ROYSE CITY, Texas — Real estate east of Dallas County is exploding. Both Royse City and Fate in Rockwall and Hunt counties are at the heart of this transformation, capturing interest with their blend of charm, opportunity and affordability.
Small businesses line Royse City’s downtown drag, including a coffee shop, where Daybreak Anchor Kara Sewell met realtor Delisa Lapinsky.
"It’s that small-town charm that these towns have worked very hard to keep. They want that small town feel, they want that feel of community, the sense of belonging," says Delisa Lapinsky.
It's one reason Delisa moved to nearby Fate, seventeen years ago. A slower lifestyle with the pulse of Dallas and Plano in reach.
But she says now it’s the region's cost-of-living driving people east of Dallas County.
Through her YouTube channel, Delisa meets a variety of homebuyers flocking to the nearly two dozen new construction communities.
"To find something between the low two hundred and say $325K-$350K, you will have a large selection out here and it makes it affordable for people to buy out here," says Lapinsky.
Market data reveals a starter home in Royse City can be around 30% cheaper to buy compared to a similar starter home in Dallas.
"Right now, the demand has been a lot on new builds. Number one, you can select your plans. A lot of people like that. But number two, they're giving good incentives," says Lapinsky.
Delisa says that’s because builders have the inventory.
"They don't want to hold on to that inventory because they've got their holding costs like anybody else. And so, they know where their bottom line is and where they're still going to make a profit. So, they're trying to move them as quick as they can," says Lapinsky.
Delisa says neighborhoods like Avondale, Monterra and Edgewater offer resort-style amenities just west of Royse City in Fate.
"Right now, it's particularly good to buy dirt to buy land or buy properties that are on land. Because they don't make any more dirt," says Lapinsky.
Delisa recommends buying a home on a couple of acres or just buying a couple of acres of land while it’s still available.
"There’s only so far you can go north because that's being built out heavily. East, we're the doorway to East Texas so easy getting to the East Texas area. There's a lot more land for expansion out here and that's why companies are coming out here. That's why builders have come out here because there are opportunities to build affordable housing," says Lapinsky.
Modern housing with a rural feel, redefining what it looks like to move East of Dallas County.
This is part one of a three-part series highlighting communities east of Dallas. Parts 2 and 3 will air on Monday, Nov. 18 and Monday, Nov. 25.