Buying along I-35W north of Fort Worth? Here's your guide to the new communities

If you’re house-hunting north of Fort Worth, the 15-mile stretch of Interstate 35W between Texas Motor Speedway and Denton has become the most active master-planned corridor in North Texas — and one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

Roughly 20,000 homes are planned along I-35W from Denton to Flower Mound, anchored by four major communities at four different price points. Two H-E-B grocery stores, a 123-acre retail hub and miles of new trails are following the rooftops. Here’s what suburban buyers need to know about where their budget fits, which school district serves which neighborhood and when homes actually go on sale.

Landmark by Hillwood: the largest, with the broadest price range

Ross Perot Jr.’s Hillwood Company unveiled Landmark by Hillwood on Nov. 13, calling it the company’s biggest project yet along the corridor. The 3,200-acre development sits at I-35W and Robson Ranch Road in southern Denton County.

The numbers: - 6,000 single-family homes - About 3,000 apartment units - 900 acres of commercial space - 1,100 acres of green space under a conservation easement - 35 miles of bike and hiking trails - A 300-acre park centered on Pilot Knob

Prices and timing: Nine homebuilders have purchased lots offering 40-foot to 70-foot widths. Hillwood Vice President Andrew Pieper estimated prices will range from $450,000 to $1 million. Model homes in the first phase of 747 homes are open.

Why it matters for buyers: Landmark will host the first of two H-E-B stores planned for the corridor, set to open in early 2027. Pieper specifically called out demand for executive housing for University of North Texas professors, hospital doctors and business leaders in nearby Denton.

“We have this amazing piece of property. We just don’t want to screw it up,” Hillwood Vice President of Development Kimberly Cole said.

Furst Ranch: luxury at the Argyle ISD anchor

If schools are driving your decision, Furst Ranch is the address to know. The 2,300-acre community at U.S. 377 and Cross Timbers Road in Flower Mound sits inside the Argyle Independent School District, which holds an A rating from the Texas Education Agency.

The plan: 3,000 homes and 5,000 apartments, eventually housing an estimated 20,000 people. An H-E-B grocery store is planned within the development.

The builders and prices: Hines and partners Trez Capital and the Furst Family are leading the project. Seven homebuilders were initially announced — David Weekley Homes, Coventry, Highland, Shaddock, Drees, Tradition and Partners in Building — with prices from $800,000 to over $2.5 million.

Three neighborhoods cater to different lot sizes: - High Plains: 1,100 lots, 50 to 80 feet wide - Prairie Vista: 200 lots, half-acre to one acre - Cross Timbers: 74 lots, one to two acres

What’s selling now: Tradition Homes, which builds in Prosper, Celina and Colleyville, broke ground in High Plains in May with prices starting at $1.2 million. A model home should be completed this summer. Tradition’s lots in this first phase are 80 feet wide and located in Flower Mound. The builder will begin its next phase in the Cross Timbers neighborhood in Bartonville in 2028 on one- and two-acre lots — all still in Argyle ISD.

“We came across Furst Ranch, and we were hooked. The land is gorgeous,” said Zach Schneider, president and CEO of Tradition Homes.

Cole Ranch: the newest entry, with Denton ISD schools

Work began in June on Cole Ranch, a $5 billion, 4,365-home community on 3,100 acres in south Denton, stretching to FM 1171 in Flower Mound. It’s a partnership between Johnson Development Corp. of Houston, the Cole Ranch Co. and Denton Range LLC.

What’s included: - 1,200 acres preserved as open space - 26 miles of trails, with portions in the Hickory Creek area - Two lakes - A 50-acre city park - 156 acres of commercial development - A 55-acre business park - 206 acres for two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school in Denton ISD

When to shop: Home sales are expected to begin in late 2027 — making Cole Ranch a longer-horizon option for buyers who can wait. The land is named after Miner Thomas “MT” Cole, who bought the property in the 1930s.

Treeline: the value play in Justin’s ETJ

For buyers willing to look slightly farther out, Hillwood’s Treeline is an 800-acre, 2,700-home community in Justin’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The subdivision sits outside city limits but Justin handles police, fire, trash, water and sewer services under an agreement with Hillwood.

It’s marketed as a community “nestled on 800+ acres in the charming city of Justin” — appealing to buyers who want master-planned amenities with a more rural backdrop. Hillwood also operates the neighboring Harvest (1,200 acres) and Pecan Square (1,157 acres) communities along the corridor.

What’s coming to shop, eat and see a doctor

Buyers comparing communities should weigh the retail and services arriving alongside the rooftops.

H-E-B: Texas’s beloved grocer is opening three stores in Denton County. The first, at I-35W and Robson Ranch Road inside Landmark, is set to open in early 2027. A second 119,000-square-foot store at 2210 W. University Drive in Denton is expected to begin construction in spring 2026. That will make Denton join Frisco as one of the only Metroplex communities with two H-E-Bs. The grocer also plans a store at U.S. 377 and FM 1171 in Furst Ranch.

The Heritage retail hub: Argyle and R.Y. Properties are developing 123 acres on the southwest corner of Robson Ranch Road and I-35W, just north of Harvest. The Heritage development will include big-box stores — Argyle Mayor Ron Schmidt cited Target, Costco and Lowe’s Home Improvement as the type of retailers being courted — restaurants and possibly a competing grocery store. Construction starts this year, with retailers arriving in 2027.

Medical services: A 50-acre medical component within Heritage has an area designated for a hospital plus wellness-oriented businesses. Schmidt said Baylor Scott & White has approached the town about locating there.

According to a 2024 Retail Strategies report cited by Argyle, the area within a 10-minute drive of the Heritage site already has 61,490 residents in 20,364 households, with an average home value of $734,080 and a median household income of $150,433.

At-a-glance: matching your budget to a community

• $450,000 to $1 million: Landmark by Hillwood (Denton ISD area, model homes spring 2026)
• $800,000 to $2.5 million-plus: Furst Ranch across seven builders (Argyle ISD, A-rated)
• $1.2 million and up: Tradition Homes at Furst Ranch’s High Plains (Argyle ISD)
• Sales begin late 2027: Cole Ranch (Denton ISD)
• Hillwood master-planned, Justin ETJ: Treeline, 2,700 homes underway

Hillwood President Mike Berry told the crowd at Landmark’s unveiling that the company’s developments along I-35W between Loop 820 and Texas 114 have generated billions of dollars of economic impact over 35 years. The stretch between Texas 114 and Denton, he said, will have the same impact.

For buyers, that means more inventory, more schools, more shopping — and more decisions about which community matches the life you’re moving here for.