Prosper is the 2nd fastest growing community in North Texas, according to the Dallas Morning News. Once a small farm town, like neighboring Frisco, it has become a highly desired upscale suburb. It doesn't look like that much right now, but the city has a lot of exciting growth on the horizon. Part of this growth has just begun on the city's west side in Windsong Ranch.
Windsong Ranch is a new master planned community from the Terra Verde Group, a privately held real estate investment company with projects across the nation. The community is located on the northeast corner of US 380 (aka University Drive through Denton county) and Gee Road (which is FM 423 on the south side of 380). It will span over 2,000 acres upon completion, and will have about 3,500 homes, making up close to 20% of Prosper's population upon completion. The land is spread between a flood plain area on the west (which most likely will remain a wooded area), Teel Pkwy to the east, and from 380 to just north of Prosper Trail. As is the trend with master planned communities in north Texas, the amenities offered by Windsong Ranch will not disappoint.
The location is just a few miles west of the Dallas North Tollway, making it a quick and easy commute to so,e of the major new corporate campuses that are coming to Frisco, Plano, and The Colony. Toyota, Liberty Mutual, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and The Dallas Cowboys new headquarters in Frisco will all be about a 15 minute drive from Windsong Ranch.
The front of the neighborhood, toward 380, will be retail buildings so homes won't back right up to the busy main street. Kroger has recently been approved to build on one of the commercial/retail lots. What a convenience that will be for the homeowners! Small, upscale garden apartments will be a buffer between the retail lots and the homes. These will probably be rented by those waiting on their homes to be finished. Won't that be convenient?
(Please excuse the drab landscaping, these photos were taken mid-winter. I'll update once spring has sprung and everything greens up!)
The Amenities
As new as Windsong Ranch is, many of the amenities are nothing more than conceptual drawings so far. The main amenity center dubbed The Commons has been completed, however, to give residents and prospective buyers a taste of the Windsong Ranch lifestyle. Literally. The community has it's own cafe. The mid-century modern style architecture is fresh and sophisticated, as opposed to the more historic style clubhouses further down the road, and stereotypical Texan styles of other communities. The Brazillian Ipa wood siding adds a high end touch.
The main building of The Commons (the stone portion above) includes the community information center and Windsong Cafe. The menu here was created by the owner of popular Snug cafe in downtown McKinney. Windsong Cafe is a great breakfast, brunch, coffee and lunch spot. I've eaten here a few times, so I can vouch for the deliciousness! They have wifi as well, so it's a great place to get some work done while you enjoy your meal. This cafe has already become a popular spot for the Prosper community.
Just north of the pool area, you'll find an open field space with cafe lights strung overhead. This are is where the lifestyle director hosts many of the Windsong Ranch homeowner events. While these events are intended for residents, the first residents moved in just before Thanksgiving 2014, so there aren't many yet. Until the community has a few more people to entertain, they're keeping the events open to the public. So if you're thinking of building in Windsong Ranch, this is a great way to get a taste for the lifestyle that would come with the home. Past events have included farmer's markets, S'mores with Santa, wine tastings, crafts, Mardi Gras, and most recently, a ladybug release with face painting, balloon animals, and sno cones. Tons of fun!
Construction on a tennis court on the other side of the parking lot for The Commons had just begun when I was visiting, and more will come as future phases are built, including a Frisbee golf course and dog park.
The Details
Windsong Ranch is located in the city of Prosper. Homes will be served by city utilities, not a special utility district. Homes are in a co-op area for electricity and gas, provided by CoServ. HOA dues are $84 per month (paid quarterly) and the total property tax rate is 2.47%. Since they just broke ground last year and it will likely take 10-15 years to develop a community of this size, the HOA will probably be under developer control for some time. Most are controlled by the developer until 75% or more of the homes are sold. That usually means pretty strict enforcement of appearance standards, since potential buyers are in and out every day. I've not yet found the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) online. I'll share those when I do. If you're seriously considering this community, get in touch and I can track them down through the community sales people.
