2. Painted Tree
Where: North McKinney, north of University Drive (US 380), with districts facing Wilmeth Road, Hardin Boulevard, and Lake Forest Drive.
Size: About 1,100 acres and about 3,800 planned homes, per Community Impact (July 2025).
Schools: McKinney ISD. Listings show McClure and Vega elementaries, Johnson and Cockrill middle schools, and McKinney Boyd or McKinney North High School depending on the section.
Builders and starting prices (NewHomeSource, Oct 28, 2026)
- David Weekley Homes, Woodland West Cottages: from $389,764
- Normandy Homes, Woodland North: from $397,540; Woodland West: from $497,990
- Tri Pointe Homes: Carriage Collection 40 from $399,990, Discovery Collection 50s from $474,990, Inspiration Collection 70 from $584,990
- Centre Living Homes, Woodland West: from $499,900
- Bloomfield Homes: from $559,990 (Bloomfield's own page shows $559,990 to $1,032,029)
- Southgate Homes, 50 ft series: from $693,990
- Drees Custom Homes, Woodlands: from $799,990
Costs: Bloomfield's community page states no MUD and no PID. Historical sales show HOA dues of $270 per quarter. Inside city limits with McKinney ISD, the 2026 base rate is about 1.71 per $100.
My take: Painted Tree has the widest price spread of any McKinney community, from cottage homes under $400K to Drees and Bloomfield homes near or above $1M. The no PID, no MUD setup is a real advantage over Trinity Falls. The amenities are built around a 20 acre lake, trails, and several pools. Resale median was $620,000 over 317 sales from November 2023 to October 2026, per Dustin Pitts.
3. Trinity Falls
Where: North McKinney along the East Fork of the Trinity River, a few minutes west of US 75, at 7801 Trinity Falls Pkwy.
Size: About 2,000 acres, planned for about 5,000 homes, per Johnson Development.
Schools: McKinney ISD. Frazier Elementary is inside the community, with Johnson Middle and McKinney North High.
Builders and starting prices
- Del Webb at Trinity Falls (55+): from $351,990 (NewHomeSource, Oct 28, 2026)
- Highland Homes Artisan Series: 40 ft lots from $369,990, 50 ft lots from $482,990
- Chesmar, The Courtyards at Trinity Falls: from $385,990
- David Weekley Homes, 35 ft homesites: $439,990 to $475,990 listed as coming soon (Weekley, Oct 2026)
- Coventry Homes: from $474,990 (Coventry, Oct 2026)
- Perry Homes: Province Woods 45 ft from $476,900; 60 ft from $635,900
- Drees Custom Homes, 60 ft: from $670,900 (Jome, Aug 2026)
Costs: This is the one to read carefully. The City of McKinney says Trinity Falls is not in the city's tax jurisdiction. Owners pay McKinney MUD No. 1 or No. 2 instead of the city rate. MUD No. 1's 2025 rate was 0.9847 per $100. Using 2026 school, county, and college rates plus that 2025 MUD rate, the total is about 2.28 per $100. The 2026 MUD rate wasn't adopted when I checked. HOA dues on 2026 resale listings are $393 per quarter.
My take: Trinity Falls has the best amenity package in north McKinney, including the 350 acre B.B. Owen Park and about 20 miles of trails per the developer. The tax rate is the trade. On a $500K home, the gap between 2.28 and 1.71 is about $2,850 a year before exemptions. My Trinity Falls page has the section by section detail.
4. Aster Park
Where: Northwest McKinney on the north side of FM 1461, about a mile east of Custer Road (FM 2478), per Community Impact. Highland's model is at 7166 Valderama Court.
Size: Highland describes 414 acres; Community Impact's 2025 article says over 500 acres and over 1,100 homes. Starwood Capital acquired the project from Hines in April 2025.
Schools: Prosper ISD. Highland lists Sam Johnson Elementary, Bridges Middle, and Walnut Grove High School.
