7801 Trinity Falls Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75071 · Collin County · McKinney ISD · Del Webb 55+ on-site
Trinity Falls: The Honest Buyer’s Guide
If you’re researching Trinity Falls, you’ve probably already seen the pretty pictures. What you haven’t gotten are straight answers on the MUD tax, the HOA, the transfer fee most people don’t hear about until closing, and how it really stacks up against Painted Tree. I’m Tommy Wooten — a new construction specialist of McKinney, TX — and this page answers the eight questions buyers are actually asking, with nothing polished over and nothing hidden.
Last reviewed: September 11, 2026
Question 01 · Taxes
“How bad is the MUD tax?”
Straight answer: it’s the biggest number on the page, so let’s deal with it first. A Municipal Utility District (MUD) is a special taxing district that funds the water, sewer and road infrastructure inside a new community. You repay it through your property tax bill.
The combined base rate at Trinity Falls before the MUDs is roughly 1.3349%. Then come the MUDs — and yes, that’s plural. It’s rare to see two attached to one community, but Trinity Falls has both:
| Taxing entity | Rate (per $100) |
|---|---|
| Combined base rate (county, school, college, etc.) | ≈ 1.3349% |
| McKinney MUD 1 | ≈ 0.9847% |
| McKinney MUD 2 | ≈ 1.0500% |
That puts the all-in rate around 2.32%–2.38% depending on which MUD your homesite sits in. One important offset: because Trinity Falls is located in the MUDs, homeowners do not pay City of McKinney property taxes. The MUD is essentially standing in for the city’s share while the infrastructure debt is being repaid.
On an $800,000 home, that total rate means roughly $18,500–$19,100 a year before exemptions. That’s real money — and it’s exactly why you should run the all-in math against a comparable home in a non-MUD neighborhood before you fall in love with a floor plan. My Dallas cost calculator and property tax map makes that comparison easy. VERIFY: Confirm which MUD covers each phase and current adopted rates as of 09/2026
Multigenerational move · 55+ living
Why Del Webb Can Be a Cheat Code for Adult Children Moving Parents Nearby
If your parents are moving to North Texas when you do, Del Webb at Trinity Falls can be a genuine cheat code. Del Webb is one of the best-known names in active-adult housing, built around a simple idea: adults 55 and older can keep an independent home and social life while living close enough to children and grandchildren for dinner, appointments and the moments that actually matter. Here, that option sits inside the same larger community rather than across town.
For 2026, base new construction generally runs from the mid-$300s through the mid-$600s. Fully upgraded quick move-in and resale homes can reach the mid-$700s. Del Webb homeowners pay approximately $405–$420 per quarter, or roughly $135–$140 per month, for the specialized active-adult program. Those figures are guidance, not quotes; verify the exact home price, dues and fee schedule before contracting.
Exclusive 55+ amenities
Del Webb-only amenity centers, a resort-style fitness center, beach-entry pool, pickleball and bocce courts.
A built-in social calendar
A full-time, on-site Lifestyle Director coordinates clubs, daily activities and group excursions.
The full Trinity Falls lifestyle
Residents also use B.B. Owen Park, lake and kayak areas, disc golf and miles of integrated trails.
Common-area care
Dues support landscaping, irrigation and maintenance across common spaces, greenbelts and local dog parks.
The value is not that your parents need to be entertained every hour. It is that they can build their own routine and friendships without relying on you for all of their social life, while the whole family stays in one community. That is a rare and practical setup for a multigenerational move.
Question 02 · Taxes
“When does the MUD go away?”
Not all at once, and not soon — but it does shrink. MUD tax rates typically decrease over time as two things happen: more homes are built (spreading the debt across more taxpayers) and the infrastructure bonds are gradually paid off by the community.
The typical lifespan of those infrastructure bonds is 20 to 30-plus years. As bond series retire, the debt-service portion of the MUD rate comes down. What usually doesn’t fully disappear is the maintenance tax — the smaller ongoing component that funds operations of district facilities. That piece can be permanent.
