on August 18, 2026
I recently toured Highland Homes’ Shelly floor plan in Ramble, a two-story home starting at 4,029 square feet on a 74-foot lot. The base floor plan starts just over $800,000, while the builder indicated a five-bedroom version could be configured closer to $1 million depending on selections. The heavily upgraded model itself was estimated around $1.2-$1.3 million, including roughly $125,000 in landscaping.
But the home is only part of the story.
Ramble is a new approximately 1,300-acre community planned for around 4,000 homes, with multiple builders, homesites ranging from roughly 50 to 84 feet, extensive future amenities and a unique HOA structure that includes services buyers normally pay for separately.
I’m Jake Inderman, a Celina TX Realtor helping relocation buyers compare Ramble with communities throughout Celina, Prosper and Frisco.
Here’s what buyers should know.
**Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/b8eYQpULBZQ
Ramble is located in Celina along Preston Road, also known as Highway 289.
For relocation buyers, this puts you along one of the major north-south corridors running through Celina and Prosper toward Frisco.
The location is important because Celina continues expanding rapidly. Ramble gives buyers newer construction and larger homesites while still providing access south toward Prosper and Frisco.
However, commute should absolutely be part of your decision.
The farther north you move, the more important it becomes to understand how often you’ll actually need to drive south.
One of Ramble’s biggest advantages—and disadvantages—is how new it is.
At the time of my tour, the community had only recently opened.
That means buyers have opportunities to get into Ramble relatively early in its development and choose from multiple builders and lot sizes.
But it also means everything isn’t finished yet.
Some of the major amenities, schools and infrastructure discussed during the tour were still planned rather than completed.
That’s an important distinction.
When buying into a new master-planned community, understand what exists today versus what’s planned for the future.
Highland Homes is one of several builders in Ramble.
The home featured in my tour was Highland’s Shelly floor plan.
The base configuration includes approximately:
The model shows just how far buyers can take the floor plan with upgrades.
At the time of my tour, the Shelly floor plan had a base price just over $800,000.
However, base price and finished price are very different things.
After speaking with the builder, I was told buyers could potentially build a five-bedroom version closer to approximately $1 million depending on selections.
The model itself was estimated around $1.2-$1.3 million.
Why such a big difference?
Upgrades.
The model included substantial upgrades throughout the home and approximately $125,000 in landscaping alone.
This is something every new-construction buyer needs to understand.
Model homes are designed to show what’s possible.
They’re generally not designed to show what you’ll receive at the advertised starting price.
Your final cost can include:
Before falling in love with a model, figure out what it would actually cost to recreate the features you care about.
The lot is one of my favorite parts of this home.
This Highland model sits on a 74-foot homesite.
For North Texas new construction, that’s a substantial amount of width.
A larger lot can provide:
Even with a home exceeding 4,000 square feet, this property still has an excellent backyard.
The backyard is one of the standout features of the model.
The landscaping includes turf and a cornhole setup, demonstrating just how much usable outdoor space you can create on a 74-foot lot.
The model’s landscaping package is obviously beyond what most buyers will receive standard—the builder indicated roughly $125,000 was spent on the landscaping—but it shows what’s possible with the homesite.
For buyers who want a pool, outdoor kitchen, play area or simply more room between homes, larger Ramble lots are worth comparing.
One of Ramble’s advantages is that buyers aren’t limited to one homesite size.
During my tour, I discussed lots ranging from approximately 50 feet to 84 feet depending on the builder.
Highland’s larger option was the 74-foot lot featured here.
Other builders offer different sizes, including homesites reaching approximately 84 feet.
That creates a broad range of options depending on budget and how much land you want.
Ramble isn’t exclusively a luxury community.
During the tour, I referenced homes beginning around the $400,000 range and extending toward $1 million and beyond depending on builder, lot, floor plan and upgrades.
The smaller 50-foot-lot options were discussed as beginning in the low $500,000s.
That range allows buyers with significantly different budgets to consider Ramble.
The experience of a $500,000 home on a smaller homesite will obviously be different from a heavily upgraded Highland model on a 74-foot lot.
At the time of my tour, builders discussed in Ramble included:
Each builder offers different floor plans, lot sizes, design options and price points.
This is why I recommend choosing the community and homesite alongside the builder—not simply walking into the first model you like.
Highland has a strong reputation among many North Texas buyers.
I also shared a recent real-world example during this tour.
One of my clients was preparing to close on a pre-owned Highland home built in 2021. Despite being constructed during the COVID-era period that some buyers are cautious about, the inspection report was one of the cleanest I had seen.
The items identified were minor issues associated with normal homeownership rather than significant construction problems.
Of course, that is one property’s inspection—not proof that every Highland home will perform the same way.
Every buyer should still get an independent inspection.
The Shelly floor plan has an extremely open main living area.
Tall ceilings and significant natural light make the space feel even larger.
