Home / Sunterra, Katy
Sunterra, the lagoon life.
Sunterra — the Starwood Land master-planned community north of I-10 in Katy, anchored by the Crystal Lagoons® amenity at the Sol Club and one of the deepest new-construction inventories in Greater Houston. The Katy ISD vs. Royal ISD section split, the real tax rate, and how Sunterra stacks up against Elyson and Cane Island.
What Sunterra Is
2,300 acres, selling faster than anywhere else in Texas.
Sunterra sits a few miles north of I-10 in Katy (77493), west of the Grand Parkway. Developed by Land Tejas and now Starwood Land, it’s been the top-selling master-planned community in Texas three years running and ranked among the top five nationally in 2025. Around 7,000 homes are planned across two amenity villages — the Sol Club with its Crystal Lagoons® swimmable lagoon opened in 2025, joining The Retreat’s pool, lazy river, and fitness center. A dozen-plus builders are active, from entry-level Centex and LGI through Perry, Highland, and Westin. A sister community, Sunterra Lakes, is already moving dirt next door.
What Sunterra Is
The volume king of Houston new construction — resort amenities anchored by a swimmable crystal lagoon, entry pricing that undercuts most of Katy, and one of the deepest active builder inventories in the region. If you want a brand-new home with lagoon access at a first-time-buyer price point, this is the shortlist.
What Sunterra Isn’t
Sunterra is not zoned to Katy ISD throughout — sections split between Katy ISD and Royal ISD, and that line matters for resale value. It’s also not a low-tax address: MUD-backed rates run roughly 3.2–3.65% depending on section. And with thousands of homes still to build here and next door, construction traffic is a years-long reality.
Who It’s For
First-time and move-up buyers who want new construction plus resort amenities without Cinco Ranch pricing, Energy Corridor commuters, and investors watching Katy’s growth corridor. Buyers who verify the school zoning and tax rate per section before falling for a model home do well here.
By the Numbers
Sunterra market, plain language.
Sunterra trades at Katy’s entry tier — spec homes from the mid-$200s, the heart of the market between $300k and $450k, and Highland and Westin sections pushing toward $800k.
Active New-Construction Listings
300+
Source: HAR MLS, June 2026. Among the deepest single-community new-build inventories in Greater Houston.
Typical Price Range
Mid-$200s–$800k
Entry Centex, LGI, and D.R. Horton at the low end; Highland Homes and Westin at the top. Verify current pricing per builder — incentives move weekly.
Total Property Tax Rate
~3.2–3.65%
Varies by section and MUD. Materially higher than older Katy stock at ~2.x% — budget it into the monthly payment, not as an afterthought.
Planned Homes
~7,000
Plus ~4,000 more at Sunterra Lakes next door. Expect active construction — and heavy new-build competition for any resale — for years.
Two things to watch in any Sunterra pricing pull. First, builder concessions — rate buydowns, closing-cost credits — routinely move the real transacted price 4–7% below list, so the MLS number isn’t the final number. Second, the section you buy in sets your school district, your MUD, and your tax rate all at once. Two homes a street apart can carry different districts. The title commitment lists every one — I read it before you sign, not after.
LIVE FROM HAR MLS · NEW CONSTRUCTION ONLY
New construction in Sunterra, right now.
$442,315
Active
27407 Cinnamon Shores Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 2,529 SqFt 0.144 Acres
$595,004
Active
27007 Costa Creek Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 2,800 SqFt 0.16 Acres
$360,990
Active
27206 Clear Breeze Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 2,340 SqFt
$403,690
Active
27415 Cinnamon Shores Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 1,925 SqFt 0.125 Acres
$358,390
Active
27634 Oasis Ridge Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 2 Baths 1,750 SqFt 0.17 Acres
$371,390
Active
27702 Oasis Ridge Drive Katy, Texas
4 Beds 2 Baths 2,035 SqFt 0.191 Acres
Newest active new-construction single-family listings in Sunterra per Houston Association of REALTORS® MLS. Tap any home for full details, photos, and a showing request.
The Builder Lineup
A dozen builders, three tiers, quickly.
Sunterra runs one of the broadest builder rosters in Houston. Entry tier: Centex, LGI, D.R. Horton, and KB Home — spec-heavy, fastest closings, leanest finishes. Mid tier: Lennar, Chesmar, Davidson, and Perry Homes — the heart of the community in the $300s–$400s. Upper tier: Highland Homes and Westin, running into the $700s–$800s on lake-facing sections. The mix shifts by section as phases open and close.
