Home Sweet Home

Your first look inside this top-notch new home community near Rockwall

There's something wonderful happening near Rockwall, in the city of McLendon-Chisholm. A new master-planned community called Horizon Lakes is in the works, and it's going to be unlike any neighborhood you've seen before.

Welcome home
Horizon Lakes is the latest from developer Huffines Communities, which is renowned for crafting excellent communities that include residential, commercial, and recreational areas.

But no two Huffines communities are the same. When finished, Horizon Lakes will have approximately 1,800 homes spread over 900 acres, and currently offers its future residents a range of carefully chosen lot sizes upon which to build their dream home.

Families can enter into the A-rated Rockwall Independent School District, and this picturesque community is a stone's throw away from Rockwall's vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment options, ensuring that everything you need is within easy reach.

All the amenities
One of the best parts about living in a master-planned community is the plethora of amenities. At Horizon Lakes, you'll of course find lush landscaping and two luxurious entrances, but the perks continue throughout the property.

A family pool with kiddie splash pad is balance by an adult pool and a swim-up bar, plus a kayak launch into one of the three recreational lakes (which do allow fishing!).

An outdoor grill area and fire pits encourage get-togethers with your neighbors, while the kids will have several fun playgrounds to monkey around on.

More than 12 miles of hike and bike trails wind through the community, and there's a top-notch fitness center when AC is a must. Pickleball fanatics can play to their heart's content at the pickleball complex, which offers four courts for countless hours of play.

There's even an outdoor amphitheater, grand ballroom, and event chapel for concerts and celebrations of all kinds.

The value of a Huffines development
Huffines communities bring exceptional value to the areas they develop, and Horizon Lakes is no exception.

The firm's commitment to thoughtful community planning ensures long-term benefits for residents and the surrounding region. By integrating residential and recreational spaces, Huffines developments create vibrant neighborhoods that enhance the quality of life for residents.

Former Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams has praised Huffines for its transformative impact, saying, "Donald and Phillip Huffines are visionary leaders who are wonderful people with a tremendous track record in land development. Their many successful projects over the decades are evidence they are some of the vest developers in Texas. For example, Viridian Master Planned Community was valued at $8 million in 2009. Today, in only 15 years, the value has risen to $2.1 billion! The Huffines under-promise and over-deliver in all aspects of their developments. I am hoping they find additional opportunities in Arlington and throughout Texas."

Learn more today
For nearly 40 years, Huffines Communities has been developing some of the most iconic communities in North Texas, including Solterra Texas in Mesquite and Inspiration in Wylie.

Horizon Lakes is located at 1511 Pullen Rd., just seven minutes off I-30. Head here to learn more and sign up for the latest news.

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All renderings are conceptual and subject to change without notice.

Rendering courtesy of Huffines Communities

The Amenity Center is just one of the neighborhood's perks.

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Bang for Buck

Surprising Dallas neighbor unlocks biggest apartments in DFW for $1,500

Photo courtesy of RentCafe

Mesquite has the biggest apartments on a budget in DFW.

Budget-conscious renters searching for the roomiest apartments in the region should look no further than Mesquite. According to a new study, the Dallas suburb boasts the most bang for your buck in terms of space in North Texas.

In 2026, Mesquite residents can rent just shy of 1,000 square feet (a 988-square-foot apartment) for $1,500 per month. That's eight square feet more than what they could get with the same budget last year.

RentCafe's annual report analyzes the places where renters can find the largest apartment sizes across 200 of the most populous U.S. cities for a monthly budget of $1,500. The price per square foot was calculated using the average apartment rent and size per city based on "multifamily properties" containing 50 or more units.

Mesquite offers the most spacious apartment size in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for $1,500, and the city boasts the 10th biggest apartments in Texas on that budget.

Elsewhere in the area, Denton saw the second biggest leap in apartment size nationwide since 2025, the report found. Renters there could lease an 835-square-foot apartment for $1,500 last year, and that has jumped to 862 square feet in 2026.

Dallas renters, on the other hand, will only net an 803-square-foot apartment for the same monthly cost, which is down 11 square feet from last year. Dallas ranks third from the bottom in the statewide list of cities that offer the largest apartments for the $1,500 price tag, with Frisco and Austin ranking even lower. Apartment hunters in Frisco will get only 798 square feet for $1,500.

Here's how much space you can get for $1,500 elsewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth this year, from largest to smallest:

Arlington – 927 square feet
Garland – 924 square feet
Fort Worth – 913 square feet
McKinney – 885 square feet
Grand Prairie – 873 square feet
Irving – 859 square feet
Plano – 820 square feet

Apartment sizes across Texas
For the second year in a row, South Texas is the region that has the most spacious apartments for a $1,500 monthly budget, RentCafe found.

McAllen leads the nation with the biggest apartment size – at 1,378 square feet – which is large enough for a three- or four-bedroom unit.

"With rents averaging just $993 and the typical apartment measuring 912 square feet, McAllen renters get a lot more space for their money than most Americans do within that monthly budget," the report said. "Still, that figure is down slightly from last year’s 1,393 square feet — a sign that even the most affordable markets are starting to tighten."

McAllen neighbor Brownsville ranks fourth statewide with apartments spanning 1,213 square feet for the same budget.

These are the top 10 Texas cities that offer the biggest apartments for $1,500 in 2026:

No. 1 – McAllen (1,378 square feet)
No. 2 – Amarillo (1,237 square feet)
No. 3 – Lubbock (1,217 square feet)
No. 4 – Brownsville (1,213 square feet)
No. 5 – El Paso (1,128 square feet)
No. 6 – Pasadena (1,125 square feet)
No. 7 – Corpus Christi (1,115 square feet)
No. 8 – Killeen (1,058 square feet)
No. 9 – San Antonio (1,023 square feet)
No. 10 – Mesquite (988 square feet)

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