on August 19, 2026
Jake Inderman recently toured a one-story home in the Arbor at Legacy Hills section with just over 2,300 square feet, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a dramatic vaulted living room. At the time of filming, the floor plan started around $400,000, although the upgraded model would likely cost more.
But the home itself isn’t the biggest thing buyers need to understand about Legacy Hills.
Jake Inderman is a Celina TX Realtor helping families relocating to North Texas compare Celina, Prosper and Frisco communities. Legacy Hills is enormous, and depending on where you buy within the development, your builder, amenities and even property-tax structure can be different.
Here’s what relocation buyers should know before buying a home in Legacy Hills.
**Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/MVGsUKhhUaM
Legacy Hills is a massive master-planned development in northern Celina.
Jake describes the community as approximately 3,200 acres, making it roughly 700 acres larger than the Fields development.
That size is important.
Legacy Hills isn’t one small neighborhood where every home has the same tax rate, builder or community setup. It consists of multiple sections offering different types of homes and lifestyles.
One section is also a Del Webb 55+ community, while the remaining sections serve the broader market.
For buyers, that means you need to evaluate the specific section and property—not simply say, “I want to live in Legacy Hills.”
The home Jake toured is located in the Arbor at Legacy Hills section.
The floor plan provides approximately:
At the time of filming, pricing for the floor plan started around $400,000.
Jake estimated that the model with the upgrades shown would potentially land somewhere in the mid-to-high $400Ks, although the builder wasn’t available to provide an exact upgraded price.
That distinction is important for anyone buying new construction.
The base price and the price of the model you’re physically touring can be very different.
The standout feature is obvious the moment you walk inside.
The living room has a dramatic vaulted ceiling with decorative beams.
It’s unusual to see that much architectural impact at this price point.
The beams appeared to be decorative rather than solid wood, but visually they give the room a much more expensive feel.
This is a good example of why buyers shouldn’t judge homes solely by square footage.
A 2,300-square-foot home with great ceiling height, natural light and an open floor plan can feel substantially larger than another home with more square footage but a less efficient design.
The home is marketed with four bedrooms, but Jake believes one of the rooms works particularly well as an office.
That gives buyers flexibility.
Depending on your household, the space could function as a:
For a remote or hybrid worker, using the space as an office could make a lot of sense while still leaving three traditional bedrooms.
The kitchen opens directly into the main living space.
Features Jake highlights include:
The pantry is particularly impressive for this price range.
Jake notes that he’s toured significantly more expensive homes with smaller pantries.
Storage isn’t necessarily what gets someone excited when they first walk through a model home, but it’s one of those features homeowners appreciate after actually living in the house.
The primary bedroom is another surprisingly large space for a roughly 2,300-square-foot home.
The primary bathroom includes a large shower with a window positioned high enough to maintain privacy while still bringing natural light into the room.
Again, this home isn’t trying to compete with a $1 million custom property.
The appeal is how much functionality and visual impact the floor plan delivers relative to its starting price.
Location is probably the biggest tradeoff.
Legacy Hills is in the farther northern portion of Celina.
Jake estimates approximately 35 minutes to Legacy West in Plano, depending on traffic.
For someone commuting into major North Dallas employment centers, that’s worth considering.
For someone commuting all the way into Dallas, Jake estimates the drive could be around an hour, depending on traffic and destination.
That’s why Legacy Hills may be considerably more attractive to a remote or hybrid worker than someone who has to drive into Downtown Dallas five days per week.
One of the biggest future transportation changes affecting Legacy Hills is the Dallas North Tollway extension.
Jake explains that Legacy Hills is positioned around a roughly six-mile extension that could make accessing areas farther south more convenient once completed.
That could potentially reduce commute times.
But buyers should be careful about purchasing based solely on projected future improvements.
The better approach is to ask:
Does this location work for my life today?
Then treat future infrastructure improvements as a potential bonus.
Everyday convenience has historically been one of the biggest concerns with living farther north in Celina.
That’s beginning to change.
Jake discusses an H-E-B planned immediately outside the community, with an anticipated 2028 timeline mentioned at the time of filming.
Jake estimates that could put H-E-B roughly two minutes from portions of Legacy Hills.