Builders and starting prices (NewHomeSource, Oct 28, 2026)
- Highland Homes: 40 ft lots from $445,990, 50 ft lots from $581,990
- M/I Homes: from $451,990
- Ashton Woods: from $499,000
- William Ryan Homes: from $577,999
- Shaddock Homes: from $619,000
- Toll Brothers, Select Collection: from $699,995
Costs: Highland's page states "No MUD/PID." HOA dues weren't published on the pages I checked. Expect them to be higher than average because of the gates and private streets.
My take: Aster Park is one of the few gated new construction options in McKinney with entry prices under $500K. You give up McKinney ISD and pay Prosper ISD's higher school rate (1.2011 for 2026).
5. Ridgeline
Where: North McKinney 75071, bordering Erwin Park, about 132 acres.
Schools: McKinney ISD. Builders list Press Elementary, Johnson Middle, and McKinney North High. Confirm after the 2026 rezoning.
Builders and starting prices
- Highland Homes 50 ft: from $565,990 (NewHomeSource, Oct 28, 2026); 70 ft lots start in the $960s per Highland
- Perry Homes 60 ft: from $642,900
- Grand Homes: from $741,900; Grand advertises the $740s to $1.2M
- Shaddock Homes 70 ft: from $859,000
- David Weekley Homes: $539,990 to $699,919 (Jome), plus Ridgeline Towns
Costs: Grand Homes states no PID or MUD. Jome shows HOA dues of $950 or more per year.
My take: Ridgeline is the pick for buyers who want McKinney ISD, city services, and bigger lots without a special district. Direct access to Erwin Park's mountain bike trails is a real feature, not a brochure line.
6. Highland Lakes
Where: North McKinney between Bloomdale Road and FM 1461, about 451 acres and 1,374 homes, with expected completion in 2028 per Community Impact.
Schools: Prosper ISD.
- Pulte Homes: from $504,990; Jome lists $504,990 to $779,990 and 1,815 to 4,121 sq ft
- Taylor Morrison, 60s: from $587,990
Costs: Jome lists HOA dues of $650 or more per year and a tax rate of 1.91% or more. A PID or MUD isn't mentioned on the pages I checked. Ask for the tax certificate before you sign.
7. Eliana
Where: McKinney 75071 on the border with Prosper. The first phase is about 79 acres with 235 homes.
Schools: Prosper ISD, but sources conflict on which campuses. Verify with the district.
- M/I Homes: from $509,990
- Southgate Homes: from $689,900; Jome lists up to $1,085,763
I couldn't confirm the HOA amount or whether there's a PID or MUD. Get it in writing.
8. Estates at Stacy Crossing
Where: Southwest McKinney, 6860 Kingwood Dr, 75070.
Schools: Frisco ISD (Comstock Elementary, Scoggins Middle, Emerson High per Jome).
Normandy Homes lists $607,990 to $827,990 for 2,163 to 3,393 sq ft homes with 3 to 5 bedrooms. Jome shows HOA dues of $775 or more per year and a tax rate of 1.66% or more. This is one of the only new construction options in Frisco ISD with a McKinney address, which is why the price per square foot runs higher than the north side.
9. Willow Wood
Where: 5709 Cypresswood Lane, McKinney 75071, a 306 acre community.
Schools: Melissa ISD (Willow Wood Elementary, Melissa Middle, Melissa High).
Bloomfield lists homes from $589,587 and states no MUD or PID, with a tax rate of 1.92 per $100. This is a good example of why you can't shop by mailing address. It's McKinney on the envelope and Melissa for school.
10. East Side Value: Eastridge, Southridge, and Simpson Crossing
East of McKinney along US 380, several communities carry McKinney mailing addresses but sit in other cities. Prices are the lowest in this guide. Special district assessments are the reason to slow down.
