Texas-owned, employee-owned, and building in DFW since 1985. An honest guide for families relocating to North Texas.
Highland Homes was founded in 1985 by siblings Rod Sanders and Jean Ann Brock in Rowlett, Texas, they broke ground on their first home in 1986 using money from Sanders' 401(k), during what was, by most accounts, a historically difficult real estate market. Forty years later, Highland operates across four major Texas metros (DFW, Austin, Houston, San Antonio), builds roughly 4,000 homes per year, and has ranked among the nation's top 30 builders every year since 2008. What they've never done is expand outside Texas, and that focus shows in the product.
In 2010, Highland became fully employee-owned through an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). That's genuinely unusual in the production building industry, where most regional builders have been acquired by national public companies or private equity. The ESOP structure means the people working on your home have a direct financial stake in the company's long-term reputation. Aaron Graham serves as President. The founders remain involved, Rod Sanders chairs the board, and that continuity of leadership has a measurable effect on how consistently the company operates. When a DFW home inspector calls Highland their "first choice for new construction in the area," that's the kind of institutional reputation that doesn't accumulate overnight.
Several things genuinely distinguish Highland from the national-volume builders operating in the same DFW price range:
Unlike D.R. Horton, Lennar, or PulteGroup, publicly traded companies that answer to shareholders, Highland answers to its employees. That means trade superintendents, field managers, and design center staff all have equity in outcomes. You can't manufacture that alignment with a corporate culture memo. It's one reason Highland's TrustBuilder responsiveness score (4.4/5 across 1,338 DFW reviews) is consistently above the production-builder average, and why warranty follow-through tends to be faster than what buyers report from publicly traded peers in the same markets.
Most builders force you to choose a community for your price point. Highland frequently offers 40ft, 50ft, 60ft, 70ft, 86ft, and 100ft lots within the same master-planned community, which means you can start in a 40ft plan and understand exactly what the upgrade path looks like before you commit. In Prosper's Mosaic community, 40ft lots start around $440k and 70ft lots run to $1.3M. That lot-width ladder is genuinely useful for families who want to be in a specific school zone but are still calibrating their budget against Texas property taxes.
Highland runs its own design center, not an outsourced vendor, staffed by consultants who specialize in this product line. The process is structured across three appointments: exterior and structural options first, interior finishes and fixtures second, and a pre-construction review third. For relocating families doing much of this remotely, that cadence is actually easier to navigate than a single all-day session. Flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, masonry, roofing, and cabinet hardware are all part of the selection process, with tiered upgrade options at clearly defined price levels (Level 1, 2, 3). Structural changes, room extensions, patio upgrades, are done before the slab pour, giving buyers meaningful customization within a production framework.
Highland has never expanded outside Texas, not to Florida, not to the Carolinas, not to the Sun Belt expansion plays that national builders chased post-2020. That focus means their floor plans, lot grading, HVAC specifications, and warranty terms are calibrated to the Texas climate: hot summers, expansive clay soils, and the drainage challenges that come with rapid growth-corridor development. For families relocating from California or the Northeast, that specificity matters more than a brand that builds the same home in 15 states.
Highland is active in 26 DFW suburbs with the heaviest concentration in the North Collin and Denton County growth corridors, Prosper, Celina, McKinney, Northlake, and Argyle, which happen to be where the strongest family-rated school districts are and where most relocation buyers Kristen works with are searching. They also build in Forney and Royse City for families prioritizing value east of Dallas, Rockwall and Heath for lake-area buyers, and Waxahachie and Burleson in the southern corridor. Click any suburb to read the full family profile, or search current listings directly.
The table below is generated from Kristen's ShowingNew portal data and refreshed each month. Highland opens and closes communities as lots sell out, always verify current availability at highlandhomes.com/new-homes/texas/dfw or browse the portal below.
Showing 53 communities, sourced from ShowingNew and last updated 2026-05-26. Additional communities may be available; browse the full portal for current listings.
| Suburb | Community | Price Range | Beds | Baths | Sq Ft | Avail. | Promo | Portal |
|---|
Opens Kristen's NewHomeSource portal, listings update daily
Highland Homes administers its warranty through 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, an independent third-party warranty company. Their coverage terms for 2026 are: 1 year workmanship, 2 years systems, and, this is the important change, 6 years structural for contracts signed on or after January 1, 2026. If your contract was signed before January 1, 2026, you retain the prior 10-year structural coverage even if you close in 2026 or later. If you're signing now, you're on the new 6-year structural terms.
