Cottonland Castle was listed for $425,000 in 2019. The property was then purchased by Chip and Joanna.
The pair are well-known personalities known for their appearance in the home design and renovation show named Fixer Upper. The castle renovation was featured in one of the series, “Fixer Upper: Welcome Home.”
The worth of the property has undoubtedly increased as the hard work and expenses behind the renovation are also bigger. As the castle is all repaired and ready, many viewers of the show wonder if it has been sold.
How Much Did Cottonland Castle Sell For?
Cottonland Castle was sold for $4.25 million in 2019. Cottonland Castle was originally built for local stone contractor John Tennant. But his financial condition caused him to sell the incomplete house to Ripley Hanrick, a cotton dealer, in 1906 with the promise that Tennant would do the stonework of the property.
However, due to continuous financial difficulties, both abandoned the property by 1908. Eventually, industrialist Alfred Abeel bought the castle and engaged Roy E. Lane to modify and finish the frame into a castle for him to live in by 1913, writes HouseBeautiful.com.
The castle changed owners many times between the early 1940s and the 2000s before it fell into disrepair. After that, Dirk Obbink, Tom Lupfer Jr., and Sterling Johnson were believed to have started rebuilding the castle in 2014; however, it was never finished.
Then, the property was listed for over $400k to sell in the market, and that is when Chip and Joanna Gaines from the TV show Fixer Upper got their hands on it. They bought the castle in 2019 and completed renovations in the summer of 2022.
In 1982, a family tried to sell the castle for a whopping $1.25 million, but it only spooked the buyers. And it finally sold in 1991 after a price cut.
In 2022, sources like CultureMapDallas claimed that the castle is now worth over $1 million after the renovation, but the current owners do not intend to sell it now.
How Much Did It Cost To Renovate The Castle In Waco?
When Chip and Joanna bought the castle, Lupfer, a former contractor, told the Business Insider it would probably be their most challenging renovation. He said the house had been vacant for 12 years until he began working on it for the previous owner in 2014.
Too much work needed to be done, including water damage, decaying woodwork, antiquated electrical and plumbing systems, and a weathered stone front. Even the kitchen had to be made on a different floor as it was previously in the basement.
They also needed to address cleaning, stone restoration, and problems with the pool and pool house in the backyard. But, despite all the challenges, the couple turned the castle’s entire face and successfully restored it.
They have not provided information on how much it cost them to repair the castle, but previously, Lupfer had estimated $600k -$ 1 million for the entire renovations only.
Is the Castle In Waco Texas On Sale?
Chip and Joanna’s renovation journey for viewers to see recently concluded through the Fixer Upper special, The Castle on Magnolia Network, Discovery+, and HBO Max. Talking to Variety, the couple seems to be keeping the castle for now.
But the current owners want to keep it for a while because they fear what other families/owners may do to the place. So they may shift in the place, rent it out, or list it on Airbnb.
Chip said he does not want to regret or keep thinking about what another family who would own the castle may do to it. He also added that his parents live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and since they are getting older, they may want to shift to Waco and live nearby their children/grandchildren.
Thus, the castle is not on sale yet because Chip does not regret selling it a year later to make a little profit or cut loss for now. Thus, the couple wants to enjoy it for some time.