Based on publicly available data, Ward Schraeder's net worth is most defensibly estimated in the range of $1 million to $5 million, though the real figure could sit higher given undisclosed equity holdings through Schraeder Family Partnership, LP and board-level roles across multiple operating businesses. No confirmed, audited figure exists for a private individual like Ward, so every number you'll see online, including this one, is an estimate built from observable clues rather than a balance sheet.
Ward Schraeder Net Worth: How to Estimate It Reliably
Marcus Rothstein
7 May 2026
Who Ward Schraeder is and why people search his wealth
Ward Charles Schraeder is a Kansas-based businessman and entrepreneur best known publicly as the father and mentor of Tamara Day, the host of DIY Network's 'Bargain Mansions,' which premiered in 2017 and has continued airing since. Ward appears on the show himself, credited in both IMDb and Apple TV's catalog as a cast member. That TV visibility is almost certainly the main reason people search his name alongside 'net worth.'
Behind the TV persona, Ward has a significantly longer business record. According to his Equilar ExecAtlas profile, he holds a BS in Chemistry from Fort Hays Kansas State University (1974) and began his career at Union Carbide before pivoting to entrepreneurship through bankruptcy acquisitions and business turnarounds. He is listed as a board member at Vaya Space, Inc., has had board involvement with hospitals and a bank (sold in late 2017), and operates through Schraeder Family Partnership, LP. He's also been tied to a Freddie's fast food franchise relationship and consulting/financial services work. His listed home city is Leawood, KS, and he's been identified publicly as CEO of Medical Dev Mn (mdm-llc.com).
One disambiguation worth noting: the name 'Ward Schraeder' is not a common one, and the research data consistently points to a single individual. You may occasionally see the spelling 'Schrader' (one 'a') in search results, which typically surfaces different people, including NASCAR driver Ken Schrader or the fictional DEA agent Hank Schrader from 'Breaking Bad.' Those are entirely separate subjects. The Ward Schraeder discussed here is definitively the Leawood, KS businessman and 'Bargain Mansions' personality.
What 'net worth' actually means here
Net worth is simply total assets minus total liabilities. For a public company executive or a celebrity with disclosed earnings, you can sometimes get close to a real number. For a private businessperson like Ward Schraeder, you're almost always working with estimates, and the gap between an estimate and reality can be enormous depending on what's held privately, what's financed, and what the current market value of illiquid assets like real estate or private equity actually is.
On this site, we treat figures as falling into two categories: confirmed valuations (backed by disclosed filings, audited statements, or public transactions with recorded sale prices) and informed estimates (built from observable proxies like property records, SEC filings, known compensation ranges, and business activity). For Ward Schraeder, everything is in the informed estimate column. There are no disclosed financial statements, no public company stock holdings with a listed share count, and no completed real estate transactions with a publicly reported sale price attached to his name at this time.
How to build a reliable net worth picture from public data
The most useful approach is to work through each asset and income channel separately using primary sources, then aggregate. Here's the process I'd walk through for Ward Schraeder specifically.
Start with SEC filings
A Form D XML filing in the SEC's EDGAR system (entity ID 1720294) lists 'Ward C Schraeder' as an executive officer and director. Form D filings are used when a company raises capital through a private securities offering, and the person listed as an executive officer or director is typically someone with meaningful involvement, often including equity. You can search EDGAR directly at sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar and look up entity 1720294 to verify this yourself. The filing doesn't disclose Ward's ownership percentage or the offering's dollar value to him personally, but it confirms an executive-level role in a private capital raise.
Check state business registries
Kansas business records show 'Ward C. Schraeder' as an officer and registered agent for Emporia Surgical Hospital, L.L.C. (formation date July 6, 2000, address 1602 W. 15th Street, Emporia, KS 66801). That entity is currently listed as 'Forfeited,' which matters for net worth analysis: a forfeited entity could represent a past liability, a written-off investment, or simply an administrative lapse. You can verify this through the Kansas Secretary of State's business entity search at sos.ks.gov. Similar searches in Texas (where Schraeder Family Partnership, LP holds property) can be done through the Texas Secretary of State's SOSDirect portal.