The Homes
Windsong Ranch is a new community, so the homes for sale will be new construction, either built for you or a quick move-in inventory home. Resale homes will likely be few and far between for a few years still. Windsong Ranch is offering the larger lots that consumers have been asking for. From townhomes to 86' lots, with many premium lots overlooking wooded areas or ponds, and several over-sized lots, there will be something for everyone.
Prices currently range from the lower $300's up toward $1 million. Chesmar homes will soon be offering patio homes in the phase located just west of Gee Road on the lower end of the price range. This phase has been named Crosswater. Anthem is the phase nearest The Commons amenity center, offering homes from Darling, Drees, and Highland, starting in the mid $300 price range on the 61' lots. Darling is also building in the phase called Cadence, located northeast of The Commons. Grenadier has been confirmed to build the townhomes, just south and east of The Commons.
A 4th phase named The Landing will offer the larger 86' lots with homes built by Huntington and David Weekley, priced from the $600's. About half of these lots overlook either a wooded area or a pond and park area. The photos below were taken from Honeyvine Lane. The first is a view of a partial lot and the woods behind, taken from approximately lot 14 shown on the master plan. The following photo was taken from the corner of Honeyvine and Woodbine, facing Anthem.
The Schools
Kids in Windsong Ranch are zoned for desirable Prosper ISD schools. The district is rated 14th in the state and 7th in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by Niche, a popular demographics source. (https://k12.niche.com/d/prosper-independent-school-district-tx/) Current students will be bussed out of the neighborhood for now, but plans show land for 2 elementary schools and a middle school as the neighborhood expands. Windsong Elementary has been approved and will break ground soon. Builders are planning to complete this one just in time for the 2016-2017 school year. The community is zoned for Prosper's Rucker Elementary for grades kindergarten through 4 right now; Rogers Middle School for 5th and 6th grade; Reynolds Middle School for 7th and 8th grade; and then Prosper High School, the only high school currently in the district. 380 is known as University Drive because it connects to Denton, where 2 major universities are located- The University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University. About as far down the same road in the opposite direction, you'll arrive at the main Collin College campus in McKinney.
Ready to Move In?
Get in touch! I am happy to represent you throughout the process of choosing a floor plan, construction, and closing. Having a buyer's agent represent you during the building process does not cost you any extra, as brokerage fees fall under each builder's marketing budget. We can help you negotiate contract terms, upgrades, and depending on the market conditions, the best price. Builders haven't been negotiating much on price lately due to the strong demand, but we can often get them to contribute to other expenses.
We spent a lot of time on new home lots, so have the knowledge and experience to know good construction from the bad. How far apart should your studs be? How long can the concrete sit in the truck before it's too dry to use? How many inches deep should your attic insulation be? Shouldn't there be a pipe in that corner of the foundation for that sink you added in the garage? These are things we deal with regularly, so we know the answers and can advocate for you to ensure that the home you move in to will be sound and sturdy for years to come. Not to mention that you're getting everything you're paying for.
A Realtor can help you make decisions like which upgrades are worth doing now and which would cost you less after closing. We can help you determine potential resale value of the upgrades you're interested in or changes you're thinking of making, or how they might impact the appraisal or loan approval. We are also there to see that paperwork is completed correctly, deadlines are met, and to advocate for your needs if an issue comes up. Another perk- if you've looked at several builders with your buyer's agent, the agent gets to field those awkward calls from the salespeople that will inevitably be calling to follow up. And they will, until they're told you chose another builder. It's like an awkward breakup sometimes, and you don't have to be the one to do it.
Keep in mind that the sales representative that works in a builder's office works for the builder. They are representing the seller. Their job is to sell the builder's houses and look out for the builder's interests, not yours. Builder salespeople are also not governed by the Texas Real Estate Commission or Realtor code of ethics. Most are still ethical, but unfortunately, there isn't much recourse should you encounter one that is not. It never hurts to have an expert in your corner when you're making what is probably the largest purchase you'll ever make.
Written by Maggie Hernandez with Group Watson- Keller Williams Realty
(214) 682-7002 www.GroupWatson.com
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