The practical takeaway: don’t buy at Trinity Falls assuming today’s MUD rate is forever, but don’t budget as if it vanishes in five years either. If you expect to own the home 7–10 years, you’ll likely see meaningful rate relief during your ownership — and a buyer purchasing from you later will see a better number than you did. Ask for the district’s current bond schedule and rate history; it’s public information, and I pull it for my clients as part of a Trinity Falls analysis.
Question 03 · Monthly costs
“How much is the HOA?”
It depends on which Trinity Falls product you buy — the community has three distinct HOA structures:
| Product | Dues | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard single-family homes | $393 / quarter ($1,572 / yr) | Managed by CCMC Management; covers resort-style pools, fitness centers, lodge, trails and neighborhood events. |
| Townhomes | $250 / month + master association fee | The extra monthly fee covers specialized townhome structural and lawn maintenance. |
| Del Webb at Trinity Falls (55+) | $420 / quarter + $450 / yr master usage | Age-restricted active adult neighborhood with its own amenities plus master community access. |
For a standard single-family home, that $1,572 a year covers the resort-style pools, fitness centers, lodge, trails and the neighborhood events calendar — the amenity package is one of Trinity Falls’ genuine strengths, and the dues are in line with what comparable North Dallas master plans charge.
VERIFY: Confirm current quarterly amounts and any planned increases with CCMC Management as of 09/2026
Question 04 · The one nobody mentions
“Are there fees when I eventually sell?”
Yes — and this is my least favorite thing about the community. If you’re buying a home here, you need to know about the 1% private transfer fee.
In Trinity Falls, a deed restriction requires home sellers to pay a 1% fee based on the final sales price of the home at closing. On a $700,000 sale, that’s $7,000 off your proceeds. It’s technically paid by the seller, but make no mistake — it’s a significant financial factor in every local transaction, and it affects how buyers should think about their eventual exit price.
Some context, because I’ve lived this fight: when I served on TREPAC (the Texas Association of Realtors’ political action committee) in the 2010s, we traveled to Austin periodically to work with state legislators to keep private transfer fees from becoming a statewide practice the way they are in other states. We largely won that battle at the state level — but it doesn’t stop individual developers from creating their own, and Trinity Falls has one.
Does that make Trinity Falls a bad buy? No. But it means your true cost of ownership includes a 1% exit toll, and any honest comparison with another community should factor it in. I’d rather you hear it from me now than from a closing statement in 2031.
Question 05 · Daily life
“Is getting in and out difficult?”
Today, it takes some patience — and it’s improving. There are only three major ways to access US-75 or US-380 from the community, so peak-hour traffic funnels through a limited set of routes. The Collin County Outer Loop to the north works as a pressure valve, and as the area around the community develops, traffic will ease.
In real drive-time terms from the 7801 Trinity Falls Pkwy entrance: plan on roughly 5 minutes to US-75 (Central Expressway), about 10 minutes south to Hwy 380 (University Drive), and around 20 minutes to SH-121 via 75. From there, Plano’s Legacy corridor is about 25–30 minutes, Frisco’s employment core similar, and downtown Dallas about 40–45 minutes in normal traffic. VERIFY: Drive times at your actual commute hour
Day to day, the anchors are close: the HEB on Hwy 380 handles groceries, Erwin Park’s trails and the downtown McKinney Square’s restaurants are an easy outing, and McKinney National Airport sits minutes away for private and corporate aviation. VERIFY: Craig Ranch and the Apex Centre as nearby fitness and entertainment anchors
Who this location works for: if you’re coming from Plano’s Legacy corridor or West Plano, you’re trading a shorter commute for more house, newer construction and lower prices per square foot — many of my buyers make that trade happily. If you’re relocating out of Dallas proper — Uptown, Oak Lawn, East Dallas — expect a real lifestyle shift toward space and quiet in exchange for the drive. And for out-of-state buyers joining the broader DFW relocation wave, Trinity Falls sits in the same northern growth arc as Prosper and Frisco, usually at a friendlier entry price than either.