Buying a spec home
Inventory homes carry the deepest incentives — builders pay real money to clear standing stock. The trade: the lot, the finishes, and the orientation were chosen for speed, not for you. I’ll tell you which specs are genuinely good lots and which exist because nobody wanted them.
Building dirt-up
A dirt-start gets you the lot and the finishes you actually want, at the cost of 6–10 months and pricing exposure. In a community selling this fast, base prices step up section by section — what you lose in waiting you sometimes make back in appreciation.
Either way, register me first
Builder sales offices represent the builder — full stop. Bring me to the first model-home visit and the builder pays my fee; show up alone and you’ve volunteered to negotiate against professionals by yourself. See how builder incentives actually work.
Before You Sign
The three things nobody warns Sunterra buyers about until close.
1. The school-district line
Sunterra splits between Katy ISD and Royal ISD by section — same community, different districts, meaningfully different resale math. The marketing says “Katy”; the tax bill and the school bus say which district you actually bought. I verify zoning on the specific lot, in writing, before you commit.
2. The real tax rate
Roughly 3.2–3.65% all-in depending on MUD and section — on a $400k home that’s $13k+ a year, well above older Katy neighborhoods. Builders quote principal and interest; I make you a full PITI number including the MUD before you fall in love with the kitchen.
3. Years of construction next door
With ~7,000 homes planned here and ~4,000 more coming at Sunterra Lakes, early buyers live with construction traffic — and any resale competes against a brand-new model home two streets over. The upside: each new section’s base pricing has historically stepped upward. Buy the lot and section with that horizon in mind.
Living There
The lagoon, The Retreat, and a real Katy commute.
The Sol Club’s Crystal Lagoons® swimmable lagoon opened in 2025 and anchors the community’s second amenity village — clubhouse, white-sand edges, the works — with access included in the HOA (roughly $1,400–$1,800 a year depending on section, no separate lagoon membership). The Retreat covers the first village with a resort pool, lazy river, and fitness center. Commute-wise you’re a few miles north of I-10: figure 15–25 minutes to the Energy Corridor, 30–45 to downtown off-peak, and 40–50 to IAH via the Grand Parkway. Old Town Katy and Katy Mills are minutes away; for the broader area picture, start with my Katy guide.
Sunterra FAQ
The questions Sunterra buyers actually ask.
Is Sunterra in Katy ISD?
Partially. Sunterra splits between Katy ISD and Royal ISD depending on the section — Katy ISD sections currently feed schools like Robertson, McElwain, or Cross Elementary toward Katy or Paetow High School. Verify the specific lot’s zoning before you sign anything; it’s the single biggest value variable inside the community.
What does a home in Sunterra cost?
Entry spec homes start in the mid-$200s from builders like Centex and LGI; the core of the market runs $300k–$450k; Highland Homes and Westin sections push into the $700s–$800s. Builder incentives move weekly, so the advertised price is a starting point, not the deal.
What’s the property tax rate in Sunterra?
Roughly 3.2–3.65% all-in depending on the section’s MUD — among the higher rates in the Katy area because the infrastructure is new and the bonds are young. The title commitment lists every taxing district for your specific lot.
Is the crystal lagoon free for residents?
Lagoon and amenity-village access is included in the HOA dues — roughly $1,400–$1,800 a year depending on section. There’s no separate lagoon membership fee as of mid-2026.
How does Sunterra compare to Cane Island or Elyson?
Sunterra wins on entry price and amenity wow-factor; Cane Island wins on uniform Katy ISD zoning and a more established feel; Elyson sits between. If budget is the constraint, Sunterra usually wins. If single-district certainty matters most, look at Cane Island first.
Should I use a REALTOR® for a new build in Sunterra?
Yes — and register them on your first visit. The builder’s on-site team works for the builder. I negotiate incentives, review the contract (builder contracts aren’t TREC standard), track construction milestones, and bring a third-party inspector at the right stages. The builder pays my fee; it doesn’t come out of your price. More in my new construction vs. resale guide.
Ready to talk through Sunterra?
I’ll pull current Houston Association of REALTORS® data on Sunterra, walk through which builders and sections fit your budget, and lay out the school zoning, MUD exposure, and tax math for any specific lot. Bring me on day one of model-home tours and I’ll register as your buyer’s agent before the on-site team claims the lead.
