Forney

The City of Forney was named the “Antique Capital of Texas” by the state legislature in 1987 for its many vintage shops. While over 100 antique dealers put this small town on the map, now future homebuyers flock to the city’s community of Devonshire to get a shiny new start and customize their dream home while living in a self-contained community 20 miles east of Dallas. Despite the proximity to the city, the 920-acre master-planned community sits a few miles east of Lake Ray Hubbard in Forney’s rolling hills, offering a small-town, rural feel. “It’s a countryside sort of community,” says Anne Yarbrough, divisional marketing manager with Perry Homes, one of the homebuilders at Devonshire. “It’s a little further outside the metro, with a slow-down feel. It’s away from the city, but you have the best of both sides.” Homebuyers will find perks from hiking trails to a fishing pond, an amphitheater and an active neighborhood association that takes pride in bringing residents together. Coupled with luxury homes and a highly rated school system, this only scratches the surface of living in Devonshire. A stately stone bridge adorned with lanterns leads to this community, capturing newcomers’ attention with a burnt orange stone castle-square tower in the middle of a lake. Devonshire is designed to give homeowners a feeling of community, comprised of several individual villages. Inspired by the English countryside, the streets of Devonshire are full of one- and two-story houses that play with Tudor Revival and manor-esque features like dark timber framing on light exteriors, steep roofs, arched doorways and intricately carved details. Construction started in 2008, but most homes for sale were built in the mid-2010s, and plenty of new construction is still happening in the Devonshire Reserve subdivision. Most homes range from $280,000 to over $1 million, depending on lot size, square footage, custom builds and upgrades. “It’s an entry-level price point to build for young couples and families. It makes that whole experience really personalized,” Yarbrough says. “People like the whole building option, getting to choose their finishes and upgrades and seeing the house come to life.” Newcomers can expect three-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot homes at the lowest price point; four-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot homes starting at $380,000 and five-bedroom, 4,400-square-foot properties at the highest end. The community also offers contemporary three- and four-bedroom townhouses in the Devonshire Village subdivision from $360,000 to $400,000. Devonshire residents also enjoy large lot sizes, with most at least a quarter-acre and million-dollar homes stretching over 5 acres. Some large lots have horse stables, barns, pastures and stalls. Higher-end homes also have multi-car garages, expansive driveways, pools and resort-style backyards. All Devonshire homeowners enjoy amenities exclusive to the community, including two pools, a splash pad, hiking paths, fishing ponds, a dog park, trails and volleyball courts. A community center is also available at the heart of the development, where residents can socialize and attend holiday parties and movie nights. Beyond Devonshire’s community recreation, Forney Community Park sits 3 miles south, where most of the city’s parkland is provided. This 200-acre space offers a splash pad in the summer, baseball fields, a fishing pond, walking trails and a playground. Mulberry Park and Jackrabbit Stadium for youth baseball and hockey are a mile from the community park. The shores of 22,000-acre Lake Ray Hubbard and all its fun lie 7 miles northwest of Devonshire to cool off on the hot days. One of the largest lakes in north Texas, residents can enjoy boating, sunbathing on the lakefront beaches, fishing or hiking its nearby trails. Most shopping and dining options are off U.S. Highway 80, just south of the neighborhood, and Highway 548, which runs directly through it. Nina’s Brunch is a casual spot popular for its Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict and custom mimosa bar. Residents can stop in for a laid-back lunch of enchiladas and margaritas at Los Hermanos Mexican Restaurant or enjoy an upscale meal at Napoli’s Forney Italian Bistro, or dine at Tokyo Harbor, a chic Japanese steakhouse serving up hibachi-style fare and sushi. Barbecue purists can get their fix at Soulman’s Bar-B-Que, served up Texas-style. Their specialty is a brisket-loaded baked potato. Groceries and other essentials are close by at City Plaza Forney and Shoppes at Forney Crossing, both off Highway 80. Here, residents will find Kroger, Walmart, Lowe’s, Kohl’s and AutoZone. The Marketplace at Towne Center is 13 miles west for big-box stores, clothing boutiques, pet stores and crafts. No shopping trip is complete without stopping at Forney’s “Antique Row.” With over 100 antique stores along Highway 80, thrifters and vintage hunters will want to peruse Antiques and Vintage Texas, Caspar & Gerard's Antiques and Little Red’s Antiques – three shops brimming with vintage furniture and memorabilia that are all on the same block. Forney Independent School District