This is the classic North Texas growth pattern: the rooftops arrive first, the road capacity follows. Buyers who lived through Frisco’s or Prosper’s build-out will recognize it. The fair warning is this — if your household has two commuters leaving at 7:30 a.m. sharp every day, drive the actual route at your actual hour before you contract. What feels fine on a Saturday tour is different on a Tuesday in the rain.
For context on how commute realities shape neighborhood choice, see my Know Dallas Before You Go framework — “where do you work?” is the first question I ask every relocation buyer for a reason.
Question 06 · What’s coming
“What will the 380 bypass do to the community?”
It can’t come fast enough — but it will change the neighborhood’s feel. Here’s the honest pro-and-con.
The good: a massive mixed-use development featuring new retail, dining and hotel space is already being planned for the future intersection of US-75 and the US-380 bypass alignment. The bypass will also make commuting east-west across Collin County much faster — a genuine quality-of-life upgrade for a community whose whole access story is north-south today.
The bad: the previously quiet, rural feel of the southern approach into Trinity Falls will change dramatically. Residents on the south side will experience long-term construction noise, increased traffic flow at the entrances, and a shift toward a highly commercialized landscape. The bypass route cuts right through the area where Laud Howell Parkway meets Trinity Falls Parkway, just west of US-75 — meaning the freeway will pass right by the southern entrance and lower boundaries of the neighborhood.
Current status: TxDOT has officially begun purchasing land parcels and right-of-way along the alignment, and major utility relocations plus roadway construction are projected to begin as early as 2027 once funding packages are cleared. If you’re considering a homesite on the south side of the community, this belongs in your decision. VERIFY: Current TxDOT right-of-way and construction timeline as of 09/2026
Question 07 · The rumor
“Is the landfill actually a concern?”
Largely no — and I’d tell you if it were otherwise. The concern traces to the NTMWD 121 Regional Disposal Facility, a large active landfill a few miles northeast of the community up in Melissa. It’s not next door, and I wouldn’t make a six-figure decision on something this trivial — but you deserve the full picture, so here it is.
How much it matters depends heavily on wind direction and where your home sits inside the neighborhood. North Texas gets strong south winds during the hot summer months, which push smells away from Trinity Falls. During late fall, winter and early spring, strong north and northeast winds can occasionally push landfill odors across the property.
The reality from residents: it is not a 24/7 issue. Most report noticing it only a few days out of the month, usually early in the morning during a weather front change. If you want certainty, do what I have my clients do — visit the community on a cool morning with a north wind and judge for yourself. But of the eight questions on this page, this one should carry the least weight in your decision.
Question 08 · The head-to-head
“Trinity Falls vs Painted Tree?”
The most common comparison I’m asked for — and for good reason. Both are large McKinney-area master plans with strong amenity programs and multiple builders. Here’s the side-by-side, with estimates marked as estimates:
| Trinity Falls | Painted Tree | |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price bands | Est. $400s townhomes to $900s+ on larger lots; Del Webb 55+ roughly $400s–$700s | Est. $400s to $900s+ across multiple builders and lot widths |
| MUD / district situation | Two MUDs (MUD 1 ≈ 0.9847, MUD 2 ≈ 1.0500) — no City of McKinney tax; total ≈ 2.32%–2.38% | Own special district structure; verify the total rate per homesite before comparing |
| HOA | $393/qtr single-family; townhomes +$250/mo; Del Webb $420/qtr + $450/yr | Comparable master association dues; verify current amount with management |
| Resale transfer fee | 1% of sales price at closing, paid by the seller | Verify — ask for deed restrictions and any community fee before contracting |
| Commute | Three main routes to US-75 or 380; Collin County Outer Loop helps as a pressure valve | Different access pattern; drive both at your actual commute hour |
| Amenities | Resort-style pools, fitness centers, lodge, trails, events — mature and operating | Newer amenity program, still delivering phases |
| Community maturity | More established — trees, finished neighborhoods, proven operations | Earlier in its build-out — more construction, more early-buyer pricing opportunities |
My straight read: Trinity Falls wins on maturity and amenity depth — finished neighborhoods, operating amenities, and a proven community rhythm. Painted Tree wins on newness — more early-phase pricing opportunities and less of the wear that comes with an established community. Where Trinity Falls clearly loses ground is the two-MUD tax load and the 1% transfer fee at resale; those are structural costs you should price into any comparison.
