Texas
McKinney neighborhoods, from the agent who sells them
A historic downtown square, neighborhoods from 1980s Stonebridge Ranch to brand-new Painted Tree, and my home base for 20+ years.
Living in McKinney
McKinney neighborhoods run from homes built in the 1980s under big shade trees to communities where the builders are still pouring slabs. I've sold homes across Collin County for more than 20 years, and McKinney is home base. This page is what I'd tell you over coffee (or a Diet Coke) if you were thinking about moving here.
Start with downtown. McKinney has something Plano and Frisco don't: a real historic square. The old buildings have been renovated into restaurants, shops and a few places for a night out, and something is almost always going on. Farmers markets, Oktoberfest, parades and Christmas festivities all happen right there on the square.
Outside downtown, a lot of McKinney life happens outdoors: parks, trails, lakes, youth sports and a steady calendar of community events. It also feels a little less urban than Plano or Frisco, and for a lot of my clients that's the reason they choose it.
Most people here get around by car. US 75 runs north and south through the city, SH 121 serves the south side near Craig Ranch, and US 380 cuts across the middle. Which one you use every day depends on which part of McKinney you pick, so it's worth thinking about your commute before you fall for a house.
Talk to Terri about McKinney
How I help buyers and sellers in McKinney
I've worked almost every side of this business: residential sales, new construction sales, REO and foreclosures, appraisal and title. That matters when something unexpected comes up in the middle of a deal, because I know how the pieces fit together.
For sellers, I don't list a home and hope. Every listing gets professional photography, drone photos and a listing video made from those photos, plus paid Facebook and Instagram ads targeting the local market around the listing. I start building buyer interest before the home officially goes live, so you aren't waiting on day one. You can see the whole plan on how I sell a home.
Many of my McKinney clients are selling one home and buying the next at the same time. That's the hardest part of a move, and the thing that keeps people up at night: what if we sell and then can't find the right next home? I lay out a real timeline for when to list, when to buy and when to close, so you're not juggling two moves alone. More on that in trading up in McKinney.
Buyers get the same attention. Here's how buying with me works, from getting ready to getting the keys. And I stay personally involved from the first conversation to the closing table, with my transaction coordinator supporting me along the way.
McKinney neighborhoods and communities
McKinney is big enough that choosing the right neighborhood matters as much as choosing the right house. Here are five I know well.
Stonebridge Ranch was built from the late 1980s through the early 2000s, and it's all resale now. It covers everything from starter homes and patio homes to golf course lots and gated sections, with mature trees and a real variety of home styles. The amenities are the draw: the beach club (being remodeled, expected to reopen summer 2027), an aquatic center, sports courts, lakes and trails.
Ridgecrest consists of traditional North Texas brick homes, mostly two-story, built 2004 to 2011 by builders including Highland and Drees. Most homes have an office, a game room and a media room. The land rolls a little instead of sitting flat, and every home has a front-entry garage, so you see your neighbors coming and going. The social committee is active, with plenty going on around the holidays, and there's a dog park and a big green space for games and get-togethers. Restaurants and entertainment are close by, and so is US 380.
Craig Ranch sits near SH 121 on the south side, with faster access to Frisco. It's the most varied: single-family homes, townhomes, condos, luxury and golf course properties, built 2002 to 2023. TPC Craig Ranch is here and hosts PGA tournaments. Golf is a private membership, not part of the HOA dues.
Trinity Falls is newer and still being built on the north side, so there are builder choices and builder incentives. It's organized around the outdoors, with pools, splash pads, lakes, trails and an onsite lifestyle director, and B.B. Owen Park is close by. Del Webb at Trinity Falls, a 55+ community with its own clubhouse and pool, is inside it.
Painted Tree is newer too, along the US 380 corridor near downtown. It's split into three districts (Woodland, Village and Lakeside), and the developer kept the mature trees, wetlands and creek areas, which is unusual for new construction.
McKinney homes: what's here and what it costs
McKinney gives you a real choice between resale and new construction, often a few miles apart.
On the resale side, Stonebridge Ranch, Ridgecrest and parts of Craig Ranch offer established yards, bigger trees and neighborhoods that are already finished. What you give up is the energy efficiency, the modern floor plans and the builder warranty of a new home. In Stonebridge Ranch alone, prices run from the high $300s to over $2,000,000 (as of September 2026).
On the new construction side, Trinity Falls and Painted Tree offer open floor plans, energy efficiency and builder incentives. Painted Tree runs from the low $400s to over $1,000,000 (as of September 2026), with townhomes, cottage-style homes, single-family and luxury homes. What you give up is mature landscaping and the predictability of a finished neighborhood. Trinity Falls also has a MUD tax, so property taxes there run higher than in a neighborhood without one.
If you're selling first, the right price starts with what your home is worth today, not what an online estimate says. You can start with a home value from me.
Parks, golf and the places people ask about
A few of the places that come up in almost every McKinney conversation I have:
- Downtown square
- Restaurants, shops, nightlife and events most weekends of the year.
- B.B. Owen Park
- 350 acres of natural park near Trinity Falls, with wooded trails, lakes, an amphitheater and an 18-hole disc golf course.
- TPC Craig Ranch
- A private club that hosts PGA tournaments.
- Stonebridge Ranch Beach Club
- Being remodeled, expected to reopen summer 2027.
- Painted Tree
- A 20-acre stocked pond, walking trails and Outpost Park (11.5 acres).
On schools: most of McKinney is zoned to McKinney ISD, but not all of it. Parts of Craig Ranch fall in other districts, and big communities like Stonebridge Ranch and Painted Tree are split across several schools. Always check the zoning for the specific address. I'll do that with you before you write an offer.
Talk to a McKinney realtor who knows these neighborhoods
If you're weighing McKinney neighborhoods, or trying to work out how to sell one home and buy the next without getting stuck in between, let's talk it through. I'll give you a straight answer, not a menu of options. Get in touch or call me at (469) 693-3839.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which school district is McKinney in?
Most of McKinney is zoned to McKinney ISD. Some areas, including parts of Craig Ranch, are in other districts, and larger communities are split across several schools, so check the zoning for the specific address.
Is there new construction in McKinney?
Yes. Trinity Falls and Painted Tree are both still being built, with several builders and builder incentives. Stonebridge Ranch, by contrast, is all resale.
Do any McKinney neighborhoods have a MUD tax?
Trinity Falls does, so property taxes and carrying costs there run higher than in a neighborhood without one. Ask me about any specific address and I'll check.
Can you help me sell my current home and buy in McKinney at the same time?
Yes. That's most of my work. I lay out a timeline for when to list, when to buy and when to close so you aren't stuck without a place to move into.
McKinney
McKinney at a glance
- Why people choose it
- A lot of the city's life is outdoors, with plenty of activities built around kids and families. It feels a little less urban than Plano or Frisco, which is part of the appeal for many buyers.
- Schools
- Most of McKinney is zoned to McKinney ISD. Some areas, parts of Craig Ranch included, fall in other districts, so check the address.
- Getting around
- Most people commute by car.
- Nearby
- Historic downtown McKinney: renovated older buildings around the square, good restaurants, some nightlife, and something going on almost constantly, from farmers markets and Oktoberfest to parades and the Christmas festivities.
The method
How I do it in McKinney
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