Walden Pond West: New Construction Homes in Forney TX

Forney is one of the fastest-growing pockets on the east side of DFW. Every time I get out here, it feels like another neighborhood is breaking ground, another builder is launching, or another development is about to start selling. Walden Pond is one of those major projects, and Walden Pond West is the section worth putting on the radar if you are shopping for new construction homes in Forney TX.

This is not a tiny subdivision squeezed into a leftover piece of land. Walden Pond is a large, multiphase development just off Highway 548, with multiple sections, multiple builders, future amenities, and homes beginning around the low $300,000s. There is a lot going on here, so it is worth breaking down what is actually being built, what the floor plan options look like, and what buyers need to consider before jumping in.

Walden Pond West Overview

Walden Pond is being developed by Centurion American and is planned as a roughly 214-acre community that could eventually bring more than 2,000 homes to Forney. The neighborhood has three sections: Walden Pond South, East, and West. This article focuses mainly on Walden Pond West, where early construction activity is underway.

Walden Pond West is planned around 40-foot and 50-foot homesites. I would always love to see more 60-foot lots and bigger yards, but I am glad this community is not going down to 30-foot or 35-foot lots. A 40-foot lot is workable. A 50-foot lot is where you start to get a little more breathing room between houses and a better overall feel.

The community is expected to include pools, amenity centers, green space, parks, and hiking and biking trails. As with any development in its early stage, those amenities will come over time, not all on day one. Still, the scale of the project means there is room for Walden Pond to become a significant part of north Forney.

Forney TX Location & Traffic

Walden Pond sits off Highway 548 on the north side of Forney. That location puts the neighborhood near the growing commercial development around Walmart, Kroger, restaurants, and everyday retail. It is also across from Forney High School, and it follows the North Forney ISD feeder pattern.

From a convenience standpoint, that is a solid setup. Daily errands and retail are not far away, and the north side of town continues to see a lot of investment. The development is also close enough to the larger DFW job market to make Forney an attractive option for buyers who want more home for their money.

But I am not going to pretend there is no downside. Traffic is a real consideration in Forney. Getting in and out of town on Highway 80 can be frustrating, and traveling north to south through Forney is not always ideal either. Growth is great until you are sitting in it.

That does not mean do not move to Forney. It means go into it with your eyes open. Drive the routes that matter to your life at the times that matter. Check the commute to work, school, daycare, family, and the places you will visit every week. A beautiful house does not make a painful daily drive disappear.

Builders & Lot Sizes in Forney TX

Walden Pond West has three announced builders: Lennar, Pacesetter Homes, and UnionMain Homes. My focus here is on Pacesetter and UnionMain, both of which I feel deliver a solid product for their pricing in this particular part of the market.

The other sections of Walden Pond have their own builder lineups:

• Walden Pond South: Mattamy Homes and Rockwell Homes.
• Walden Pond East: Brightland Homes and Lennar.
• Walden Pond West: Lennar, Pacesetter Homes, and UnionMain Homes.

Brightland would be my preferred choice on the east side among the options discussed here. For Walden Pond West, though, I would personally spend the most time looking at Pacesetter and UnionMain. Both offer plans in the price ranges a lot of buyers are trying to hit, from first-time buyers to families who need more bedrooms or space to work from home.

One major thing to remember with new construction is that the builder’s base price is only the opening number. Structural selections, lot premiums, design upgrades, and garage options can all change the final sales price. Base pricing is helpful for comparing builders, but it is not the same thing as the final number on a contract.

Forney ISD & Opportunity Central

It is impossible to talk about Forney growth without talking about what Forney ISD is doing. One of the biggest things happening here is Opportunity Central, also called the OC. This is an enormous investment in career preparation, technical education, student business experience, fine arts, and community space.

The facility is approximately 350,000 square feet and includes a 7,000-seat arena, a 600-seat auditorium, college and career spaces, multipurpose areas, fine arts space, and student-run businesses. The first floor is open to the public seven days a week and includes businesses, shops, restaurants, and trade-focused training opportunities.

This is much more than the traditional high school model. Students from both Forney high schools can access programs that expose them to business skills, technical training, trades, and career preparation. The facility is expected to serve around 2,000 students.

For families considering new construction homes in Forney TX, that kind of school district investment matters. The district is adding campuses, expanding programs, and has also added an aquatic center nearby. It is one of the stronger reasons families continue moving to the area, even as the city works through the growing pains that come with rapid expansion.

UnionMain Homes in Forney TX

UnionMain offers entry-level pricing in Walden Pond West beginning around $309,000 at the time these prices were reviewed. The starting point is the Burnett, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom plan with approximately 1,500 square feet.

That is a pretty competitive starting point for a new build in this location. Of course, prices can change quickly. Builders may raise pricing after a certain number of sales, on a set schedule, or simply as demand changes. Always verify current pricing, incentives, lot availability, and what is included before assuming an advertised base price is still active.

