Painted Tree Just Announced Its Final Phase — Should I Buy Now Before Prices Jump, or Wait for the Last Section to Release?

Painted Tree just announced it's entering its final phase of development — should I buy now before prices jump, or wait for the last section to release? In most cases, buying sooner rather than later makes sense, since builders in McKinney, TX typically raise prices as remaining lots shrink, not the other way around.

Painted Tree has been one of the most closely watched master-planned communities in Collin County since it broke ground, and the announcement that it's moving into its final phase is a signal worth paying attention to whether you're actively house hunting or just keeping an eye on the market. Final phases almost always come with fewer floor plan choices, smaller lot inventory, and builders who know exactly how much leverage they have left. That combination tends to push prices up, not down, as a community winds toward build-out. But "buy now" isn't automatically the right answer for every buyer, and the specific section, lot location, and builder incentives still in play matter just as much as the calendar. Before you make a decision, it helps to understand what "final phase" actually means for a neighborhood like Painted Tree, why builders price this way, and what questions to ask before you sign anything. This post breaks down the practical tradeoffs between buying into the last section now versus waiting to see what releases, so you can make a decision based on how this specific community is moving rather than general market noise.

What "Final Phase" Actually Means at Painted Tree

When a developer announces a final phase, it means the remaining undeveloped land within the community's master plan is being platted and released for building. For Painted Tree, this typically signals that the pool of available lots is now finite and known, rather than open-ended. Builders operating in the community can see exactly how much inventory is left, and that visibility almost always shows up in pricing strategy.

It doesn't mean homes will stop being built overnight. Construction and closings in a final phase can stretch out over a year or more. But it does mean the easy, early-phase pricing that drew buyers to Painted Tree in its first years is largely behind you.

Why Prices Tend to Rise in a Community's Last Phase

Builders in growing McKinney neighborhoods generally use a simple playbook: price early sections lower to generate momentum and word of mouth, then raise prices in phases as the community fills in and amenities like trails, pools, and parks come online. By the final phase, buyers are purchasing into a neighborhood that's essentially finished and proven, which commands a premium.

There's also simple scarcity. Once a builder knows a section is the last one, there's little incentive to offer the same rate locks, design credits, or closing-cost concessions that helped move inventory in earlier phases. If you've been waiting for a deal, the final phase is usually the wrong place to find one.

The Case for Buying Now

• Lot selection is better earlier in the phase. The best-positioned lots - away from busy roads, backing to greenbelt, or with ideal orientation - tend to go first.
• Incentives are usually stronger at the start of a final release than toward the end, when the builder knows demand will carry the remaining homes.
• Locking a price now protects you from the step-ups that typically happen as each section within the final phase sells down.

The Case for Waiting

• If you need a specific floor plan or price point that isn't currently available, waiting for the next release within the final phase may be your only option.
• Buyers planning to pay cash or needing flexible timing sometimes benefit from waiting to see finished inventory or quick move-in homes rather than committing to a lot that won't close for 8-12 months.
• If broader mortgage rates are in flux, it may be worth pairing your Painted Tree decision with a broader look at financing timing - something we've covered in detail for McKinney buyers watching current mortgage rates.

How Painted Tree Compares to Other Final-Stretch Communities

Painted Tree isn't the only McKinney-area community approaching build-out. If you're weighing this decision against other options, it's worth comparing how Painted Tree's final phase pricing stacks up against newer communities still in earlier release stages, like the comparison we laid out between Emerald Lake, Trinity Falls, and Painted Tree. Buyers who want the proven amenities of an established Collin County neighborhood but still want room to negotiate sometimes find better leverage in a community that's earlier in its lifecycle.

It's also worth noting that infrastructure investment nearby can affect how this final phase is priced and absorbed. The planned Texas Health hospital near US-75, for example, has already factored into how buyers are thinking about long-term value in Painted Tree and Trinity Falls, and it's a reasonable factor to weigh alongside the final-phase pricing conversation.

Questions to Ask Before You Commit

• How many sections remain within the final phase, and what's the builder's typical price-increase cadence between them?
• Are lot premiums fixed, or do they increase as the best remaining lots sell?
• What incentives, if any, are still available, and do they shrink with each new release?
• Is the HOA fully funded for the amenities already promised to the community?

Bottom Line for McKinney and Collin County Buyers

If Painted Tree is genuinely the community you want, moving sooner rather than later in the final phase is usually the financially sound choice, since prices in McKinney's master-planned communities rarely move backward once a builder signals scarcity. The exception is if your ideal lot or floor plan simply isn't available yet - in that case, waiting for the next release is worth the patience, as long as you go in expecting a higher price tag than what's on the table today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Painted Tree home prices definitely go up in the final phase?

There's no guarantee, but it's the typical pattern for master-planned communities in McKinney and across Collin County. Builders generally raise prices as remaining inventory shrinks rather than offering discounts near build-out.

How long will Painted Tree's final phase take to sell out?

It varies by builder and section, but final phases in comparable North Texas communities have taken anywhere from several months to a couple of years to fully build out and close.

Should I buy a lot now even if construction won't finish for a year?

If the price and location work for you, locking in now can protect you from the price increases that typically happen between sections of a final phase, even if move-in is still months away.

Ask me which Painted Tree districts still have lots left before this final phase sells out - I'm Jane Clark with Keller Williams McKinney, and I track this community closely for buyers across McKinney and Collin County.