That’s a significant lifestyle improvement compared with having to drive 15–20 minutes for major grocery shopping.
Additional commercial development is also expected around the area.
Because development timelines can change, buyers should verify current plans before making a purchase decision based on future retail.
One of the main reasons buyers consider Celina is buying power.
Jake points out that Celina can feel substantially farther from established employment, shopping and dining than Frisco.
But buyers can often get significantly more home for their money.
That’s the tradeoff.
A buyer comparing Legacy Hills against Frisco shouldn’t simply ask which city is “better.”
Instead, compare:
Home + monthly payment + commute + amenities + future development + lifestyle.
A longer commute may be completely worthwhile if you work remotely and can purchase the type of home you actually want.
For someone commuting daily, paying more to live farther south may make sense.
This is probably the most important financial consideration for a Legacy Hills buyer.
Because the development is so large, the tax structure can vary significantly between sections.
Jake discusses several types of special districts that buyers may encounter:
PID — Public Improvement District
MUD — Municipal Utility District
MMD — Municipal Management District
Different sections may be subject to different combinations.
That means two homes located within Legacy Hills can potentially have noticeably different effective property-tax rates.
For the Arbor section featured in Jake’s tour, the effective property-tax rate was approximately 2.77% at the time of filming, with Jake identifying PID and MMD assessments as part of the tax structure.
That’s relatively high.
But another Legacy Hills section Jake toured had a different tax structure.
Jake references Windsor Homes in the Brookshire section of Legacy Hills, where the effective tax rate was approximately 2.49% at the time of that tour.
That’s a meaningful difference.
On an expensive home, even a few tenths of a percentage point can translate into a substantial difference in annual taxes and monthly housing costs.
This is exactly why buyers should never assume:
“Legacy Hills has a 2.77% tax rate.”
The better question is:
“What is the effective tax rate on this specific property?”
Not automatically.
Jake’s approach is to calculate what the special district actually costs you each month and then compare that payment against alternatives.
For example, suppose one home’s special taxing district adds approximately $200 per month.
Now ask:
Could you spend that same total monthly payment on a property without the additional tax and get:
If yes, the lower-tax alternative may make more sense.
If not, paying the additional tax may still provide better overall value.
That’s a much better framework than automatically crossing every MUD or PID community off your list.
This is especially important for relocation buyers coming from states where property taxes work differently.
A $500,000 house isn’t always financially equivalent to another $500,000 house.
Property taxes, HOA dues and special assessments can create very different monthly payments.
When comparing Celina communities, calculate the estimated total cost of ownership for each property.
That gives you a much clearer picture than list price alone.
Texas doesn’t have an individual state income tax, but property taxes can be substantial.
Jake specifically mentions this because many of his relocation clients come from states such as California, where they’re accustomed to paying state income tax.
Whether a household ultimately comes out ahead depends on income, property value, taxes and individual circumstances.
Don’t assume moving to Texas automatically lowers your total tax burden.
Run your own numbers.
Legacy Hills is designed as a large-scale master-planned community with an extensive amenity package.
Jake highlights amenities including:
That’s one of the benefits of buying into a community of this scale.
You’re not simply choosing a house.
You’re choosing an entire lifestyle and amenity package.
At the time of Jake’s tour, HOA dues were approximately $1,100 per year.
That works out to roughly $92 per month.
Compared with some amenity-heavy North Texas communities, Jake considers that relatively normal.
However, HOA dues and what they cover can change, so buyers should verify current information for the specific property and section they’re considering.
Legacy Hills also includes a Del Webb 55+ section.
That section has its own age requirements and amenities.
Jake notes that buyers outside Del Webb wouldn’t have access to the Del Webb-specific amenities, while the other sections share the broader Legacy Hills amenities available to them.
For buyers looking specifically for active-adult living in Celina, the Del Webb section creates another option within the overall development.
One of Jake’s most consistent recommendations for new-construction buyers has nothing to do with countertops or flooring.
Check which direction the backyard faces.
Texas summers are hot.
If your covered patio and backyard receive direct afternoon sun, the space can become significantly less comfortable during the hottest months.
Jake recommends considering sun exposure before selecting a homesite if outdoor living is important to you.
