At Painted Tree, we believe in the healing power of nature. (We’re a trailside community, after all.) So it only made sense for us to partner with a charity that feels the same way. ManeGait is a McKinney-based, nationally recognized, therapeutic riding center that teaches horsemanship to children and adults with disabilities. Learn more about the big difference they’re making in the lives of so many and the support Painted Tree is proud to provide.
Studies show that simply taking a walk can make you happier. Isn’t that something? By putting one foot in front of the other, even for a mile or two, our brains deliver much-appreciated bursts of endorphins, dopamine and serotonin to help boost our moods. Luckily, Painted Tree has 25 miles of interlacing trails guaranteed to make you smile.
We’re talking nine miles of planned single-track and natural-surface trails. Ten miles of paved pathways. And a signature greenway two-lane bike path that circles Painted Tree Lake.
But it’s more than trails. It’s also the exciting things to see and do alongside them. From sparkling water to mature woodlands, open-air pool houses to community gathering spaces, there’s no shortage of fun and inspiration to be had. And they all lead right to your front door.
While we don’t like to play favorites, we must say that our lake loop trail tops our list. (Especially now that the bridge completing the loop is almost finished!) Here, all residents may enjoy miles of paved paths gracefully hugging the water’s shores. But those who call the Lakeside District home will be mere steps away — all day, every day.
Sound like pure bliss? Then you’ll want to see what Normandy Homes is up to. This award-winning homebuilder is currently crafting single-family homes just a short bike ride or walk to the water, starting from the mid $500s. They have a model to tour and quick move-in homes ready now (or very soon).
It may only be spring, but things are really heating up at Painted Tree. We’re in the middle of building lots of fresh model homes, but for now, you can shop for new homes online from these five builders:
- Normandy Homes — A collection of six charming single-family homes in the Lakeside District from the mid $500s.
- Drees Custom Homes — Four beautiful single-family home options in the Village District from the high $600s.
- David Weekley Homes — Two inspired collections of single-family homes in the Village District from the mid $400s and mid $500s.
- Highland Homes — Two collections of stately single-family homes in the Village District from the mid $400s and mid $500s.
- Tri Pointe Homes Two collections each boasting six single-family homes in the Village District from the high $300s and mid $400s.
Right now, discover home plans, homes under construction — even homes coming soon — by using our new homefinder tool.
Want to get a good look in person? One model home is already open: The Orleans by Normandy Homes. Come take a tour and check back soon for more updates.
At Painted Tree, we’re cultivating a more natural landscape than typical developments. We’re using goats to clear invasive species and noxious weeds and we’re restoring indigenous plants and grasses to create a healthier more vibrant ecosystem.
In fact, Dr. Robert Moon, Painted Tree’s Senior Horticultural Consultant, has been advising us on environmental best practices from the beginning. He and his team have walked the land and taken soil samples to formulate the best combination of indigenous plants and help incorporate as many natural areas as possible into the community’s design.
We knew we wanted to preserve the community’s mature woodlands, for instance, creating a signature amenity that residents could use every day. But it’s not as easy as simply keeping the bulldozers away. Undesirable and invasive species like thorny briers, brambles, poison ivy, poison oak have to be eliminated from these mature woodlands — even for the team simply to navigate the property and plan how the areas will be enjoyed by residents.
Enter a 100-goat herd. Goats have an amazing ability to clear an area of unwanted vegetation and reseed desirable native plants in open areas simply by doing what goats do best, eating and pooping.
Once an area has been given the goat treatment, other native species can be re-introduced either by planting or seeding. Wildflowers, milkweed, Turk’s Cap … species that benefit monarch butterflies and other pollinators are all part of the plan.
This environmentally friendly approach is not just reserved for the Woodland District. It’s how all Painted Tree’s natural open areas are being restored — around the lake, on prairies and in many park spaces. Native and drought tolerant plant recommendations will also be given to homeowners so they may be part of this program.
In addition to how areas are planted, Dr. Moon’s team is influencing how Painted Tree comes to life in other ways. Miles of trails have been mulched using trees and brush harvested from the property.
Keeping it all as local and as natural as possible.
It’s been an amazing year at Painted Tree – the goat groundbreaking, opening our first models by Normandy Homes, beginning our comprehensive trail system – and yet, next year is going bigger. Way bigger.
In the summer of 2023, we will celebrate Painted Tree’s official grand opening, a party years in the making and a not-to-miss occasion. It will commemorate all that makes this trailside community so different … so artful … so … Painted Tree.
We will be putting the finishing touches on two of three inspired community hubs, the Village Trailhead (coming summer 2023) and The Outpost (coming winter 2023). Pools, firepits, event venues … these will be the very embodiment of our community. As the names imply, they are also where to meet before and after a day on the trails. All part of a nature-full, creative life here.
2023 will also be the year Learning Tree Montessori School opens in Painted Tree, so kids can walk to school and begin their education close to home. Of course, just beyond Painted Tree, parents have a great selection of A-rated McKinney ISD and charter schools for their kids.
The first of many community events will happen this fall – bringing together our first residents – neighborhood parks will open, and the network of trails will cover new ground and provide fantastic new experiences along the way.
Finally, throughout the year, we will be unveiling new models by eight builders: Single-family homes by Highland Homes, TriPointe Homes, David Weekley Homes, Trophy Signature Homes, and semi-custom homes by Drees Custom Homes. Plus, a selection of CB JENI townhomes for sale and various options for homes to lease are coming.
Stay tuned. 2023 is going to be one for the ages.
It starts with one. Over the next couple of decades, 1,100-acre Painted Tree will fill in with parks, pools, miles of multi-surfaced trails and thousands of new ways to live. In fact, as many as 4,000 buyers have already expressed an interest in Painted Tree and 19 have already purchased a home. So, maybe it really starts with 19. Here we go!
In October 2020, just as the housing market was heating up and interest rates were at all-time lows, Painted Tree was introduced as McKinney’s most exciting new community. 1,100 acres of trail-woven woodlands, rolling prairie and shimmering waters, featuring inspired amenity hubs and homes to fall in love with. Nothing has changed … except the market. Progress on the community continues at full speed (three miles of trails have already been created, for instance) even as home sales take a breather. However, Painted Tree is still outperforming other North Texas communities.
It’s fitting that the first homes for sale at Painted Tree are by locally based Normandy Homes. The award-winning homebuilder’s offering of stunning single-family homes in the Lakeside District are thoughtfully crafted for life in North Texas, with open designs, covered patios and a modern yet timeless aesthetic. And in this trailside community, a Normandy home is the perfect basecamp for the adventure called life.
The conventional ceremony would go something like: a dozen dignitaries and executives in hard hats, with gold shovels pressed halfway into the soil, posing for the cliché of all photo ops. However, Painted Tree is anything but conventional. This nature-first community calls for something more natural, introducing a 100-goat herd onto the property to begin clearing brush in the 200-acre greenbelt. A more environmentally sensitive way to preserve and protect the site’s signature amenity – the land itself.
Being local is incredibly important to Painted Tree developer, Tom Woliver. “We’re all in on McKinney,” says Woliver, who moved his business — and family! — to the beloved town. Many of the community consultants also live in the city. And why not? It’s a pretty big city that lives like a small town, complete with historic charm and creative spirit. A true gem nestled about 30 miles northeast of Dallas.
Check out this recent article from Checkout DFW to learn more about what makes McKinney special. (And why so many people want to call the area home.)