Highland reduced its structural and foundation warranty from 10 years to 6 years for contracts dated January 1, 2026 and later. The industry standard for production builders in DFW, Perry Homes, Meritage, Taylor Morrison, is 10 years. Highland no longer matches that standard. The coverage is still administered through 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, which provides independent backing, but the term is now 4 years shorter than what Highland offered for the previous 30+ years. This is the single most consequential warranty change any Highland DFW buyer in 2026 needs to evaluate before signing a purchase agreement.
| Coverage | Industry Standard | Highland (2026 Contracts) | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workmanship | 1 year | 1 year | Cosmetic and finish elements, drywall, paint, cabinets, flooring, trim. Functional defects in these elements. |
| Systems | 2 years | 2 years | Electrical wiring, HVAC ductwork, supply and waste piping. Defects in mechanical systems distribution. |
| Structural | 10 years | 6 years (reduced 2026) | Load-bearing walls, foundation, roof framing, and structural systems. Catastrophic structural failures. |
Warranty claims are submitted through 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, which acts as an independent administrator. Highland's field teams handle workmanship and systems claims directly; structural claims in years 1–6 go through the 2-10 program. Buyers report that Highland's responsiveness for day-60 and 11-month walkthroughs (the two most important warranty checkpoints) is generally above average for a production builder, this is consistently cited in TrustBuilder reviews, which score Highland's responsiveness at 4.4/5 across 1,338 DFW buyers. That said, 37 BBB complaints in the last 3 years indicate that warranty response time and follow-through are the most common friction points when things go wrong. Request all warranty service in writing, document issues photographically before the 11-month walkthrough, and bring an independent inspector.
Normal settling cracks in drywall or concrete (common in DFW's expansive clay soils), cosmetic damage caused by the homeowner after closing, appliances (covered by manufacturers' warranties directly), landscaping and irrigation beyond the immediate foundation area, and issues caused by homeowner modifications or failure to maintain the home per Highland's guidelines. The workmanship warranty is functional, "the cabinet door won't close" qualifies; "I changed my mind on the paint color" does not. As with all production builders, the warranty covers construction defects, not design preferences or owner wear.
Highland Homes scores an 89 (A) on our 100-point builder index. Here's what drives that score, and where relocating families should pay attention before committing.
Highland runs promotions tied to sales events, phase closes, and quarter-end pushes. At time of research (May 2026), Highland's Spring Sales Event was offering $10,000 toward closing costs plus up to $30,000 in design center upgrades, extended through May 31, 2026 and tied to using Highland HomeLoans. These are verified from the builder's promotions page at time of research; confirm current availability directly with the community sales manager or ask Kristen before visiting.
Highland periodically offers direct closing cost contributions, the Spring 2026 event included $10,000 toward closing. These are community-specific and typically tied to Highland HomeLoans. Verify the exact amount and any conditions before contracting.
Upgrade package promotions (the Spring event included up to $30,000) let buyers apply credit at the design center toward flooring, cabinet, countertop, and fixture upgrades. The credit amount and eligible selections vary by community and price tier.
Highland HomeLoans occasionally offers rate buydown programs, temporary or permanent, as part of sales events. These are specific to the financing through Highland HomeLoans; your ability to participate depends on qualifying with their preferred lender program. Compare against independent lender quotes before deciding.
Important: Builder incentives are almost always tied to using their preferred lender. That's not inherently bad, sometimes the rate is genuinely competitive, but you should always get a competing quote from an independent lender first. A buyer's agent can help you compare the true cost of the deal across lenders before you decide.
As a DFW relocation specialist, Kristen regularly checks in with Highland Homes sales teams across communities to stay current on what's being offered, rate buydowns, closing cost credits, upgrade packages, and end-of-phase deals that never appear on the website. Before you set foot in a model home, a quick call with Kristen will tell you exactly what Highland is running right now in the communities that fit your school zone and budget.
Important, register before your first visit: If you walk into a Highland Homes model home without registering a Realtor's name, you may permanently lose the ability to have buyer's representation for that community. Highland's sales agent works for Highland Homes. Call or text Kristen at (602) 405-4115 before your first visit and she'll make sure her name is registered so you have independent representation at no cost to you.