Pull property records
Crexi and county appraisal district databases show land and industrial properties owned under 'Schraeder Family Partnership LP,' including parcels in Tomball, TX (APN 1047750000001, 28026 Red Fox Rd) and Realitos Concepcion, TX (APN 15820). These are real, identifiable records you can cross-reference with the Harris County Appraisal District (hcad.org) and the Jim Hogg County Appraisal District for current assessed values. Keep in mind: assessed value is not market value, and a family partnership may have multiple members whose shares are undisclosed.
Use executive profile aggregators carefully
Equilar ExecAtlas is a credible executive data aggregator used by institutional investors and boards. Ward's profile there (under 'Ward Charles Schraeder') is useful for confirming roles, board positions, and company affiliations, but it does not disclose compensation or equity values for private companies. Treat it as a map of business involvement, not a financial statement.
Likely income sources and asset channels to verify
When trying to understand where Ward Schraeder's wealth comes from, the public record points to several distinct channels. None of these have confirmed dollar values attached to them for Ward personally, but each is a legitimate line of inquiry.
- Television appearance fees: Ward appears as a recurring cast member on 'Bargain Mansions.' One third-party site (abcfact.com) estimates co-host earnings on similar DIY Network shows at roughly $27,000 to $104,000 annually. That range is plausible for a recurring supporting cast member on a mid-tier cable show, but it's a proxy estimate, not a disclosed contract figure.
- Board and advisory roles: Equilar lists board involvement across hospitals, a bank (sold in late 2017), and Vaya Space, Inc. Board compensation for private companies varies widely, from unpaid advisory roles to equity grants worth significant sums at exit. No figures are disclosed.
- Schraeder Family Partnership, LP: This limited partnership holds identifiable real estate in Texas. LP structures are commonly used to hold, transfer, and protect family assets. The total value of assets held within the LP is not publicly disclosed, but the existence of multi-state property holdings suggests meaningful accumulated capital.
- Medical Dev Mn (mdm-llc.com) and CEO role: Ward is publicly listed as CEO of this entity. No revenue or asset figures are publicly available, but an active CEO role in a medical device or management company implies ongoing income.
- Business turnaround history: Ward's biography describes building wealth through bankruptcy acquisitions and turnarounds, a strategy that typically generates returns through equity appreciation and eventual sales rather than steady salary income. Past successful exits would be the largest single contributors to net worth.
- Freddie's fast food franchise relationship: Equilar's profile mentions a franchise involvement. Franchise equity can be a meaningful asset depending on the number of units and operational performance.
Current net worth range and what moves the number
The most commonly cited third-party estimate for Ward Schraeder's net worth is $1 million to $5 million, sourced from entertainment biography sites like Internewscast Journal. That range is plausible at the lower end for someone with his TV profile alone, but it likely understates the picture when you factor in multi-state real estate holdings through Schraeder Family Partnership, LP, decades of business ownership and turnarounds, and board-level equity positions across multiple companies.
A more conservative but honest framing: $1 million to $5 million is the floor-to-midpoint estimate based on visible public signals. The upper bound could reasonably extend to $10 million or beyond if the LP holds significant appreciated real estate, if Vaya Space or other private board positions include equity that has appreciated, or if past business exits generated capital that isn't visible in current filings. Without access to private financial statements, any figure above the $5 million mark is speculative. If you're comparing this kind of estimate process to other profiles like harland schraufnagel net worth, use the same baseline of primary documents first.