This is especially important when building from the ground up.
You can replace countertops later.
You can’t rotate your house.
Legacy Hills is a good example of why buying a home from hundreds or thousands of miles away requires more research than simply scrolling through listings.
A property can look fantastic online.
But relocation buyers also need to understand:
The house itself is only one part of the decision.
Buying power: Homes can offer significantly more for the money than comparable options farther south.
New construction: Buyers have access to newer floor plans and modern features.
Large master-planned community: Approximately 3,200 acres provides room for substantial development and amenities.
Amenities: Pools, lazy river, trails, green space, golf and future sports facilities.
Future H-E-B: Planned nearby grocery access could significantly improve everyday convenience.
Dallas North Tollway expansion: Future infrastructure may improve north-south access.
Multiple sections: Buyers can compare different price points, builders and tax structures within the broader development.
Farther north: The commute can be substantial for buyers working in Dallas.
Higher taxes in some sections: Arbor’s effective tax rate was approximately 2.77% at the time of Jake’s tour.
Complicated tax structure: PID, MUD and MMD assessments vary depending on the section.
Still developing: Buyers should expect construction and change throughout such a large community.
Future convenience isn’t here yet: Some of the area’s biggest improvements remain planned rather than completed.
Legacy Hills could be particularly attractive for:
Remote workers who don’t need to commute south every day.
Hybrid workers willing to accept a longer occasional commute.
New-construction buyers wanting more home for their budget.
Families wanting master-planned amenities.
Buyers comfortable with future growth and ongoing development.
Relocation buyers prioritizing house and community over immediate proximity to Frisco.
Someone commuting south five days per week may decide the additional cost of Prosper or Frisco is worth it.
The same may apply if you prioritize having extensive restaurants, shopping and entertainment within a few minutes of your home today.
That’s why there’s no universal winner.
A remote worker moving from California may evaluate Legacy Hills completely differently than someone driving into Downtown Dallas every morning.
Jake describes Legacy Hills as approximately 3,200 acres.
Pricing varies substantially by section, builder and floor plan. The Arbor home Jake toured started around $400,000 at the time of filming, with the upgraded model likely costing more.
Jake reported an effective tax rate of approximately 2.77% at the time of filming.
The tax structure varies by section. Jake discusses PID, MUD and MMD assessments within different portions of the overall development. Buyers should verify the specific property.
Jake reported approximately $1,100 per year at the time of his tour.
Jake highlights pools, a lazy river, green space, golf, the 1876 Country Club, walking and biking trails and a future 27-acre sports park.
Jake discusses an H-E-B planned immediately outside the community with an anticipated 2028 timeline at the time of filming. Development plans can change, so buyers should verify the latest information.
Jake estimated approximately 35 minutes depending on traffic.
It depends on your tolerance for commuting. Jake estimates Downtown Dallas could be roughly an hour away depending on traffic and destination, so daily commuters should carefully evaluate the drive.
Legacy Hills has a compelling value proposition:
You can potentially get a lot more house for your money while buying into one of Celina’s largest master-planned developments.
This Arbor home is a perfect example.
At the time of Jake’s tour, the floor plan started around $400,000 and offered just over 2,300 square feet, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a 50-foot lot and a dramatic vaulted living room.
But buyers shouldn’t evaluate Legacy Hills solely based on the home price.
You need to consider the commute.
You need to understand the PID, MUD or MMD affecting the specific property.
You need to calculate the effective tax rate.
And you need to decide how much value you place on future development like the tollway extension and nearby H-E-B.
For some buyers, the higher taxes and farther-north location will be worth the additional buying power.
For others, paying more to live farther south will make more sense.
That’s the decision buyers should actually be making.
Jake Inderman is a Celina TX Realtor helping families relocating to North Texas compare Legacy Hills with communities throughout Celina, Prosper and Frisco.
Whether you’re 9 days or 9 months away from moving, Jake can help you compare:
The goal isn’t simply finding the cheapest new construction home.
It’s determining which home, community, tax structure and location give you the best overall fit for your move to North Texas.
Jake Inderman | Celina TX Realtor
Call/Text: 469-343-2008
Email: jake.inderman@gmail.com