Celina just added another master-planned community to a map that is quickly filling in, and this one deserves attention. Century Farms opened for presales on June 26, 2026. It is 266 acres at 3993 Olin Way, near the McKinney border, and it is zoned into McKinney ISD, which is one of the details that is going to sell homes here before the amenity center even opens.
The basics, per Community Impact
Community Impact reported the launch on June 30, 2026. The essentials:
- 266-acre master-planned community
- Located at 3993 Olin Way, Celina, near the McKinney border
- McKinney ISD for schools
- Presales opened June 26
- Ashton Woods is developing a 43-acre section within the larger community
- HistoryMaker Homes is also building
- Quick move-in homes available starting in July
- Amenity center opens late summer or early fall, and will include a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, pickleball courts, and a basketball court
That is a real community, not a phased-in placeholder. And it is dropping into one of the highest-demand growth corridors in North Texas.
Why the McKinney ISD detail matters more than the pool
I have watched North Collin County buyers stretch their budget by fifty to one hundred thousand dollars specifically to land inside a district they trust. Century Farms sitting in McKinney ISD instead of a smaller feeder district is going to be a real selling point for the executive-relocation household and the growing DFW family that has already narrowed their district shortlist.
If you have priced homes in nearby communities like Light Farms, Mustang Lakes, or Trinity Falls, you already know how much a school district assignment can move a comp. When Century Farms hits the resale market in three to five years, that district assignment is going to be one of the first bullet points on the listing sheet.
The presale playbook nobody explains
Presales at a new master-planned community are their own strategy. Here is how they typically shake out, and what an informed buyer does about each phase.
Phase 1: the reservation window
Right now, both Ashton Woods and HistoryMaker are taking early interest. This is the phase where buyers can lock a preferred lot with a modest deposit, often without a firm price yet. If you have flexibility on timing, this is the phase where the lot matters more than the floorplan.
What I would look for:
- A cul-de-sac or amenity-adjacent lot rather than a through-lot near a collector road
- Orientation: south-facing back yards run hotter in July but let you use the yard in November
- Proximity to the future amenity center (short walk means resale premium later)
Phase 2: initial floorplan release
This is where prices firm up. In a healthy presale, the first release is intentionally priced below what the builder expects to hit by phase three or four. It is designed to build a waitlist.
If you can move in this phase and you are comfortable with the timeline, this is often the best price you will see in the community. Get a lender pre-approved before you walk in, and bring your own agent so you have someone on your side of the table during option selection and design center.
Phase 3: quick move-in homes
Community Impact says these start in July. Spec homes are how the builder tests price elasticity in real time. A spec priced well is a data point on the community's ceiling.
If you are shopping quick move-in, the questions to ask are the ones the salesperson does not lead with:
- What incentives are on this specific home this month?
- Is the rate buydown structured as a 2-1 buydown, a permanent points buydown, or a builder credit toward closing?
- What is the standard versus upgrade finish package in this exact home?
Those three answers determine whether the sticker price is the real price.
The competition Century Farms is walking into
You cannot look at Century Farms in isolation. Within a short drive you have Mustang Lakes, Light Farms, Trinity Falls, and the newer stretches of Prosper. Each has an established amenity story, some have been on the market long enough that resale comps are reliable, and each is competing for the same relocation buyer.
Century Farms' pitch back at them will likely be a combination of a fresh amenity package, contemporary floorplans, McKinney ISD, and, if the presale phase is priced correctly, a lower entry point than the resale market next door.
That does not mean Century Farms is automatically the right pick. It means it is a real option that a buyer should weigh, not dismiss.
What I would tell any DFW household eyeing this community
If you are relocating into DFW in the next six to twelve months, or you are moving up from a smaller home in Frisco or Plano, my advice is straightforward:
- Walk both builders' models. Ashton Woods and HistoryMaker are different price bands and different design languages. Do not assume interchangeable.
- Get comfortable with the amenity timeline. If you close before late summer, you are living there before the pool opens. That is fine for some households, deal-breaker for others.
- Compare to at least one nearby resale. A two-year-old home in Light Farms with a mature yard, active amenity center, and known HOA is a real alternative. Pricing the two side by side clarifies what you actually value.
- Do not skip your own representation. The builder's sales team works for the builder. That is not a criticism, it is a fact. You want someone whose fiduciary duty is to you when it is time to negotiate incentives, upgrades, and closing.
If you want a side-by-side read on Century Farms versus a comparable resale two miles away, I am happy to build that comparison with you. Sometimes the answer is presale. Sometimes it is a well-loved 2022 build with a landscaped yard already done. The math tells you.
Source: 266-acre master-planned community in Celina opens for presales — Community Impact, June 2026 · by Jenna Stephenson
“The best price on a new-build is almost never the last release. If you can move on presale, you usually should.”
