Why are lot sizes so small (Dallas, Plano: real estate, townhome, neighborhoods)

[prettyinnj07]

Relocating from NJ to Dallas. Current home has an acre, as a single parent I'm looking to down size on my lot size but increase current sq footage. What newer communities in Frisco, Plano area have approx 1/3 -1/5 acre lots sizes with at least 3500 sq ft but priced between $300 - $450K?

Thanks

[theloneranger]

We don't do huge lots down here--and areas like Plano and Frisco don't in particular--they tend to have small lots with large houses built closely together to maximize profits.

I'm sure there are neighborhoods like that in those areas, but it certainly isn't common.

[BigDGeek]

When real estate developers buy these large tracts of land they want to cram as many houses as they can onto them, so they build them with small yards and with 2 stories so they can maximize square footage (and profit). That is my theory.

If you want a bigger lot, you will have to pay $$$ in the suburbs or go to Dallas where the lots are older (and usually much bigger).

[momof2dfw]

Or go eastward and the lots do tend to be a bit larger. It just depends on the density the city will allow in their developments.

[nmnita]

I have always wondered the same, with land being relatively inexpensive in much of the area (I use the term relatively) I have never understood why all the newer homes are built on literally no land..

Nita

[loves2read]

land is only "relatively" inexpensive until a developer gets hold of it--by the time the developer has bought the raw land and turned it into a real subdivision...the acreage has probably been flipped at least twice and maybe three times--each time there has been some feature(s) of the cumulative package done --enough to justify in someone's mind doubling the price of the individual lot...
the developer usually designes and asks for construction permission from the city for lots to be probably 5-10K more sq ft than he (and the city) knows will be the eventual size of the lots...

but that shaving of dirt comes after the city had extended the developer some measure of tax cuts or rebates to "entice" him into committing to build the development that he wants to build anyway and knows he will make money doing--he just wants to make MORE money--and getting the city/county to agree to some type of incentives puts money on his side of the plate...

at some point in the process--before the streets have been paved probably and items like light poles, fire hydrants, drainage lines have been completed--the builder will go back and ask to reduce the size of the lots so that he can increase the number of houses he wants to get in there...

it will require a re-zoning of the property probably--but citizens won't really be concerned with it unless
1) they live in Southlake and religiously guard the sq ft of lot size to maintain their desired "large lot" image...
2) it will turn SFR into townhome development which would affect neighboring values more than additional SFR,
3) you plan on buying one or are concerned about traffic/water runoff changes from the original...

down here the city councils have never really had the interests of OTHER homeowners as much to heart as they have had developers' input and the tax dollars they provide

[Pintea]

I think some properties in Murphy might fit the bill.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Pintea

I think some properties in Murphy might fit the bill.

There, or Parker. I think both Murphy and Parker have rules about lot size, right?

[nsumner]

Remember that when you increase square footage, you are increasing the footprint of the home taking up a lot of that land.

The following neighborhoods in Plano/Frisco/McKinney have some lots that are at least 1/3 ac with homes of at least 3500SF. They are not abundant but a few homes on the market with such lot sizes.

Plano: Whiffletree, Stoney Hollow, Ridgeview Ranch
Frisco: Wynnwood Haven (Little Elm ISD), Cobb Farm
McKinney: Chancellor Creek, Hidden Creek, Mallard Lakes, Arbor Glen, Kensington, Stonebridge has many homes with large lots.

Your Realtor can do a search based on lot size.

Naima

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by nsumner

Remember that when you increase square footage, you are increasing the footprint of the home taking up a lot of that land.

The following neighborhoods in Plano/Frisco/McKinney have some lots that are at least 1/3 ac with homes of at least 3500SF. They are not abundant but a few homes on the market with such lot sizes.

Plano: Whiffletree, Stoney Hollow, Ridgeview Ranch
Frisco: Wynnwood Haven (Little Elm ISD), Cobb Farm
McKinney: Chancellor Creek, Hidden Creek, Mallard Lakes, Arbor Glen, Kensington, Stonebridge has many homes with large lots.

Your Realtor can do a search based on lot size.

Naima

I highly recommend all of those neighborhoods listed. I have been in everyone of them and know people in all of them who love it there. Now, you just need to go visit them and find which one you like the best.