What could move the number significantly upward: a successful exit or capital raise at Vaya Space, sale of LP-held real estate in appreciating Texas markets, or expanded TV/media revenue if 'Bargain Mansions' grows its platform. What could move it downward: liabilities tied to forfeited entities like Emporia Surgical Hospital, LLC, any undisclosed debt on real property holdings, or adverse outcomes in private business ventures.
| Wealth Channel | Verifiability | Estimated Contribution | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV appearance fees (Bargain Mansions) | Low (no disclosed contract) | $27K–$104K/year (proxy) | Third-party estimate |
| Schraeder Family Partnership LP real estate | Partial (property records exist) | Unknown total; multi-state holdings confirmed | Public property records (Crexi, appraisal districts) |
| Board roles (Vaya Space, hospitals, bank) | Low (private companies) | Unknown; equity possible at exit | Equilar ExecAtlas (confirmed roles) |
| Medical Dev Mn CEO role | Low (private company) | Unknown ongoing income | Public business listing |
| Business turnaround history | Very low (historical) | Likely largest contributor historically | Equilar biography narrative |
| Freddie's franchise involvement | Low | Unknown | Equilar ExecAtlas mention |
Where to look next and how to fact-check what you find
If you want to validate or challenge the estimates above, here is a practical checklist of primary sources to work through. Entertainment net worth sites like Internewscast Journal and abcfact.com are useful for finding a starting number, but they don't document their methodology, don't cite primary financial records, and should never be treated as the final word.
- SEC EDGAR full-text search (efts.sec.gov/LATEST/search-index?q=%22Ward+Schraeder%22): Search Ward's name and entity ID 1720294 to pull all Form D and related filings. Look for offering amounts, equity percentages, and any amendments.
- Kansas Secretary of State business search (sos.ks.gov): Search 'Schraeder' to find all Kansas entities tied to Ward, including current status, registered agent addresses, and officer lists.
- Texas Secretary of State SOSDirect (direct.sos.state.tx.us): Search for 'Schraeder Family Partnership' to find the LP's registration, officers, and any amendments.
- Harris County Appraisal District (hcad.org) and Jim Hogg County Appraisal District: Search the APN numbers from Crexi (1047750000001 for Tomball, TX and 15820 for Realitos Concepcion, TX) to get current assessed values on LP-held properties.
- Equilar ExecAtlas (equilar.com): Confirm current board and executive roles. Note that Equilar's data is institutional-grade for role verification but does not provide compensation for private company positions.
- IMDb (imdb.com): Verify 'Bargain Mansions' episode credits to understand the scope and longevity of Ward's TV involvement, which helps bracket the TV income estimate.
- wardschraeder.com and mdm-llc.com: Check these directly for current business activity, service offerings, and any publicly disclosed partnerships or clients that would indicate active revenue.
A note on transparency: every figure on this site is labeled as either a confirmed valuation (backed by a primary source) or an estimate (built from proxies). For Ward Schraeder, the honest answer is that no confirmed valuation exists because he is a private individual whose finances are not publicly disclosed. The $1 million to $5 million range is the most commonly cited third-party estimate; the methodology behind it is not documented by those sources, but it is consistent with the observable signals from his business activity and TV income. If you are specifically looking for hank schyma net worth, you should verify whether the numbers come from primary sources or just reposted estimates. If you want more detail, read how these informed estimates are built from observable signals and primary records for Ward Schraeder net worth. The real figure, accounting for LP equity, private company stakes, and historical exit proceeds, could reasonably be higher. Treat any specific number you see online, including here, as a working estimate until primary financial documentation emerges.
If you're researching related figures in this space, it's worth noting that other individuals with the Schrader or Schraeder surname, such as NASCAR driver Ken Schrader or public figures like Hank Schrader or Harland Schraufnagel, have entirely separate wealth profiles and methodologies. Net worth searches can be especially confusing when different people share similar names, so double-check you have the right person Ken Schrader. The approach described above, anchoring estimates in SEC filings, state business records, property data, and credible executive databases, applies broadly to any private businessperson whose net worth isn't publicly audited. You may also be looking specifically for Hank Schimschat net worth figures, but the same verification rules apply for private individuals.
