.
Thanks to the large number of new development in the city and surrounding areas, there are a lot of Katy townhomes for sale. Most are located within master-planned and gated communities.
Communities and subdivisions, like The Towns At Seville, Cinco Ranch, and Mason Creek Village, feature new construction townhomes. These patio homes and townhomes typically offer lot sizes ranging from 1,800 to 4,900 square feet. Three-bedroom floor plans are common, spread over 2 stories.
Home sizes are between 1,400 to more than 2,800 square feet.
Townhomes in the area start at around $150,000. Bigger and newer Katy townhomes can sell for more than $300,000.
Despite rapid development, there are few multi-family residential buildings in the Greater Katy area. Nearby areas like Houston’s Energy Corridor and Memorial have a few more options.
Here are a few condo buildings within the Memorial area:
To see other condos within the Inner Loop, see Inner Loop Houston Condos. To see condos within the Galleria area, see Galleria Houston Condos.
During the mid-1800s, the area now known as Katy was called Cane Island. James J. Crawford received a land grant that included Cane Island during this period.
Three decades later, the area was still sparsely populated and only had four residents.
Growth in the area started in earnest near the turn of the century, when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad laid rails through Cane Island. In 1895, the MKT started going through the area, and James Oliver Thomas laid out plans for the town.
The name Katy came from the railroad itself: railroad officials fondly called the line, “the Katy” (KT) and the name stuck onto the planned town.
In the 1900s, families moved into the town, establishing farms and ranches around the area. Katy’s growth is generally to the MKT (now part of Union Pacific), and later, the completion of Interstate 10.
By 1945, Katy was incorporated as a municipality with a city council and a mayor. Today, the city of Katy is considered as the anchor point of the Greater Katy area.
The Greater Katy area is home to plenty of retail, dining, and entertainment options.
Located just off Interstate 10, Katy Mills features more than 1.3 million square feet of retail space. The retail center has several anchor stores, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Marshalls, Old Nave, and Books-A-Million, among others.
Master-planned communities like Cinco Ranch offer several amenities like parks, greenbelts, golf courses, pools, and retail centers. The LaCentrerra, a mixed-use development, features several dining and retail options.
Here are some of Katy Houston must-visit places:
As featured on Fox News in the Morning, Houston Business Journal and Houston Magazine, Paige Martin, a consistent Top Producing Broker-Associate and head of the Houston Properties Team, is ranked as one of the top residential real estate agents in the world.
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