Tradition Homes New Home Buying FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Tradition Homes Buyer FAQ: Buying from the Darling-Founded Builder in Prosper and Celina

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Tradition Homes is a Dallas-Fort Worth homebuilder founded in 2019 by Bill Darling, the former president of Darling Homes, and his son-in-law Zach Schneider, focused on the upper end of the market in Collin County master-planned communities. Its first homes were built in Light Farms in Celina, and it has since built in Prosper communities including Windsong Ranch and Lakewood at Brookhollow. This page answers the questions buyers most often ask before buying a Tradition home, including how it relates to Darling Homes, what to verify about the specific communities where it builds, and how its warranty is structured. It is written by an independent buyer's agent, not by the builder, and was updated in September 2026.

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About the builder

Who is Tradition Homes?

Tradition Homes was launched in 2019 by Bill Darling and Zach Schneider, with a focus on the high-end market. The builder describes its leadership as bringing more than three decades of homebuilding experience. It is a smaller builder than the national production companies, active in a limited number of Collin County communities at a time.

Is Tradition Homes the same as Darling Homes?

No. Bill Darling and his brothers sold Darling Homes to Taylor Morrison in 2013, and Darling Homes has operated as part of Taylor Morrison since then. Tradition Homes is a separate company that Bill Darling co-founded later with Zach Schneider. The shared history explains why the two names come up together, but they are different builders with different contracts, sales teams and warranty processes.

Is it the same company as New Tradition Homes?

No. Several unrelated builders use similar names, including New Tradition Homes in Washington State and builders called New Tradition Homes in North Carolina and Illinois. The Texas builder is Tradition Homes at traditionhomes.com.

Where does Tradition Homes build?

Tradition has built in Light Farms in Celina and in Prosper, including Windsong Ranch and Lakewood at Brookhollow. As a smaller builder it moves between communities and sections as lots sell, so confirm current communities and available homes before planning a visit

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What to verify in the communities where Tradition builds

Is Light Farms in Celina or Prosper ISD, and does it have a MUD?

Light Farms sits in Celina and in Collin County, near the Celina-Prosper line. It is served mostly by Prosper ISD, with part of at least one phase reported as Celina ISD, so confirm the district for the specific lot. Light Farms is served by a municipal utility district, which generally indicates land outside city limits and adds the district's own tax to the bill. Confirm both for the lot through the county appraisal district and the school district. The master-planned community guide shows these facts for Light Farms and the other communities below.

Do Windsong Ranch and Lakewood at Brookhollow have a PID?

The Town of Prosper has no residential public improvement districts, so a lot inside town limits carries no PID. Windsong Ranch sits in the Town of Prosper, served by Prosper ISD, with some lots in Collin County and some in Denton County, which changes the appraisal district and homestead filing. For Lakewood at Brookhollow, confirm that the specific lot is inside town limits and confirm the county and school district directly.

Why does the county matter if the town is the same?

The county determines which appraisal district values the property, where the homestead exemption is filed, and which county tax rate applies. In a community that crosses a county line, two neighboring lots can be taxed by different counties. The MUD versus PID explainer covers the special district side.

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Before your first visit

Do I need a real estate agent to buy a Tradition home?

No, you can buy directly. The question is whose interests are represented. The builder's community sales managers are employed by the builder and represent the builder. A buyer's agent represents you in the contract review, the lot and district verification, the design decisions, and the process through the final walkthrough.

When should I involve my agent?

Before your first visit to a Tradition model. Builders commonly have registration policies that tie agent recognition to the buyer's first visit, and a buyer who tours alone first may find an agent introduced later is not recognized.

What does it cost me to have a buyer's agent?

Compensation for a buyer's agent is set out in the written buyer representation agreement Texas requires before an agent shows you property. In new construction, builders commonly offer compensation to buyer's agents, and how that interacts with your agreement is worth walking through line by line before signing.

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Design, incentives and the contract

Does Tradition Homes offer design incentives?

Tradition has advertised limited-time incentives in the form of a credit toward structural options, design selections and appliance packages. What is offered changes over time and usually comes with conditions, such as a lender, a closing date or a specific home, so ask what is current and what it is conditioned on. For how to spend a credit like that, the priority rule below applies.

Which selections should I prioritize?

Put money first into the decisions that are expensive or impossible to change later: structural options, ceiling heights, window placement, electrical rough-in, plumbing locations and built-ins. Paint, light fixtures, hardware and many surface finishes can be changed after closing. A design credit spent on structure delivers value that cannot be added later; one spent on finishes buys things you could change anyway.

Is the Tradition purchase agreement the standard Texas contract?

Builders generally use their own purchase agreements, drafted by the builder's attorneys, rather than the standard Texas Real Estate Commission resale contract. Terms governing deposits, selections deadlines, change orders, completion timing, warranty administration and dispute resolution are set by the builder's document. Read it before signing and have it reviewed. The builder contracts guide covers the categories that matter most.

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Inspections and warranty

What warranty does Tradition Homes provide?

Third-party summaries describe Tradition's warranty as administered through StrucSure Home Warranty, with one year of coverage for workmanship and materials, two years for the plumbing, electrical and HVAC delivery systems, and a ten-year structural warranty that excludes non-load-bearing items such as drywall, tile, flooring and finishes. Confirm the warranty terms in your own contract before closing, because coverage can vary by home and change over time.

Should I get an independent inspection on a new Tradition home?

Yes. Municipal inspections check code compliance at specific stages, which is not the same as an independent inspection on your behalf. The most useful stages are pre-drywall and before the final walkthrough, with a further inspection shortly before the first-year workmanship coverage ends so anything found can still be submitted. Confirm in advance that the builder allows third-party inspections and what notice it requires.

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Talk before you tour

Considering a Tradition home in Prosper or Celina? Call before your first model visit. The conversation covers which community and lot fit your commute and budget, the district and special district facts for that lot, how to spend a design credit, and how representation works with the builder. Call 469-269-6541 or get in touch. More on the area is on the Prosper and Celina pages, and the DFW new construction guide covers the full process.

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