The kitchen, dining and living areas connect together, creating a layout particularly well suited to entertaining.
The upstairs also overlooks the main living space, adding to the dramatic open feel.
The kitchen is one of the home’s strongest spaces.
Features shown in the model include:
For buyers who entertain frequently, the amount of seating and prep space is a major advantage.
The pocket office is a small feature that could have a big impact for the right household.
It’s located near the kitchen and gives you a secondary workspace in addition to the home’s dedicated office.
That could be useful for:
If two people work from home, having two separate workspace options can make the floor plan significantly more functional.
The dedicated office is much larger and more private.
The enclosed doors allow you to separate yourself from the main living areas when you need to focus.
For remote workers, this is a legitimate office rather than a small desk shoved into an open loft.
Combined with the pocket office, this is one of the better work-from-home configurations I’ve toured.
Another feature I really like is the additional pantry and storage space off the kitchen.
Instead of leaving every appliance on your main countertops, you can potentially store things like:
This keeps the main kitchen cleaner and less cluttered.
For buyers who cook frequently, this type of secondary prep and storage space can be surprisingly valuable.
The primary suite is downstairs.
The bedroom is large, but the oversized shower is probably the feature most buyers will remember.
The shower includes extensive tile work and a large footprint that feels appropriate for a luxury home.
For buyers who prioritize a luxury primary bathroom, it’s one of the strongest features of this model.
The home includes a dedicated media room downstairs near the kitchen.
I actually like this placement.
A lot of media rooms are upstairs, meaning you’re constantly going up and down when you want food or drinks.
Here, you’re right near the kitchen.
For movie nights, football games or entertaining, that’s a practical design choice.
Upstairs, you get another entertainment space large enough for a pool table and television setup.
That means you don’t have to choose between a media room and game room.
You can have both.
For a larger household, that separation can be extremely valuable.
Adults can entertain downstairs while kids or guests use the upstairs space—or vice versa.
One thing I specifically noticed during the tour was the size of the secondary bedrooms.
They felt larger than what I see in many competing new-construction floor plans.
That’s worth considering if you have older children.
A bedroom that feels perfectly adequate for a young child can become cramped once you add a larger bed, desk, television and additional furniture.
Larger secondary bedrooms can make the home work better long term.
Ramble’s HOA is higher than many North Texas communities.
But simply looking at the number doesn’t tell the whole story.
At the time of my tour, HOA dues for the 74-foot lots were approximately $2,400 per year.
For some 50-foot lots, dues were approximately $2,100 per year.
That sounds expensive compared with communities charging $700-$1,200 per year.
But Ramble includes services that buyers normally pay for separately.
According to the information discussed during my tour, HOA dues include:
That’s important.
If internet would otherwise cost you around $65 per month, that’s approximately $780 per year.
If you were paying someone around $40 per week to maintain a large front lawn, that cost adds up quickly too.
Once you account for services you’re no longer paying for separately, the HOA begins looking much more competitive.
For some buyers, yes.
If you’re going to pay for internet and lawn service anyway, having those services bundled into the HOA can provide legitimate value.
If you prefer maintaining your own lawn and would choose cheaper internet, you may view it differently.
That’s why comparing HOA dues based only on the annual number is misleading.
Ask what you’re actually receiving.
Ramble is planned as an amenity-heavy master-planned community.
Amenities discussed during my tour include:
The important caveat is that Ramble is new.
Not all of these amenities were completed at the time of my tour.
The Turtle Club is planned as one of Ramble’s main amenity hubs.
It is expected to include the pool, fitness center and entertainment areas discussed during the tour.
For buyers considering Ramble today, I’d recommend confirming the latest construction timeline and which amenities are currently available.
Don’t buy based solely on a rendering.
Understand what exists today and when future amenities are expected to open.
Ramble is also planned to eventually include two elementary schools within the community, according to the information provided during my tour.
Again, these were not completed at the time.
For buyers making decisions based on schools, always verify current school zoning and future school plans directly.
North Texas is growing rapidly, and attendance boundaries can change as new campuses open.
One of Ramble’s more unusual features is the coffee shop located near the entrance.
At the time of my visit, coffee service was open from approximately 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM and the space offered free Wi-Fi.
That may sound like a small amenity, but it can be surprisingly useful.
Remote workers can get out of the house.
Students can have somewhere nearby to study.
Residents can meet neighbors without leaving the community.
It’s another example of Ramble trying to create more than simply a subdivision filled with houses.
Ramble is a major development.
During my tour, I referenced approximately 1,300 acres and around 4,000 planned homes.
That scale is important.
You’re buying into a community that may continue developing for years.
That creates potential advantages as amenities, schools, homes and commercial development are added.
But you’ll also need to be comfortable with construction and change during the buildout period.
Taxes are one of the biggest considerations.
