The purchase price, disclosed through an open-records request, was approximately $1.24 million higher than the property’s tax-appraised market value.

The Texas Tech University System paid $3.5 million for a historic home across from its Lubbock campus that will serve as Chancellor Brandon Creighton’s official residence and a venue for university events.

The system disclosed the amount in response to an open-records request after the warranty deed transferring the property did not state the complete purchase price.

“The only information we can provide regarding this matter is that Texas Tech University System purchased the property to be used for System purposes for $3,500,000,” a system legal assistant wrote in the May 7 response, according to Lubbock Lights’ reporting on the disclosure.

Texas Tech purchased the O.W. English Home at 2809 19th Street from Bart and Carla “Annette” Reagor. The deed was executed April 15 and recorded with Lubbock County the following day.

The property sits on more than an acre in the Tech Terrace neighborhood, directly across 19th Street from the Texas Tech campus.

Price exceeds tax-appraised value

At the time of the transaction, the Lubbock Central Appraisal District listed the property’s estimated market and taxable value at approximately $2.26 million.

The system’s $3.5 million purchase price was therefore about $1.24 million—or roughly 55%—higher than that figure.

A property-tax appraisal is not necessarily equivalent to a current independent appraisal or the price a buyer and seller would negotiate for a distinctive historic property. Publicly available information has not identified any private appraisal, comparable-sales analysis or other valuation used by the system in reaching the $3.5 million price.

The deed itself listed consideration of $10 “and other good and valuable consideration,” wording commonly used in Texas property records when the parties do not disclose the full amount in the recorded instrument.

The price became public only after the records request.

Regents authorized the transaction

The Texas Tech Board of Regents approved the acquisition process during its Nov. 14, 2025 meeting.

The public agenda did not identify the 19th Street property before the meeting. It said the board could enter executive session to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property.

After the closed session, Regent Dustin Womble moved to authorize the Finance Committee chairman and the system’s chief financial officer to complete negotiations and execute documents for a system-owned chancellor’s residence. Regent Clay Cash seconded the motion, and the board approved it unanimously, according to the official meeting minutes.

The motion did not publicly disclose the address, the proposed purchase price or the seller’s identity.

Texas Tech announced the completed acquisition April 24, more than a week after the deed was executed.

System says appropriated funds were not used

In its official acquisition announcement, the system said it would initially finance the purchase through commercial paper, a form of short-term borrowing commonly used by large institutions.

Texas Tech said the debt could later be moved into a future bond issuance. It also said no state-appropriated funds would be used to acquire the residence.

That statement concerned the acquisition price. The system will also be responsible for utilities, maintenance and other costs connected to the house under the terms of Creighton’s employment arrangement, as reported by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

The system had not released estimates for renovations, furnishings, security, maintenance or annual operating expenses when the purchase was announced.

Residence will also host university events

Creighton, a former Texas state senator, officially became chancellor in November 2025. His employment terms require him to live in the chancellor’s residence if the system secures one.

Texas Tech officials said the home will not function solely as a private residence. They described it as an institutional venue for small- and medium-sized gatherings involving donors, alumni, community partners and other university stakeholders.

Board of Regents Chairman Cody Campbell characterized a chancellor’s residence as a working resource supporting fundraising, recruitment and external engagement.

The system said it plans to work with its museums and heritage centers to furnish and curate the property in a way that represents all five universities within the Texas Tech System.

This will be the system’s fourth chancellor’s residence since its creation in 1996. Texas Tech sold its previous official residence, an 8,073-square-foot home on 21st Street, at auction for $1.6 million in 2019.

A historic Lubbock property

The English Home was constructed in 1938 for Dr. O.W. English, a Lubbock surgeon and early co-owner of West Texas Hospital.

Architect W.L. Bradshaw, who also taught at Texas Technological College, designed the Tudor Revival residence. Its prominent features include exposed half-timbering, steep gabled roofs and oversized handmade bricks intended to give the building an aged European appearance.

The city designated the property as a historic landmark in 1981.

Tax and real-estate records have reported differing interior measurements. Appraisal records listed approximately 7,585 square feet, while earlier real-estate listings described about 5,100 square feet. Those listings also identified a guest house, pool house, swimming pool, spa, fireplace, four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Property came with legal complications

The sellers’ financial and legal history created additional title issues around the transaction.

Bart Reagor is serving a 14-year federal prison sentence after being convicted of making a false statement to a bank. A federal judge ordered him to pay more than $9.37 million in restitution following the failure of the Reagor-Dykes Auto Group.

Federal prosecutors had recorded a judgment lien against the home. The government executed a partial release covering the 19th Street property as the sale was completed, according to a separate examination of the property records.

Private creditors had also recorded judgment claims. Carla Reagor’s legal team used Texas’ homestead-release process to clear those claims from the property before the transaction.

The lien releases did not necessarily erase the underlying debts and judgments. They removed the creditors’ claims against this specific property so that its ownership could be transferred.

Texas Tech now owns the home and says it will use the property as both Creighton’s required residence and a university-system asset. The $3.5 million disclosure answers the central question of what the system paid, although future renovation, security and operating costs have not yet been publicly detailed.