on October 12, 2026
If you’re searching for Star Trail homes in Prosper TX, this Highland Homes property shows why buyers looking for a larger one-story home should pay attention to the final phases of this community.
This home sits on an 86-foot lot and offers approximately 3,700 square feet, four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, all on one level. It also has a large backyard with room for a pool, an oversized covered patio, a media room, home office and three-car garage. Pasted text
There’s another reason this particular home caught my attention: the builder has discounted it by $157,000. Pasted text
But the house itself is only part of the story. Star Trail’s location, amenities, tax structure and position near the end of its new-construction phase make it different from many of the newer communities farther north.
Here’s what buyers should know.
**Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/jh-mgcBGCg8
One of Star Trail’s biggest advantages is its location near the Dallas North Tollway.
You can leave the neighborhood and quickly access the Tollway, which can be important for buyers commuting south toward Frisco, Plano and other employment centers. The Tollway is also continuing to expand north, with an additional extension discussed during the home tour. Pasted text
That’s an important distinction when comparing Star Trail with some of the newer communities farther north in Celina.
A beautiful house isn’t much fun if your daily commute doesn’t fit your lifestyle, so location should be one of the first things you consider when comparing North Texas communities.
One of the biggest reasons this home stands out is the combination of its one-story layout and 86-foot homesite.
Large single-story homes can require a lot of land because the entire floor plan has to spread horizontally instead of stacking living space across two floors.
This home manages to provide substantial indoor living space while still leaving a large backyard.
There’s enough room to add a swimming pool, expand the outdoor-living setup and retain usable yard space. Pasted text
That’s a combination I think a lot of Prosper buyers are looking for.
This is something buyers often overlook when shopping for new construction.
A builder may tell you two properties are both on 86-foot lots, but that doesn’t mean the usable space will be identical.
Lot shape, setbacks and how the house sits on the property can dramatically change the backyard.
A pie-shaped lot that opens toward the rear, for example, could provide substantially more backyard space than another lot with the exact same advertised width. Pasted text
The same principle applies when comparing 50-, 60- and 86-foot homesites.
Sometimes the right smaller lot can give you the backyard you’re looking for without requiring you to pay the premium for the next lot category. Pasted text
Yes—and Highland Homes actually provides a helpful way to visualize it.
During the tour, I show a rendering Highland created demonstrating how a pool and outdoor grill could fit into this particular backyard.
According to the rendering discussed in the video, there would still be approximately 19 feet between the edge of the proposed pool and the fence in one area, leaving additional usable backyard space. Pasted text
For buyers who know they want a pool, getting this information before purchasing is much better than guessing based on how large an empty backyard looks.
The backyard also connects to the main living area through a large sliding glass door.
Opening the doors creates a much stronger connection between the living space and covered patio. Pasted text
Add a pool, outdoor kitchen, television and additional seating, and this could become one of the home’s most-used areas.
In North Texas, I’d also consider retractable screens or shades around the patio to help with direct sunlight and insects during warmer months.
The main living area has tall ceilings, wood beams and a large open kitchen.
The kitchen includes extensive cabinetry and storage, a six-burner gas cooktop and a large island. Pasted text
One criticism I mention during the tour is the pantry.
For a home of this size, I would have liked to see a larger pantry—especially considering a four-bedroom home could easily have a household with several children. Pasted text
That’s why touring homes in person matters. Every property has compromises, even at higher price points.
The primary bedroom continues the large one-story layout.
The bathroom includes dual sinks, a separate tub, shower, makeup vanity and primary closet. Pasted text
The closet isn’t as large as what you’ll find in some of Highland’s larger floor plans, and that’s another tradeoff discussed during the tour.
If avoiding stairs is a major priority, however, having this much space on one floor can outweigh some of those differences.
You don’t have to give up dedicated specialty rooms just because this is a one-story home.
There’s a separate media room that could be turned into a darker theater-style space. Pasted text
There’s also a substantial home office near the front of the house. The office is large enough that it could potentially work for a couple who both work from home, depending on their setup. Pasted text
That flexibility matters increasingly for buyers who don’t commute into an office five days a week.
One of the financial differences buyers should understand when comparing Prosper TX neighborhoods is the tax structure.
Star Trail does not have a MUD or PID, according to the information discussed during this tour.
The property tax rate referenced in the video is approximately 1.96%. Pasted text
That can make a meaningful difference in monthly housing costs when comparing similarly priced homes in communities with higher overall tax rates.
Buyers should always verify the current tax rate and assessments for the specific property they’re considering before making a purchase decision.
The HOA amount discussed during this tour is $381 per quarter. Pasted text
That’s not inexpensive, but Star Trail also offers a substantial amenity package.
The community amenities discussed in the video include:
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For buyers who actually use neighborhood amenities, that can change how you evaluate the HOA cost.
This is one of the more important differences between Star Trail and newer North Texas master-planned communities.
The section toured in this video is described as one of Star Trail’s final phases. Pasted text
Why does that matter?
When you buy in the first phases of a huge new community and need to sell a few years later, your resale home may be competing directly against brand-new construction from the builder.
Builders can offer incentives, rate buydowns and other promotions that an individual homeowner may have difficulty matching.
As a community approaches buildout, that specific form of competition can begin to change.
It doesn’t eliminate resale risk, and buyers shouldn’t assume appreciation, but it’s an important factor to consider when comparing established and early-stage new-construction communities.
The $157,000 discount on this particular property is a good example of why buyers shouldn’t automatically assume the advertised builder price is the entire story.
The video also discusses builders offering various incentives depending on the community and property. Pasted text
Incentives can change quickly and can vary between inventory homes and build-from-scratch purchases.
That’s why I recommend looking at the entire deal—not simply the sticker price.
Depending on the situation, that can include the home price, lot premium, closing-cost assistance, financing incentives, upgrades and other builder concessions.
For many of the new-construction homes I discuss in North Texas, the typical build timeframe referenced in this video is approximately six to eight months.
Higher-end custom construction can take longer. Pasted text
If you’re relocating to Prosper from another state, that means you don’t necessarily need to wait until a month before your move to begin researching communities.
Understanding neighborhoods, builders and timelines several months in advance can make the actual home search much easier.
Star Trail makes the most sense to consider if you’re looking for a combination of:
Prosper location + Dallas North Tollway access + substantial amenities + larger homesites + newer homes without being in the earliest stages of a massive development.
This particular home adds another difficult-to-find combination: a large one-story layout on an 86-foot lot with room for a pool.
But there are still tradeoffs.
The HOA is higher than some communities, the pantry in this particular home isn’t as large as I’d prefer, and you need to decide whether the home and community justify the overall cost for your household.
That’s why I don’t recommend choosing a neighborhood based on one model home or one feature.
If you’re considering Star Trail homes in Prosper TX, compare the actual lot, floor plan, builder incentives, tax structure, HOA, commute and community amenities before making your decision.
Jake Inderman is a Prosper TX Realtor helping buyers compare Star Trail, Highland Homes, new construction and other neighborhoods throughout Prosper, Celina, Frisco and North Texas.
Whether you’re moving in nine days or nine months, researching these differences before you start touring can make it much easier to figure out which Prosper TX neighborhood actually fits your lifestyle.