Highland's DFW floor plans span 1,480–5,291 sq ft across a wide range of lot widths (40ft to 100ft) and price points ($300k to $1.8M+). The company introduces new floor plans regularly, their DFW plan library is one of the largest of any regional builder, and each community carries a curated subset of plans appropriate for that lot width and price corridor. For families comparing value, the 50ft and 60ft lot plans at $500k–$800k represent Highland's highest-volume sweet spot in markets like McKinney, Prosper, and Northlake.
Highland is a production builder with semi-custom options, not a fully custom builder. You're selecting from a defined catalog of plans, lot widths, and structural modifications. That said, the structural option menu is meaningful: extended covered patios, media room conversions, game room additions, and bedroom/bath configurations can be adjusted before the slab is poured. Once the foundation is down, structural changes are not possible. Cosmetic choices, flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, paint, masonry, happen in the design center after contract, with tiered upgrade levels at defined price points (Level 1, 2, 3). Buyers consistently report that the design center consultant experience is one of Highland's strengths.
Highland operates its own in-house design center, not a shared vendor platform, with dedicated consultants per buyer. The process covers three structured appointments beginning shortly after contract: exterior and structural selections first, interior finishes and fixtures second, and a pre-construction review third. For relocating buyers completing this remotely, Highland offers virtual design consultation. The entire design phase typically spans two to four weeks. For families moving from California or the Northeast who haven't yet relocated, this remote-capability matters: you can lock your selections, understand your final pricing, and close without being physically present in the DFW market for each appointment.
Highland's base specifications, which vary by plan and community but are generally consistent across their DFW product, include oversized kitchen islands with extended upper cabinetry and a planning desk, dining room hutches built into the design, fireplaces flanked by built-in shelving in applicable plans, two-story family room ceilings on select elevations, walls of windows with optional slider access to covered patios, and a pool bath on plans with exterior access. HVAC sizing, insulation specification, and window ratings vary by plan, confirm energy efficiency specs with the sales manager at the specific community, as they differ from what general marketing materials describe. Appliances (refrigerator, washer, dryer) are not included at base; they are available as upgrades at the design center.
"Highland is the builder I recommend most often to families relocating from California and the Northeast who want genuine design input, a specific school zone, and a builder with 40 years of accountability baked into their ownership structure. The ESOP model is not marketing, it's the reason their customer service scores hold up across a thousand-plus reviews. But I tell every Highland buyer in 2026 the same thing: read the warranty before you sign, because the structural coverage changed at the start of this year, and most buyers don't find out until after the fact."
In my experience working with relocating families across Highland communities, Prosper, Celina, McKinney, Northlake, Argyle, the design center experience tends to be the thing that surprises buyers most positively. It's structured, the consultants are knowledgeable, and the lot-width flexibility means families can make real decisions about their school zone without getting priced out of a community mid-process. A family targeting Prosper ISD can get into Mosaic at 40ft lots for the mid-$400s, or step up to 70ft lots at $880k+, in the same community. That range is rare at a non-luxury builder.
What I make sure every Highland buyer understands before signing: the 2026 structural warranty reduction from 10 to 6 years is a real change that most competing builders haven't made. It doesn't mean Highland is building worse homes, their TrustBuilder scores haven't changed, but it does mean your foundation coverage expires 4 years sooner than it did for the buyer who signed next to you in December 2025. Budget for an independent inspector at your 11-month walkthrough (before the 1-year workmanship window closes) and again at year 5 (before the structural coverage lapses). That's not paranoia, that's smart for any production builder, and more urgent now given this specific change.
Bottom line: Highland Homes is the right choice for families who want a semi-custom production home in a top-rated DFW school corridor, value genuine design center flexibility, and appreciate that an employee-owned company has different accountability incentives than a public builder. The 2026 warranty reduction is a real consideration, ask for it in writing and budget for independent inspections. Call or text me at (602) 405-4115 before your first model home visit, I'll register my name so you have independent representation, brief you on current Highland incentives across communities, and make sure you're in the right suburb for your family's school zone and commute.
Highland Homes has a strong reputation in DFW earned over four decades. They score 89/100 (Grade A) on our builder index, carry an A+ BBB rating with 37 complaints over 3 years (approximately 0.3% of annual build volume), and hold a 4.5/5 TrustBuilder score across 1,338 DFW buyer reviews, with quality at 4.3, trustworthiness at 4.5, value at 4.4, and responsiveness at 4.4. A DFW home inspector who has walked hundreds of new construction homes has publicly called Highland their first choice among production builders in the area for consistent quality and customer service. The ESOP ownership model is an actual differentiator, not a marketing claim. That said, "good" is relative to expectation: Highland is a production builder with semi-custom options, not a fully custom home. Buyers who understand that distinction tend to have very positive experiences.
