Suburbs, Small Towns Continue to See Change as Developers Seek Opportunities to House New North Texans
In Collin County, developers hot on the city of Celina have snatched up remaining land opportunities. Centurion American’s Harper Estates sits on 100 acres in Celina. Olivia Clarke Homes, Partners in Building and Wyatt James will construct 76 homes on the site. Each residence will sit on expansive property sites spanning over 1 acre.
Lewisville-based Cana Capital has introduced a new neighborhood featuring two-acre lots lots. The property totals 87 acres located in Bartonville, a small town near Argyle in Denton County. The minimum home size for the neighborhood is 4,800 square feet. Some of the sites come with the ability to keep horses. The developers say luxury custom homes built in the neighborhood will start at about $3 million. Lingenfelter Custom Homes, Pentavia Custom Homes and Denton Creek Builders are builders of record.
Further west of Denton County, Hillwood has broken ground on an 8000-acre project, Treeline, in the city of Justin. The developers’ plan calls for 2,500 single-family homes, along with an elementary school, parks, amenities and commercial space. It is in the Northwest Independent School District, with its headquarters in the city of Fort Worth and a Justin postal address.
A 2,000-acre project in the city limits of Midlothian and Grand Prairie is on Huffines Communities’ drawing board. The plat for the new community of Lakesong calls for 3,000 single-family home sites. The plan also includes 2,000 multifamily units and 37 acres of mixed-use development. It features a 20-mile trail system and 330 acres of open spaces.
What Cities Are The Californians Leaving Behind?
The #1 county of origin for new North Texas residents coming in from California is Los Angeles County followed by Orange County and San Diego County, reports StorageCafe. A typical home in the D-FW area is 80% less expensive than in LA County, resulting in a list price gap of $392K. Homebuyers are also getting larger living spaces. The average Metroplex home offers more than 660 square feet of extra living space than one in Los Angeles County.
More Developers Eye San Antonio as it Makes a First-Time Appearance on the “Top U.S. Real Estate Markets to Watch List”
The “Emerging Trends in Real Estate” report for 2024 by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) ranks San Antonio No. 8 out of 80 cities on the list.
City officials say the recognition is a testament that their hard work is paying off. To address long-term workforce readiness, greater:SATX implements the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework. The city’s plan unites 100-plus regional employers, education institutions, and workforce partners. They serve five key industries: construction/skilled trades, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, cybersecurity and technology.
JCB’s announcement that it will make San Antonio its second and largest North American manufacturing facility. It is the greatest economic development infusion in the region in 20 years. JCB’s announcement stands to have $30 billion economic impact over the next 10 years and create more than 1,500 jobs. JCB is the world’s largest privately owned manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment.
Austin Considers Changes to the Land Development Code
Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in America, with a median home price of nearly $600,000. As middle-income families are priced out of the Capital City, suburbs such as Kyle, Del Valle and Pflugerville grow. But Austin seeks to take measures that would preserve more Austinites long-term. One action by the city would reduce lot minimums to 2,500 square feet, another is even more controversial.
Two units are already allowed on some single-family lots in Austin. But there’s discussion about revised regulations that would allow three units. The new resolution, Home Options for Middle Income Empowerment, or HOME, would allow up to three housing units (including tiny homes and recreational vehicles) on a single-family lot. It would also remove a restriction on how many unrelated adults can live in these homes.
Supporters of the initiatives point to the affordability crisis and high costs driving people out of the city. They argue that Texas developers build a lot of single-family homes and larger apartment complexes, but not as much in between. Officials say they want to make it easier to build duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in traditionally single-family neighborhoods. Opponents to Austin’s initiative raise concerns about existing infrastructure, the environment and property taxes.
Houston Submarket Growth— Developers Look Northwest for Luxe Resort Living, Brand New Communities
Montgomery: Andy Mitchell, president and general manager of Bluejack National, and the Bluejack National land planning team sought to design a place where kids ride their bicycles without supervision, where most traffic is by golf cart, and with all the resort amenities one could desire in place.
The 767-acre Bluejack National community is home to Golfweek’s #1 residential course in Texas (#16 in the nation), the first Tiger Woods-designed course in the United States, and Golf Inc’s Amenity of the year — The Fort. A new 11,000-square-foot full-service spa, The Sanctuary, adds a key piece of the community’s master plan.
When complete Bluejack will offer 420 residences of varying sizes and types to accommodate both part-time and full-time residents. Member suites are two bedrooms/2 bath homes with 1,140 sqare feet of living area on two floors and include a kitchenette with breakfast bar and dining area for four. The Retreats enclave is located near the new spa, featuring two-bedroom, 2,100-square-foot homes start at about $1 million.
Cottages offered in intimate enclaves close to the club core facilities offer private living opportunities ranging from 1,855 square feet to over 3,000 square feet with shared village greens priced from $1,425,000 to $1,850,000. Last spring, the developers announced a second phase of Lake Villas priced from $1.9 million for homes just over 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms and 4-1/2 baths. Sunday Homes located along Hole #10 and Bluejack Creek are 4 to 5 bedroom/ bathroom homes averaging just over 3,400 sq. ft. of living space with pricing of remaining homes starting just under $2M.
Waller is the next growth area
Real estate development company Hines has purchased 528 acres in the city of Waller. Waller County is the next area projected to see a significant increase in population over the next five years. The new Waller High School and Junior High School are just 1.5 miles south of the site, along with the Waller ISD Sports Complex. Hine’s master-planned community, located two miles north of Hwy. 290 along Binford Road, calls for another onsite school. The developers say it will consist of approximately 1,400 single-family homes when complete, with various lot sizes available.
The first phase of construction of Hine’s master-planned community is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2023 with approximately 350 lots available for homes built by Highland Homes, Chesmar, Drees, Brightland, Tri Pointe, Ashton Woods and Castlerock Homes. The initial phase is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.
