Two of the fastest-growing cities in Texas sit side by side on Interstate 30 east of Rockwall. The Census Bureau's July 2024 estimates put Fate at 27,467 people, up from 17,976 at the 2020 count, and Royse City at 26,387, up from 13,561 (Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 estimates). Nearly all of that growth is new construction, and most of it is in a handful of master-planned communities. This guide names them, explains the contract and tax arrangements that differ from a resale purchase, and lists the questions we ask a builder's sales office on a client's behalf.
The communities
Fate
- Woodcreek: begun in 2005, developed by SouthStar Communities, planned for more than 4,000 homes. Builders have included Beazer, Bloomfield, D.R. Horton, Lennar, Meritage, Pulte and First Texas Homes, with Hillwood buying 62 acres for 216 lots in 2012 (Candy's Dirt; Hillwood). A builder's page listed HOA dues of $720 a year in 2026 (First Texas Homes).
- Williamsburg: about 1,450 lots on 342 acres, with a clubhouse, fitness center and three pools, and Lupe Garcia Elementary built inside it in 2021 (Scarborough Lane Development; Lupe Garcia Elementary).
- Chamberlain Crossing: built in phases by Lennar, whose newer section sells as the Reserve at Chamberlain Crossing; the phase 3 amenity center with a pool was completed in March 2021 at an estimated $550,000 (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation).
Royse City
The Royse City Community Development Corporation counts 42 master-planned communities in the city and lists the builder in each (Royse City CDC, housing). The largest is Verandah, 850 acres developed by Centurion American with 2,300 lots planned, two amenity centers and Ruth Cherry Elementary inside the community; its builders have included Beazer, D.R. Horton, Lennar, M/I Homes and Megatel (Centurion American). From the CDC's list: Creekshaw, 750 home sites with Highland Homes, K. Hovnanian and David Weekley; Hidden Creek Estates, about 1,000 homes at build-out; Woodland Creek, 589 lots by D.R. Horton; and several Meritage communities including Parkside Village and Frost Farm. The CDC also lists acreage subdivisions such as Fairway Ranch Estates (62 homes on 1.5 to 2 acre lots) and Starlight Ranch (55 homes on one-acre lots) for buyers who want land without leaving the city.
The contract is different
A resale in Texas uses the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19 (TREC). New construction uses one of two other TREC forms: the New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction), form 23-20, effective July 1, 2026, for homes the builder has not finished, and the New Home Contract (Completed Construction) for inventory homes (TREC, form 23-20). Many production builders do not use the TREC forms at all. They use their own purchase agreement, which they are entitled to do, and it usually differs from the TREC form on earnest money, the right to terminate, construction deadlines and what happens if the appraisal comes in low. Read it before you sign the lot reservation, and read our option period guide to see what the TREC form would have given you, so you know what you are trading away.
The tax bill has extra lines
New subdivisions in this area are often financed through a municipal utility district (MUD) or a public improvement district (PID), which adds a tax or assessment on top of the city, county and school rates. Verandah sits in a MUD in the Hunt County part of Royse City (Royse City Herald-Banner, 2019). The Rockwall Central Appraisal District has published a MUD FAQ and a guide to PIDs for exactly this reason, and lists the PIDs in the county on its site (Rockwall CAD).
The base rates are higher here than in Rockwall or Heath, too. Royse City adopted a city rate of $0.5780 per $100 for 2025-26 (City of Royse City, FY26 adopted budget), and Fate adopted $0.290869, up from $0.259245 (Blue Ribbon News, September 2025). Add Rockwall County at $0.2510 (Blue Ribbon News), the school district, and any MUD or PID, and a Royse City homeowner can exceed $2.00 per $100 before exemptions once a MUD or PID is added. Ask the sales office for the total rate for the specific lot, and check it against the appraisal district's truth-in-taxation database. Our homestead guide explains which exemptions apply to which lines.
Two school districts
Fate is split between Rockwall ISD and Royse City ISD, and Royse City itself spans Rockwall, Collin and Hunt counties with Royse City ISD covering about 77 square miles across all three (Royse City ISD, about). Royse City ISD expects to add 200 to 500 students a year and has been opening elementary campuses to keep up; Rockwall ISD earned an A in the 2026 state ratings (Rockwall ISD). The district line does not follow a road you would recognize, so ask which district a lot is in before asking which school. Rockwall ISD and the schools that serve each neighborhood explains how to verify a zone.
Nobody licenses the builder
Texas abolished the Texas Residential Construction Commission in 2009 after the Legislature declined to continue it (House Research Organization, HB 2295 analysis), and no state agency has licensed home builders since. The builder's warranty, its reputation and the inspections you pay for are the protections you have. The city inspects for code; the city does not inspect for quality.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is this the TREC contract or the builder's own? Ask for a blank copy to read before the lot reservation.
- What is the total tax rate for this lot, including any MUD or PID, and for how many years does the PID assessment run?
- Which school district, and which campus, for this address? Get it from the district, not the sales office.
- Are there HOA dues, and is there a capital contribution or transfer fee at closing?
- Can I hire my own inspector at the pre-drywall and final stages? Most builders allow it; a few resist.
- What is the builder's completion date, and what happens to my earnest money and rate lock if it slips?
- Does the price include the lot premium, the landscaping, the fence, the blinds and the garage door opener? Each is an add-on at some builders.
- Who is the preferred lender, what incentive is tied to using them, and is my own lender's quote lower after the incentive?
Why use an agent on a new build
The sales consultant works for the builder. A buyer's agent can be paid by the builder in most communities, reads the contract against the TREC form, schedules the third-party inspections and tracks the completion date, and a seller who is moving into new construction has a resale to time as well; a valuation of the current home before you reserve a lot keeps the two dates from colliding. The Fate and Royse City guides list the team's current listings, and our buyer's guide covers the financing steps that apply to any purchase. Call the team before your first builder visit so you are registered as represented.