Eastridge (City of Princeton)
Green Brick's Eastridge has a McKinney 75071 address. Meritage lists the Spring Series from $259,040 and the Premier Series from $325,490; Trophy Signature Homes also builds here. MLS data shows 63 closed sales in the 12 months to Oct 28, 2026, with a median of $325,990 and about $153 per square foot. The PID runs about $2,256 to $2,527 a year on Improvement Area 4 lots, plus HOA dues of about $780 a year. With McKinney ISD and Princeton city rates, the 2026 base rate is about 1.77 per $100 before the PID. Confirm the ISD for your lot. Details on my Eastridge page.
Southridge (City of Princeton)
Meritage's Southridge Signature Series starts at $292,990. Some homes carry McKinney 75071 addresses, others Princeton 75407. Check the tax entities on the appraisal district record.
Simpson Crossing (City of Lowry Crossing)
Meritage's Simpson Crossing has a McKinney 75069 address, sits in the City of Lowry Crossing, and is zoned McKinney ISD. MLS data shows 82 closed sales in the 12 months to Oct 28, 2026, median $346,609, about $154 per square foot. The base 2026 rate is about 1.46 per $100, which looks low until you add the Simpson Road PID: about $3,430 to $4,610 per lot for 2026 to 2027, combining the capital and maintenance assessments. The capital installments run into the 2050s.
11. Names I Checked That Don't Fit This List
- Brookside: I didn't find an active McKinney community by that name. Bloomfield's Brookside sections are in Melissa.
- Erwin Farms: Pulte's sales center showed as temporarily closed. It's mostly resale now, with a median of $600K over 156 sales from December 2023 to September 2026 per Dustin Pitts.
- Westridge listings under $300K: NewHomeSource shows DRB Homes "Westridge" sections from $279,990. That name also belongs to an unrelated McKinney address community near Princeton, not the WestRidge golf community in west McKinney. Check the address.
12. PIDs, MUDs, and Why the Tax Rate Matters More Than the Price
A PID (public improvement district) is a fixed annual assessment per lot that repays the bonds used to build roads and utilities. A MUD (municipal utility district) is a tax rate per $100 of value that does the same job and can change every year. Both show up on your tax bill, both get escrowed in your mortgage payment, and both affect what a future buyer will pay you.
Quick comparison on a $400,000 home, before exemptions (my math):
| Setup |
Rate or assessment |
Approximate annual cost |
| City of McKinney, McKinney ISD, no PID (Painted Tree, Ridgeline) |
About 1.71 per $100 |
About $6,840 |
| Trinity Falls, MUD No. 1 |
About 2.28 per $100 |
About $9,140 |
| Simpson Crossing, Lowry Crossing plus PID |
About 1.46 per $100 plus $3,430 to $4,610 |
About $9,270 to $10,450 |
The full breakdown is in my McKinney property tax, PID, and MUD guide.
13. Builder Incentives: Read the Fine Print
Incentives are large right now because inventory is high. Residential Strategies counted 12,317 finished vacant new homes in DFW at the end of 2025, and Zonda reported that 82% of communities nationally offered incentives on quick move in homes in September 2026. The Freddie Mac 30 year fixed average was 7.32% for the week of Oct 22, 2026.
What I saw on builder sites on Oct 28, 2026:
- Highland Homes: $20,000 toward a rate buydown, closing costs, or design center, Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2026.
- Perry Homes: year end rate reductions and pricing on select homes, closing by Dec 31, 2026. No figure published.
- Toll Brothers: 5.49% fixed on select quick move in homes with Toll Brothers Mortgage, 10% down, conforming loans only, close by Dec 28, 2026.
- M/I Homes: FHA 2/1 buydown with a first year rate as low as 3.25% through M/I Financial. No end date shown.
- Meritage, Pulte, and Del Webb: offers that end Oct 30, 2026. Expect new ones in November.