At the time of my tour, I referenced an overall property tax rate of approximately 2.77%-2.785%.
That’s higher than some other Celina communities.
Part of that difference is connected to Ramble’s MMD.
MMD stands for Municipal Management District.
During my tour, I described it as functioning similarly in concept to other special districts buyers may encounter in Texas, where an additional assessment helps fund growth and infrastructure.
For relocation buyers coming from outside Texas, the important takeaway is simple:
Don’t compare homes based solely on purchase price.
Understand the complete tax structure.
This is where the decision becomes interesting.
Suppose you love a Ramble home but you’re comparing it with another Celina community with a tax rate closer to 2%.
The lower-tax community has an obvious financial advantage.
But now compare everything else.
Does the other community include your internet?
Does it include lawn maintenance?
Does it have the same lot size?
Does it have the same builder?
Does it have the same floor plan?
Does it provide the amenities you want?
Can you actually duplicate the entire Ramble experience elsewhere while keeping your total monthly payment lower?
That’s the question.
North Sky is one community I’d compare directly with Ramble.
North Sky had a property tax rate just over 2% and no MUD or PID at the time of my previous tour.
That’s a significant tax advantage.
Ramble, however, provides a different amenity package and HOA structure, plus larger homesite options depending on builder.
If monthly payment is your number-one priority, North Sky may immediately look attractive.
If Ramble’s lot, home, amenities and bundled HOA services fit your lifestyle better, the higher taxes could potentially be justified.
Run the actual numbers rather than choosing based on one line item.
The Ranch at Uptown is another community I’d compare.
Both are newer Celina developments and both involve additional district-related tax considerations based on the properties I’ve toured.
The better fit will depend on:
This is exactly why relocation buyers benefit from comparing several communities before walking into a builder and signing a contract.
Ramble could be a strong fit if you:
The larger homesites are particularly compelling for buyers who feel many new-construction neighborhoods place homes too close together.
I’d compare other communities if you:
Ramble’s biggest strengths won’t matter if you aren’t going to use them.
Ramble is located in Celina along Preston Road/Highway 289.
At the time of my tour, I referenced homes ranging from around the $400,000s toward $1 million and beyond depending on builder, lot, floor plan and upgrades.
The Shelly had a base price just over $800,000 at the time of filming. The heavily upgraded model was estimated around $1.2-$1.3 million.
The floor plan starts at approximately 4,029 square feet.
Lot sizes discussed during my tour ranged from approximately 50 feet to 84 feet depending on builder.
At the time of filming, the 74-foot lots were approximately $2,400 per year, while some 50-foot lots were approximately $2,100 per year.
The HOA was discussed as including internet, front lawn and flower-bed maintenance, plus access to community amenities.
I referenced approximately 2.77%-2.785% during my tour. Buyers should verify the current rate for the exact property they’re considering.
Yes, an MMD was discussed as part of the community’s tax structure during my tour.
Amenities discussed include the Turtle Club, pool, fitness center, basketball, pickleball, trails, ponds, two planned elementary schools and an on-site coffee shop.
Ramble was described during my tour as approximately 1,300 acres with roughly 4,000 planned homes.
Ramble is one of the more interesting new communities to watch in Celina because it’s trying to offer more than simply new houses.
You have multiple builders, homesites ranging from approximately 50 to 84 feet, an extensive future amenity package, trails, ponds, planned schools, an on-site coffee shop and an HOA that includes internet and front lawn maintenance.
The Highland Shelly model demonstrates what’s possible on the luxury side.
More than 4,000 square feet.
A 74-foot lot.
Huge backyard.
Two downstairs bedrooms.
Dedicated office.
Pocket office.
Media room.
Upstairs entertainment space.
Three-car garage.
And a floor plan designed around entertaining.
The tradeoff is cost.
Ramble’s approximately 2.77%-2.785% tax rate referenced during my tour is higher than some competing Celina communities. HOA dues are also higher at first glance, although the included internet and lawn maintenance offset part of that expense.
That’s why I wouldn’t ask whether Ramble is “too expensive.”
I’d ask whether you can replicate the home, lot, location, amenities and included services you want somewhere else for a lower total monthly payment.
If you can, compare it.
If you can’t, Ramble may be worth paying more for.
I’m Jake Inderman, a Celina TX Realtor and North Texas real estate agent helping relocation buyers compare Ramble with communities throughout Celina, Prosper and Frisco.
I help buyers compare builders, floor plans, lot sizes, property taxes, MUD/PID/MMD assessments, HOA costs, amenities, school zoning, commute times and the true monthly cost of different North Texas communities.
If you’re moving to Celina TX in the next 9 days or 9 months, reach out. My team and I can help you compare Ramble with other communities and figure out which home and neighborhood actually make sense for your lifestyle and budget.
Jake Inderman | Celina TX Realtor
Call/Text: 469-343-2008
Email: jake.inderman@gmail.com