Looking for a new home north of Houston? One of the most popular places to buy a new home is in a master-planned community, and there are lots of great reasons why. If you’re unfamiliar with the many benefits of master-planned communities, not to worry. We’ll break it down for you and give you some can’t-miss tips for touring a planned community while we’re at it.
What distinguishes a master-planned community from any other kind of residential development? First and foremost, a master-planned community is built around amenities that make the lives of its residents better. From swimming pools to dog parks, these amenities take many forms and help to set life in a master-planned community apart, especially at The Highlands, where the amenities are some of the best around. When it comes to master-planned community touring tips, exploring those amenities is going to be near the top of any list. Let’s take a look at our other tips!
Tip 1: Ask About the Homebuilders
One of our top tips for touring a master-planned community is to make sure you ask about the homebuilders who are working to fill the community with beautiful homes. Lots of master-planned communities have a welcome center, which should be your first stop on any tour. Here at The Highlands, we’re a community inspired by nature – a modern-day national park, so of course, we have a Visitor Center! Stop by to ask questions about the community, pick up brochures and community FAQs, and learn more about the homebuilder options available. At The Highlands, be sure to also stop by our award-winning Model Home Park, voted Best Model Park by the Greater Houston Builders Association. You’ll have the chance to tour up to 17 model homes from 13 premier builders, which offer a wide variety of floor plans to explore and choose from. If that sounds too daunting, not to worry. The information you gather at the Visitor Center will help you narrow down which model homes will be best for you based on size and budget.
Tip 2: Scout Out the Amenities
As we mentioned, amenities are one of the biggest things that separate a master-planned community from any other type of residential development, so it makes sense to prioritize learning as much as you can about those that are available to you. After all, your home is so much more than a building on a plot of land. It’s the community that surrounds you, your neighbors and friends, and the opportunities that living there affords. A good master-planned community such as The Highlands will offer a wealth of inviting amenities including hiking and biking trails, playgrounds and green space, dog parks, resort-style swimming pools, lakes for kayaking and fishing, and a full-time lifestyle coordinator who helps plan fun and engaging events for residents all year-round.
Tip 3: Learn About the Homeowners Association (HOA)
Because they involve shared spaces, master-planned communities have HOAs that oversee, maintain, and repair those spaces and amenities. To pay for this, residents of each home in a master-planned community pay an annual HOA fee. One of our top master-planned community touring tips is to learn as much as you can about the HOA, the fees involved, and what the HOA is responsible for. At The Highlands, we’ve written a whole blog article on how our HOA helps keep the community beautiful. Be sure to check it out for more in-depth information!
Master-planned communities have a lot to offer prospective home buyers. Here at The Highlands, we believe there’s no better place to call home than our own 2,300-acre master-planned community, featuring more than 4,000 homes from 13 award-winning homebuilders. Nestled among the beauty and adventure of the surrounding Texas landscape and enhanced by world-class amenities, The Highlands is waiting for you. The most important recommendation on our list of tips for touring a planned community? Start at The Highlands!
