Sherman/ Denison ranked by USA Today as one of fastest-growing housing markets

The Sherman/ Denison region is growing rapidly, and even gaining national attention for it, making a USA Today list of the fastest-growing housing markets in the county.

"It went from a little town to a big town in no time at all."

Rob Hancock has lived in the Sherman/ Denison area his whole life, watching the towns grow every year.

"People who have lived there for their lives, they're probably going, 'whoa,'" Hancock said.

He isn't the only one who's noticed.

USA Today ranked the region as number 15 out of 25 in the fastest growing housing markets in the country.

It cites the 11.5 percent housing price increase from 2017 to 2018 as a key factor along with the area's three percent unemployment rate.

"The costs are moving up year in and year out," said Virginia Cook real estate agent Mark Tooley.

Tooley has worked in the region for 16 years.

"Probably in this past year I've seen more signs of growth than in the past 16 years. So again. it's very visible signs," he said.

Tooley said new development like subdivisions, entertainment centers, restaurants and businesses are bringing more and more people to the area.

He said it's only a matter of time before the area begins to look similar to McKinney or cities that size.

"No question it's coming this way its quicker than I'd imagine," Tooley said. "As far as being prepared, we're probably 10 years from that point."

Hancock says it's impossible to stop the growth and that he's ready to adapt to change, even if it raises rent and home prices.

"It's really a good thing. Everything that grows gets better," Hancock said.