Highland's DFW price range is broad: entry-level plans on 40ft lots in markets like Forney and Royse City start around $300k–$375k. Their core move-up product on 50ft–60ft lots in North Collin County (Prosper, Celina, McKinney) runs $500k–$850k. Large-lot semi-custom plans on 70ft–86ft lots in premium corridors run $850k–$1.3M, and their estate-series communities in Heath and Prosper's StarView reach $1.3M–$1.8M+. Texas property taxes (typically 2.0%–2.5% of assessed value annually depending on the suburb) add $8,000–$36,000/year to carrying costs depending on your price point, factor this into your monthly budget before comparing Texas home prices to what you paid in California or the Northeast.
Highland is active in 26 DFW suburbs. Their heaviest concentration is in the North Collin and Denton County growth corridors: Prosper, Celina, McKinney, Northlake, and Argyle, the same markets where Prosper ISD, Celina ISD, McKinney ISD, and Northwest ISD are driving family demand. They also build in Aubrey and Denton in Denton County, Rockwall and Heath east of Dallas, Forney and Royse City in Kaufman County for value-focused buyers, Waxahachie in Ellis County, and Fate in Rockwall County. They're notably absent from the most established inner-ring suburbs, Coppell, Southlake, Colleyville, Keller, where there's limited vacant land for production building.
For contracts signed on or after January 1, 2026: 1-year workmanship warranty (covers cosmetic and finish defects, drywall, paint, cabinets, flooring, trim), 2-year systems warranty (covers electrical wiring, HVAC ductwork, supply and waste piping), and 6-year structural warranty (covers load-bearing walls, foundation, roof framing, and major structural elements). The structural warranty was reduced from 10 years to 6 years for 2026 contracts, this is a significant change from Highland's prior standard and from most competing DFW builders, which still offer 10 years. All coverage is administered through 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, an independent third-party company. Buyers who signed before January 1, 2026 retain the prior 10-year structural coverage.
You don't need one, but you should have one, and it costs you nothing extra. Highland Homes pays the buyer's agent commission; the builder price is the same whether you bring a Realtor or not. The Highland sales agent at the model home works for Highland Homes, not for you. A buyer's agent reviews the purchase contract (which is Highland's contract, written by Highland's attorneys), advises on lot selection, explains upgrade pricing relative to market comps, recommends independent inspectors at the right warranty checkpoints, and represents your interests at the pre-closing walkthrough. If you visit a Highland model home without registering a Realtor on your first visit, you may permanently lose the ability to have that Realtor represent you for that specific community. Call Kristen before you go.
For a new dirt-start build in DFW, Highland typically takes 9–14 months from contract to close depending on the community, lot position in the build sequence, permit processing in that municipality, and any customization complexity. Celina and Prosper have seen permit backlogs at various points as those cities manage explosive growth, this can add weeks. If your timeline is under 9 months (corporate transferees, military families), ask specifically about Highland's spec/inventory homes and quick move-in options. Spec homes, frames already up or near completion, can close in 30–90 days. Kristen can pull current inventory across Highland's DFW communities to show you what's available on a compressed timeline.
Yes, this is confirmed in Highland's published warranty documentation. For purchase contracts signed on or after January 1, 2026, the structural and foundation warranty term is 6 years through 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, down from 10 years. Contracts signed on or before December 31, 2025 retain 10-year structural coverage even if the home closes in 2026. The change applies to the load-bearing and foundation elements, the most significant long-term risk in new construction on DFW's expansive clay soils. Other builders in the same DFW price bracket, Perry Homes, Meritage, Taylor Morrison, continue to offer 10-year structural coverage. If you're in active contract negotiations with Highland in 2026, ask for the warranty term in writing before signing and get an independent third-party inspector scheduled for the 11-month walkthrough (before the 1-year workmanship window expires) and again before the 6-year structural coverage ends.
Kristen has helped relocating families navigate Highland Homes communities across DFW, from suburb shortlisting to contract review to closing day. Her representation costs you nothing on new construction, and the builder's sales agent works for Highland, not for you.