Zoom out one level and the same logic holds against the surrounding cities buyers cross-shop: Prosper and Frisco command a premium for their names and their build-out stage. Painted Tree typically undercuts both on entry pricing, and Trinity Falls matches that value while offering more mature amenities and the on-site Del Webb 55+ option neither city’s newer projects can replicate.
The right move isn’t picking a winner from a table — it’s comparing the all-in monthly cost (mortgage + taxes + HOA + transfer-fee amortization) of a specific homesite in each community against how you actually live. That’s a 20-minute exercise I do with buyers all the time. Read my complete Painted Tree McKinney buyer guide before you tour either community. VERIFY: Confirm Painted Tree’s current district rate, HOA dues and any community transfer fee as of 09/2026
Context · Schools
What about schools at Trinity Falls?
Trinity Falls is served by McKinney ISD, one of the established large districts in Collin County — the community sits in the district’s northern growth corridor along the US-75 side of McKinney. Attendance boundaries in fast-growing areas change, and the campus your child attends depends on the exact address — so confirm the assignment in writing with the district before you contract, no matter what a site map or sales counselor shows you. Currently, Frazier elementary is an on-site campus located right within the Trinity Falls community. It sits on a 12-acre site that originally opened in August 2023. Johnson Middle School is a short distance away on Community Avenue, this campus is recognized as a Breakthrough School and holds a unique AVID Distinction. It is highly rated (scoring an 8/10 on GreatSchools). McKinney North High School is a short drive, Situated on Wilmeth Road, this standout high school boasts a 100% graduation rate and has been ranked among the top 8% of high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. It features a high AP class participation rate (61%) and robust CTE pathways.
For how McKinney ISD stacks up against Prosper, Frisco, Celina and the rest of the metro, see my Dallas-area school district map and rankings.
Seen firsthand
Tommy’s Trinity Falls Photo Gallery
One thing I like about Trinity Falls is that the amenities and common grounds are spread throughout the community instead of being treated like one isolated showpiece. There are several places to swim, gather, walk and get outside. And if I lived here, I’d for sure find out what kind of good-sized bass are hiding in those giant ponds.
Start at Serenity Lake, then use Street View to explore the streets and amenity areas yourself.
Open Street View
Every photo above is mine, shot on site — no builder renderings.
Next step
Let’s Talk Through Your Trinity Falls Decision
No pressure, no pitch — a real conversation about whether Trinity Falls fits your budget, your commute and your timeline, and how it stacks up against Painted Tree or anywhere else on your list. If you’d rather skip the form, grab a no-pressure time on my calendar.
Prefer to book a call? Grab a time on my calendar
Still comparing communities? Start at the North Dallas New Construction Buyer’s Guide, read the Aster Park guide or the Ramble Celina guide, then see the Aster Park vs. Park Place comparison. Prefer to talk? Call or text 972.746.9360.
Last reviewed: September 11, 2026. Tommy Wooten is an independent buyer representative with eXp Realty and does not represent Trinity Falls, its developer or its builders. Pricing, tax rates, HOA dues, transfer fees, road timelines and school assignments change — verify everything before you contract.