Moving north

$1.5 billion development with working farm takes root in booming Anna

Anna is a fast-growing city north of Dallas.

Facebook/Anna

The fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Anna, once a small farming community, is poised for even more population growth with the addition of a $1.5 billion master-planned community.

Real estate investment firm Tellus Group broke ground Wednesday, March 25, on the more than 970-acre project, called Sherley Farms. Tellus is marketing the development, located in Collin County, as a wellness-focused, master-planned community with about 3,000 homes and an actively managed organic farm.

First-phase homebuilders are Bloomfield Homes, DRB Homes, Drees Custom Homes, Highland Homes, Homebound, Olivia Clarke Homes, and Perry Homes. The initial model homes will be finished in the spring of 2027.

The Sherley Farms site is five minutes from U.S. Highway 75 and near downtown Anna, which ranked fifth among U.S. cities for population growth from 2023 to 2024. As of July 1, 2024, Anna’s population stood at 31,986, up 14.6 percent from the same date in 2023 and up 183 percent from 2016. Anna’s population is projected to hit 100,000 by 2050.

One standout aspect of the project will be a 65-acre organic farm that supplies fresh produce. Tellus says the “working” farm will serve as an “agricultural anchor and gathering place.”

“Sherley Farms reflects our belief that the future of community development is rooted in wellness, connection, and a deep respect for the land,” says Craig Martin, founding partner and CEO of Tellus Group.

Facebook/Sherley Farms

Anna started as a farming community in 1883. But in recent years, it has transformed into a rapidly growing suburb with more than 7,700 households as of 2024.

Aside from homes, the first phase of Sherley Farms will include an amenity center with a resort-style pool and a portion of the planned green space.

“Sherley Farms is a meaningful investment in Anna’s future, expanding our tax base, attracting new residents, and driving long-term economic growth,” says Kevin Toten, Anna’s mayor pro tem. “This project will generate new economic activity, support local businesses, and strengthen Anna’s position as a destination for high-quality development in North Texas.”

In addition to Sherley Farms, Tellus is developing the Mosaic master-planned community in Celina, the Mirabella gated community in Prosper, and the Meraki master-planned community in Forney. Tellus was the principal developer of the $3 billion Windsong Ranch master-planned community in Prosper.

dallas suburbs anna master-planned community development

Made-for-TV listing

Chip and Joanna Gaines put fixed-up Waco mansion on market for $7.4M

Facebook/Magnolia Realty

A Waco mansion fixed up for TV by Chip and Joanna Gaines is on the market for $7.4 million.

A Waco estate that will star in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ latest TV series, Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, has gone on the market for $7.4 million.

The more than 14,000-square-foot mansion sits on a 5.7-acre site at 5305 Hillcrest Dr. that boasts views of Lake Waco. The listing, held by Amanda Nesbitt of the Gaineses’ Magnolia Realty, says the home “will be thoughtfully reimagined to reveal a timeless, more neutral-leaning palette for a future owner.”

Listing photos show the pre-renovation state of the mansion.

The European-style mansion, featuring a red-brick and cast-stone façade, looks similar to luxury homes you’d find in Preston Hollow, Highland Park, and other high-end neighborhoods in the Dallas area.

A light-filled, two-story foyer with a floating staircase and ornate iron banisters greets visitors, as do parquet flooring and stately columns.

Gaines Waco mansion The mansion foyer before the renovation.Facebook/Magnolia Realty

Venturing into the six-year-old home, you’ll find six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The first-floor primary suite offers two bathrooms, several closets, and courtyard access. A guest suite comes with a bedroom, bathroom, living area, kitchenette, and private entrance.

Amenities include:

$\u200bGaines Fixer Upper mansion$

Facebook/Magnolia Realty

A Waco mansion fixed up for TV by Chip and Joanna Gaines is on the market for $7.4 million.

Private study
Billiard room
Media room
Wet bar
Wine cellar
Butler’s pantry
Gym with a steam shower

Outside, several covered porches, an outdoor kitchen, an infinity-edge pool, and a pond let residents and visitors soak up nature. A motor court and four garage bays provide ample space for parking.

As part of the Fixer Upper renovations, the home’s architectural details, such as trim, moldings, and millwork, “will be preserved and elevated in order for their craftsmanship to shine,” the listing says.

Gaines Waco mansion The mansion has a splendid view of Lake Waco.Facebook/Magnolia Realty

Meanwhile, the kitchen will be turned into the “central heart” of the mansion, according to the listing.

“Additional design refinements throughout the home will set an elegant, renewed vision for all that Hawkesdene Estate will become,” the listing says.

Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, a six-episode series, is scheduled to debut Dec. 27 on the Gaineses’ Magnolia Network and HGTV. New episodes will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max, according to TV Insider.

Chip purchased the mansion three years ago as an investment property, People magazine reported. The series follows the Gaineses as they confront budget challenges and a three-month deadline to sell the property.

“This will be the biggest fixer we’ve ever done,” Joanna says in a clip from the show.

Chip and Joanna recently sold a 136-year-old Waco castle that served as the foundation of another series, Fixer Upper: Welcome Home – The Castle. They listed 6,176-square-foot Cottonland Castle at nearly $2.7 million. The sale price wasn’t disclosed.

chip and joanna fixer upper hgtv luxury mansion texas waco home-for-sale