First America Homes, the homebuilding arm of The Signorelli Company, is rolling into the Dallas–Fort Worth market with a new division and its first local project in Anna, the company announced this week. The builder has lined up 81 homesites in the Leonard Trails community, with homes starting in the $300,000s and construction slated to kick off in July 2026. For Anna, it is one more production builder in the mix as several large master-planned communities and retail projects reshape the once-sleepy city.
Builder secures lots in Leonard Trails
In a press release, First America Homes said it will build 81 single-family homes in the 98-acre Leonard Trails community along TX-5, with quick access to US-75 for commuters. Floor plans are expected to run from roughly 1,700 to 3,200 square feet on 30- to 40-foot lots, with prices starting in the mid-$300,000s and construction scheduled to begin in July 2026. “Our expansion into Dallas-Fort Worth represents more than geographic growth; it is the next chapter in our mission to create opportunities for families across Texas,” John Winniford, president of First America Homes, said in the release.
Site, timing and local scale
The Leonard Trails site sits just west of the intersection of Hwy 5 and East White Street in Anna and will feature amenities such as a pool, playground, sports field, and dog park, according to The Real Deal. The outlet also notes that Anna ranked among the nation’s fastest-growing cities last year, a growth streak that has quickly grabbed the attention of both developers and retailers.
Signorelli's playbook: control the land, build the homes
The Signorelli Company, which is the parent of First America Homes, uses a vertically integrated model that pairs land control with in-house homebuilding. The firm has deployed that strategy on large master-planned communities such as the 4,700-acre Austin Point and the 1,400-acre Valley Ranch. The Signorelli Company says that holding key land positions and layering in production homebuilding allows it to move more quickly when local demand picks up.
Why Anna keeps drawing builders
Major projects are already rewriting Anna’s long-term outlook. Tellus Group’s Sherley Farms is a roughly $1.5 billion, 970-acre master-planned community that will deliver thousands of homes and a 65-acre working farm, according to CandysDirt. At the same time, The Real Deal reports that a Kroger is planned at Rosamond Parkway and US-75, giving future residents a major retail anchor close to home. Those kinds of commitments on the retail and amenities front make Anna especially attractive to builders chasing family buyers and commuters.
What buyers and the market can expect
Market watchers note that DFW remains an active arena for builders targeting buyers who need more attainable price points, and First America’s lineup starting in the $300,000s slots directly into that segment, according to HousingWire. First America highlights Leonard Trails’ amenities and points out that the community will be within the Anna Independent School District and tied into nearby cities such as Melissa, McKinney, Allen, and Plano, factors that could help homes move quickly once model units are open.
With construction scheduled to start in July 2026, First America Homes will be one of several active builders in Anna over the next few years. More details on floor plans, pricing, and sales timelines are expected as First America and its land partners move through entitlement and into vertical construction.