Notable UnionMain Options

• Burnett: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, about 1,500 square feet, beginning around $309,000.
• Largest one-story option discussed: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, approximately 2,300 square feet, beginning around $390,000.
• Trinity: Four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, beginning around $449,900 before structural and design upgrades.

The larger one-story layout is especially worth considering for buyers who want to avoid stairs. It includes a front bedroom with a private bath, two additional bedrooms sharing another bath, a large family room, a rear primary suite, and a flex room that could potentially serve as a study or bedroom depending on available builder options.

The Trinity is the larger two-story option. It has the primary suite downstairs, a family room, outdoor living space, a flex room, and upstairs bedrooms surrounding a game room. That primary-down arrangement is common in North Texas and works well for people who want separation between the main bedroom and secondary bedrooms.

UnionMain appears to use a community design palette process, where design selections are chosen with the on-site sales counselor rather than through a fully open-ended design center experience. That can simplify the selection process, but it also means it is important to understand exactly what is included in the package and what carries an additional cost.

At the time of review, UnionMain also showed quick move-in opportunities, including a four-bedroom, two-bath home around $342,000 and a four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home around $480,000, with projected late-summer move-ins. Inventory changes fast, especially in a neighborhood this early in development.

Pacesetter Homes in Forney TX

Pacesetter is the other builder I would spend serious time evaluating in Walden Pond West. Their plans are divided between 40-foot and 50-foot lots, giving buyers a useful range of size, layout, and price point.

On 40-foot lots, Pacesetter pricing began around $319,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath plan near 1,500 square feet. The largest plan discussed in that series was a two-story, four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home around 2,100 square feet with a base price around $378,000.

On 50-foot lots, pricing started around $381,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath, roughly 2,000-square-foot home. The upper end of the series reached beyond 3,000 square feet, with a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath plan beginning around $441,000.

Why The Southlake Stands Out

One of my favorite Pacesetter plans is the Southlake. It is a three-bedroom, two-bath plan with approximately 2,265 square feet. The layout includes two secondary bedrooms, a study that may be convertible to a fourth bedroom, a large family room, and a large kitchen.

The plan also has potential structural flexibility. Depending on selections, buyers may be able to add a second floor with a game room and bedroom, or add just a game room. That creates a true one-and-a-half-story possibility, which can be a sweet spot for people who mostly want single-level living but still need some extra space.

It also shows options for a traditional three-car garage or a tandem three-car garage. I will say this until I cannot say it anymore: if the lot and budget allow it, build the third-car garage. Storage, tools, bikes, holiday bins, sports equipment, and a third vehicle will find a way to fill it. It is one of those upgrades people are often glad they made later.

Other Pacesetter Plans To Consider

Another plan worth a look begins around $401,900 and has a distinct family room and formal dining layout. The formal dining area can potentially become a home office, and the plan may allow additions such as an optional media room, extended covered patio, second story, and third-car garage.

The Garland is another useful comparison point. It offers four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and about 2,800 square feet, with base pricing around $425,900. It starts with one bedroom downstairs and the rest upstairs around a game room, but available options may allow a second bedroom downstairs. That matters for multigenerational living, frequent guests, or anyone planning for flexibility over time.

Both Pacesetter and UnionMain offer plans that can make sense in the low $300,000s through the mid $400,000s. The right fit comes down to the lot width, how many bedrooms need to be downstairs, whether a game room is actually useful for your household, and which structural options are available on the specific homesite.

Costs & Buying New Homes in Forney TX

Beyond the home price, Walden Pond West was showing an annual HOA fee of approximately $800 and a tax rate around 2.13%. That tax rate falls roughly in the middle of what is common for many North Texas new construction communities, but it should still be included in any payment estimate.

• Starting prices reviewed: About $309,000 with UnionMain and $319,000 with Pacesetter.
• HOA: Approximately $800 per year.
• Tax rate: Approximately 2.13%.
• Schools: North Forney ISD feeder pattern.
• Projected early move-ins: Late summer, with additional early buyers potentially moving in by year-end.

Walden Pond West is at the stage where being early can matter. In many new neighborhoods, the best combination of base pricing, available lots, and builder incentives is found during the first group of contracts. That does not mean every early deal is automatically the best deal. It means the opportunity is usually there to compare lot choices and incentives before later phases push pricing higher.

Do not just ask for the base price. Ask the questions that change the final number:

• What is included in the base price?
• Which lots have premiums?
• What structural upgrades are available for this plan and lot?
• What design package is included?
• What are the current builder incentives and lender requirements tied to them?
• What is the estimated completion timeline?
• How often is pricing being adjusted?

That is how you avoid getting emotionally attached to a number that does not reflect the actual home you want to build.

FAQs About Walden Pond West