FAQ
Where does Ward Schraeder’s money most likely come from, beyond TV appearances?
For Ward Schraeder, it likely comes from a mix of TV-related earnings, long-term business ownership, and any distributions or sale proceeds tied to Schraeder Family Partnership, LP. Because the partnership’s ownership percentages and cash flow distributions are not publicly shown, the most defensible way to estimate is to value known assets first (especially identifiable Texas land) and then net out any likely liabilities, rather than relying on entertainment biography site ranges.
How can I be sure I’m researching the correct Ward Schraeder and not someone else with a similar name?
Yes. His name can appear as “Schrader” in search results, and there are unrelated people with similar names (including a well-known fictional character). When you verify, anchor on location and roles, for example Leawood, KS and “Bargain Mansions” cast credit, then match to any SEC EDGAR executive-director listing under the same full name.
If I see an exact net worth figure online, is that ever reliable for a private person like Ward?
If you find a site claiming an exact net worth, treat it as unverified unless it cites a primary record (audited financials, documented sale price, or a filing that includes personal equity ownership). For private individuals, “exact” numbers usually mean an estimate was back-calculated from guesses, not from a balance sheet you can independently reproduce.
How should I interpret liabilities that might be tied to a forfeited entity like Emporia Surgical Hospital, LLC?
A forfeited entity status is a warning flag, but it does not automatically mean he owes money. In many cases it means the entity lapsed administratively, which could reflect an old liability that has been settled, an inactive investment, or simply noncompliance. The practical step is to look for related lawsuits, recorded liens, or continuing ownership ties before assuming it lowers net worth.
Can I rely on county appraisal assessed values to estimate his net worth accurately?
Use assessed value only as a rough lower bound, not as net worth. Assessed values often lag market value and can be based on formulas or exemptions. For a more realistic range, compare assessed values to recent comparable sales in the same county, and then discount for illiquidity and any mortgage or tax liens you can identify.
Does an SEC Form D listing allow a precise estimate of his equity stake?
Yes, but only in a probabilistic way. SEC Form D can show that he is an executive officer or director associated with a private capital raise, however it typically does not tell you the exact personal shares or valuation. The decision aid is to classify any inferred equity as “possible upside,” then only put a number to it after you find additional proxies like follow-on filings, option plans, or recorded ownership indicators.
What’s the best way to estimate wealth held through a family partnership when ownership percentages are undisclosed?
A Texas family partnership can hold multiple properties, and your ability to estimate net worth depends on whether you can identify the partnership interests’ share of each asset. Since share counts are generally undisclosed, the safest approach is to estimate a property value range for the partnership, then apply a discount for unknown ownership percentages and unknown debts secured against those assets.
Could board-level roles at private companies significantly change the estimate, and how do I verify that?
If his board roles in private companies include equity, that equity value could materially change the net worth range. However board membership alone does not prove ownership. The practical next step is to look for indicators such as private company equity raises, option grants in filings, or any publicly recorded transactions involving those entities where an acquisition price is disclosed.
What hidden liabilities are most likely to be missed when people estimate net worth from public asset records?
Yes, net worth can swing from liabilities that are not obvious in property records. Look for mortgage instruments recorded with the county, unpaid taxes that become liens, and any judgments or UCC filings connected to entities he controls. Without those checks, you could overstate assets and understate debt.
How should I use the $1 million to $5 million range in practice when doing my own estimate?
The $1 million to $5 million range described in the article functions best as a “working range,” not a final number. A sensible methodology is to start with the floor from visible, liquid or easily valued holdings, then add scenario-based upside (for example real estate appreciation or equity appreciation) and subtract scenario-based downside (liens, debt, or past write-offs). If you cannot support a scenario with a primary proxy, cap the adjustment.
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