serves the area and is the second-best district in Kaufman County, according to Niche, with over 16,000 enrolled. Local students can attend Griffin Elementary, located in Devonshire and walkable for most families, followed by Smith Intermediate School for fifth through sixth grade and Brown Middle School for grades seven and eight, followed by North Forney High School, all within the Windmill Farms community. Griffin ranks a 3/10 on GreatSchools.org, Smith Intermediate and Brown Middle both earn a B-minus on Niche, and the high school earns a B. Griffin Elementary provides an advanced academics fine arts academy. Named the fifth-best high school in Kaufman County, North Forney High offers baseball and tennis teams and a book club. The Devonshire Residential Association puts on most of the events for the community, including an annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, free movie nights for teens, spring yard sales, an annual Spring Fest in April, donut community socials and plenty of activities for kids. The city itself also has a vast community engagement initiative called Imagine Forney. There are events every month, but some of the most highly attended are the Memorial Day 5K & Car Show in May, the Hawaiian Luau Family Night in May, National Night Out in October, Christmas on Main in December and the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop celebration. While the community is walkable, residents will need a car. The city center is 3 miles away, and Devonshire is close to U.S. Highway 80, which connects to Interstate 30. Dallas is 23 miles, Garland is 20 miles and Dallas Love Field Airport is 28 miles away, respectively. Forney has public transportation available via the STAR bus transit service, but there are no bus stops in the community itself. The closest are within the city center.

Windmill Farms is about 30 miles east of Dallas. Those who reside in Windmill Farms appreciate the community’s newer construction and distance from the hustle and bustle of the big city. <br><br>Windmill Farms is a densely populated suburban community, where residents have access to sidewalks and pocket parks throughout. Lawns are manicured, and newly planted trees stand tall alongside more mature greenery. Houses in Windmill Farms range from traditional homes built in the 2010s to 2020s. A five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath newly constructed traditional home will cost you about $424,999. $299,000 gets you a three-bedroom, two-bath traditional home that was originally built in 2020. The median listing price for a home in Windmill Farms is $325,777.<br><br>Students living in Windmill Farms can attend Blackburn Elementary, which has a C-plus rating on Niche and Brown Middle, which has a B-minus rating. After graduating from Blackburn Elementary and Brown Middle, students can go on to attend North Forney High, which has a B rating. The student-teacher ratio at North Forney High is 17-to-1. The graduation rate for North Forney High is 96%, which is above the Texas state average of 90%. <br><br>For recreation, there are a few pocket parks throughout the neighborhood. Granite Rock Playground features a playground, benches, and a good amount of greenspace for unlimited playtime. Buckingham Pond Park features a large pond, where residents can go to sit and relax on one of the benches. When it is warm out, you can use the community pool. Additionally, there is a paved walking trail on the perimeter of the park. <br><br>Residents can travel about four miles east to Forney Community Park. The community park has a walking trail and plenty of opportunities to connect with neighbors through sports. Join in for a game of softball or a pickup game at the basketball courts. There is also a playground, where kids can enjoy playtime on the swings and jungle gym. Throughout the year, there are a host of community events within the park. In July, there is the Independence Day Celebration. Locals come out to enjoy live music, food and fireworks. In the summer, at the Spellman Amphitheater, you can bring a blanket to Movies in the Park. In October, there’s Trail of Treats, where local businesses and clubs host candy stations for trick-or-treaters. <br><br>Residents can head into the city of Forney to dine at some notable eateries. Nina’s Brunch is a popular breakfast spot with residents. Order the Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs, which is made with a hand-breaded Angus cutlet that is covered in cream gravy. For something different and a little bit sweeter, Nina’s Stuffed French Toast is made with cream cheese filling and topped with strawberries. Thai.Pho serves authentic Thai cuisine. Have the Pineapple Curry Fried Rice, made with Jasmine white rice, pineapple, egg, onion and scallion. For groceries, residents can visit Kroger and Aldi. For other needs, there is a Walmart. <br><br>In the summer, residents can head to Lake Ray Hubbard, one of the largest lakes in North Texas. Less than 25 miles away, locals come to this lake to enjoy activities like fishing, skiing, and boating. Windmill Farms is best for those looking to live in a calm suburban town away from the big city.