Patterns to watch: nearly every rate offer requires the builder's own lender, many apply only to inventory homes, and several are temporary buydowns where the rate rises in year two or three. Some are ARMs or FHA loans marketed next to a "fixed" headline. As a loan officer, I compare the builder's offer against taking the same credit as a price cut or closing costs with an outside lender. Sometimes the builder deal wins. Sometimes it doesn't.
14. Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- Which city and which school district tax this exact lot?
- Is there a PID or MUD, what's the current annual amount, and how long does it run?
- What are the HOA dues, and is there a second association on top of the master HOA?
- What's included in the base price, and what will the lot premium be?
- Does the incentive require the builder's lender, and is the rate permanent or temporary?
- What is planned next to the lot: retail, a road widening, more phases, or open space?
Bring your own agent on the first visit. Many builders only honor agent representation if the agent registers with you at that first visit, and the builder's sales staff represents the builder.
For more options, browse new construction, McKinney homes for sale, and townhomes, or read up and coming areas in McKinney and how growth is changing the McKinney market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest new construction with a McKinney address?
On Oct 28, 2026, the lowest advertised start was Meritage's Eastridge Spring Series at $259,040. Eastridge is in the City of Princeton and has a PID, so compare the monthly payment, not the price.
Which McKinney new construction communities have no PID or MUD?
Builder pages state no PID or MUD for Painted Tree (Bloomfield), Ridgeline (Grand Homes), Aster Park (Highland), and Willow Wood (Bloomfield). Confirm on the title commitment.
Is Trinity Falls in the City of McKinney?
It has McKinney addresses and city water, but the city says it's outside the city tax jurisdiction. Owners pay a MUD tax instead of city tax.
Which new communities in McKinney are in Frisco ISD?
Estates at Stacy Crossing by Normandy Homes is the clearest current example. Most of the Frisco ISD part of McKinney is already built out.
Which new McKinney communities are gated?
Aster Park is gated with private streets. For resale options, see gated homes.
Are builder incentives worth it?
Often, but only after you compare them against a price cut or closing credit with an outside lender. Temporary buydowns lower the first year or two, not the full loan term.
Do I need my own agent for new construction?
I'd strongly recommend it. The builder's sales counselor works for the builder, and many builders require your agent to register with you on the first visit.
Get the Real Numbers on a Community
If you've narrowed it to two or three communities, send me the names through the contact form on this site. I'll pull current inventory, the tax and PID or MUD numbers for specific lots, and a side by side payment comparison with the builder incentive and an outside loan. One person, both sides of the deal.
Sources: NewHomeSource, McKinney communities (Oct 28, 2026); Community Impact, north McKinney housing projects (Jul 2025); Bloomfield Homes, Painted Tree; Bloomfield Homes, Willow Wood; Dustin Pitts, Painted Tree; Dustin Pitts, Erwin Farms; Johnson Development, Trinity Falls; City of McKinney tax information; Torelli Properties, McKinney MUD rates; David Weekley Homes, Trinity Falls; Coventry Homes, Trinity Falls; Jome, Drees at Trinity Falls; Highland Homes, Aster Park; Community Impact, Aster Park (2022); Highland Homes, Ridgeline; Grand Homes, Ridgeline; Jome, Ridgeline by David Weekley; Community Impact, Highland Lakes; Jome, Highland Lakes by Pulte; Jome, Eliana by Southgate; Jome, Estates at Stacy Crossing; NewHomeSource, Southridge; Lowry Crossing, Simpson Road PID 2026 Service Plan; Collin County Tax Assessor, 2026 Tax Rates and Exemptions by Jurisdiction; NTREIS MLS closed sales, 12 months to Oct 28, 2026; Highland Homes promotions; Perry Homes year end event; Toll Brothers rate offer; M/I Homes incentives; Meritage promotion; Pulte Dallas; The Real Deal, DFW starts (Jan 2026); Zonda new home market update (Oct 2026); The Mortgage Reports, Freddie Mac rate (Oct 2026).
