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Blackberry Farm is a new gated community of 63 custom home sites on roughly 54 acres off Sandy Lake Road in Coppell, developed by Holmes Builders, with construction under way since 2021. It is one of very few gated neighbourhoods in the city, and the thing that most distinguishes it for a buyer is not the gate but what the homeowners association is responsible for: under the planned development amendments approved by Coppell City Council, the streets inside the community are private, which makes the association responsible for maintaining them, along with a bridge, street signs, entry features, the gates and exterior neighbourhood walls. This page covers what that means in practice and what to verify before committing.

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By Nitin Gupta, CRS, GRI, CLHMS, ABR, REALTOR® and Broker Associate with Competitive Edge Realty, who has closed more than 480 DFW transactions.

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What the community is

The development sits on Sandy Lake Road, with streets including Blackberry Drive, Blackburn Drive and Windmill Drive, in the 75019 postcode and in Dallas County. Appraisal district records for Phase 1 show lots commonly in the range of roughly a fifth to just over four-tenths of an acre.

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It is planned across two phases, with the larger share of lots in Phase 1 and a smaller group in Phase 2. The developer describes an English farm-style community with native trees, a creek, a pond with a walking trail and three green space areas, and the approved amenity plan includes a pool and pickleball courts.

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Homes are custom builds on individual sites rather than production plans, so what you are buying varies considerably from one lot to the next.

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Private streets: the point most buyers miss

When a city privatises the roads inside a subdivision, maintenance stops being a municipal responsibility and becomes the association's. In this community that obligation reportedly extends to the streets, a bridge, street signs, the entry features, the gates and the exterior walls.

Those are durable assets with long replacement cycles and significant costs, shared between 63 households. That is not a reason to avoid the community — plenty of buyers prefer private streets and the control that comes with them — but it does mean the association's budget and reserve plan are part of what you are buying, not an afterthought.

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Before the option period ends, read the governing documents and ask specifically:

• What exactly the association is obliged to maintain, as recorded rather than as described in marketing.

• What the reserve study assumes for street, bridge, gate and wall replacement, and how funding is scheduled.

• What the developer has contributed or committed to contribute, and when that support ends.

• How dues are set and what triggers a special assessment.

• Whether any common areas adjoin the creek, and who maintains the structures associated with them.

• Who controls the association today, and when control transfers to homeowners.

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A 63-home association carrying infrastructure obligations needs a clear answer to each of those. Ask for the documents rather than a summary.

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Buying in a community that is still being built

Plans for this development changed during entitlement — the roads were privatised, and the amenity mix was revised, with a pool and pickleball courts replacing gardens in the approved plan. That is normal for a project of this length, and it is also the reason to confirm current status rather than rely on any published description, including this page.

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Practical steps:

• Ask the city what is currently approved, including the phasing and the amenity plan.

• Establish which amenities exist today and which remain planned, with timing.

• Expect construction traffic and activity for as long as building continues, and ask where the remaining lots sit relative to the home you are considering.

• If you are building rather than buying a completed home, treat the builder contract as its own document — it is not the standard Texas resale form. The builder contracts guide covers the terms that vary most, and the DFW new construction guide covers the process.

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Lot selection matters more here than in most Coppell neighbourhoods

With custom homes on individual sites and significant natural features through the community, lots differ more than they would in a conventional subdivision. Tree cover, creek and pond adjacency, position relative to the entry and the gate, and proximity to the remaining construction all vary.

Obtain a current survey, and have it explained: boundaries, easements, drainage, any retaining structures, and exactly where common area begins. On a custom build, those details also constrain what can be built and where.

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Schools

The developer states the community is zoned for Coppell ISD. Coppell is served principally by that district, though some addresses in and around the city fall into neighbouring districts, and assignments change. Confirm the district and the specific elementary, middle and high school campuses for the address with the district before you commit.

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What to verify before you offer

• The association's recorded obligations, budget, reserve plan and developer funding commitments.

• The district and the specific campuses, confirmed with the district.

• The full list of taxing units on the parcel and a tax certificate, so your lender builds the escrow estimate from real figures. On a new home, a first-year bill may be based on the land value before the house was completed, which resets afterwards.

• A current survey, with easements, drainage and common area boundaries identified.

• Current approved plans for the community, from the city.

• On a completed home, an independent inspection regardless of its age.

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Common questions

How big is Blackberry Farm?

Roughly 54 acres with 63 custom home sites, planned across two phases, with the larger share of lots in the first phase.

Is it gated?

It was approved as a gated community with private streets. Gated communities are rare in Coppell, and the trade-off is that the association rather than the city carries the maintenance obligations that come with private roads.

What is the homeowners association responsible for?

Reportedly the private streets, a bridge, street signs, entry features, gates and exterior neighbourhood walls. Confirm the recorded obligations and the reserve plan from the governing documents rather than from any summary, since these are long-lived assets shared between 63 households.

Who is the developer?

Holmes Builders, which has been planning the development for many years, with construction starting in 2021.

Which schools serve Blackberry Farm?

The developer states Coppell ISD. Confirm the specific campus assignments for the address with the district, since assignments change and not every address in and around Coppell is in the same district.

What should I ask about the lots?

Tree cover, creek and pond adjacency, position relative to the entry and remaining construction, and where common area begins. Get a current survey and have the easements and drainage explained before you commit, particularly if you are building.

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Thinking about Blackberry Farm?

Send what you are looking for — whether you want a completed home or to build, the lot characteristics that matter to you, your price range and your timeline — and you get back what is realistically available here and in comparable Coppell neighbourhoods, with the association documents reviewed, the campus assignment confirmed and the current approved plans checked with the city. Call 469-269-6541 or get in touch.

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More on the city is on the Coppell page, other Coppell neighbourhoods on the Arbor Manors and Big Cedar pages, and if you are selling in Coppell, the Coppell listing agent page covers that side.

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Nitin Gupta, REALTOR®, Broker Associate with Competitive Edge Realty. He holds thirteen professional designations, including the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, CRS, GRI and ABR, has closed more than 480 DFW transactions, and was named a D Magazine Best REALTOR® in 2020, 2023 and 2024. His background is on his bio page and client feedback on his reviews page.