Northstar in Haslet, TX: The Complete Guide to One of North Fort Worth's Best-Value Master-Planned Communities
Northstar in Haslet, TX: The Complete Guide to One of North Fort Worth's Best-Value Master-Planned Communities
Amenities, home prices, tax rate, HOA dues, Northwest ISD schools, pros, cons — everything you need to know before buying in Northstar.
If you're hunting for a new-construction home in the fast-growing north Fort Worth corridor, Northstar in Haslet keeps coming up — and for good reason. It bundles resort-style amenities, highly rated Northwest ISD schools, a location minutes from the AllianceTexas job hub, and attainable pricing into one 750-acre master-planned community. For families and commuters who want a lot of home and lifestyle for the money, it's one of the strongest value plays in the area.
Here's the full, in-depth breakdown — including the numbers most buyers wish they'd understood sooner.
Northstar at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Haslet, TX 76052 — far north Fort Worth, near U.S. 287 & Northstar Parkway |
| Size | 750-acre master-planned community |
| Developer | Lackland Holdings LLC (also developed Morningstar in Aledo) |
| Builders | D.R. Horton, Riverside Homebuilders, HistoryMaker Homes, and more |
| Home sizes | ~1,819 to 3,258 sq ft, one- and two-story |
| Price range | Roughly high $300,000s to about $495,000 |
| Tax rate | ~2.66% (includes a MUD tax) |
| HOA dues | ~$1,000/year |
| Schools | Northwest ISD — Carter Elementary in the community, feeds V.R. Eaton HS |
| Energy | Natural gas community |
| Signature amenities | Multiple pools, splash pad, playgrounds, indoor amenity center |
(Pricing, tax rates, and dues change over time and by section — always verify current figures for a specific home.)
The Story & Developer
Northstar is developed by Lackland Holdings LLC, led by Kim Gill and Tim Fleet — the same team behind the well-regarded Morningstar community in Aledo, west of Fort Worth. That track record matters: it means Northstar is being built by developers who've already delivered a successful North Texas master plan.
The community spans 750 acres just west of Haslet in far north Fort Worth, and it has been rolling out in phases (currently in its later phases with active new-home sales). At full build-out it's planned as a large community — early plans called for roughly 2,200 single-family homes, though some listings now cite build-out figures well above that as the plan has evolved. Either way, this is a substantial, amenity-anchored neighborhood, not a small pocket subdivision.
Location & Commute
Northstar sits near the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and Northstar Parkway, which is the key to its appeal for working professionals. From here you get:
- ~25 minutes to Downtown Fort Worth and about 22 minutes to Decatur
- Roughly 40 minutes to DFW International Airport
- Minutes from Alliance Town Center — the area's major hub for shopping, dining, and movies
- Immediate access to the AllianceTexas employment corridor, home to major employers including American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, and BNSF Railway, among many others
That proximity to the Alliance job base is a big deal. It means a large share of residents can keep their commute short — one of the most underrated quality-of-life factors when choosing where to buy. You're also within reach of Fort Worth staples like the Stockyards, Sundance Square, and Dickies Arena, plus nearby colleges TCU and Texas Wesleyan.
The trade-off: this is the northern edge of the metroplex. A commute into Dallas will be long, and while Alliance Town Center is close, the immediate area is still filling in with retail as the north-Fort Worth boom continues.
The Homes: Builders & Prices
Northstar is a multi-builder community, which gives buyers real choice and keeps builders competitive. Current and recent builders include D.R. Horton, Riverside Homebuilders, and HistoryMaker Homes, among others.
What you can expect:
- Home sizes: approximately 1,819 to 3,258 square feet
- Layouts: one- and two-story, open-concept floor plans, many with optional game rooms
- Floor plans: a wide selection across builders (D.R. Horton alone offers around 11)
- Pricing: currently from the high $300,000s (starting around $378,000) up to roughly $495,000, depending on builder, size, and lot
For brand-new construction in a highly rated school district with a full amenity package, that price band is genuinely competitive in today's DFW market — especially compared to communities further into Tarrant, Denton, or Collin County that start well into the $500s.
The Amenities
This is where Northstar punches above its price point. The community was designed around family recreation and year-round gathering:
- Multiple swimming pools plus a splash pad — a real plus for beating the Texas summer
- Playgrounds throughout the community
- An indoor amenity center with a game room and event space — usable year-round, rain or shine, and available for resident gatherings
- About two miles of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks running along the main parkway
- Nature trails and the community's natural terrain
- Community events organized through the HOA
An indoor amenity center is a standout feature — most communities at this price offer a pool and a playground and call it a day. Having climate-controlled event and game space adds genuine everyday value.
Schools: Northwest ISD
For many buyers, this is the headline. Northstar is served by the highly rated Northwest Independent School District (NISD) — one of the fastest-growing districts in North Texas, serving around 30,000 students across three counties.
The school pathway is clean and local:
- Molly Livengood Carter Elementary (PK–5) — newly built and located right in the community, an easy walk or quick drive for drop-off
- Truett Wilson Middle School (6–8) — a well-regarded campus a few miles away
- V.R. Eaton High School (9–12) — opened in 2015, serving the Haslet/Alliance corridor
Eaton High is worth a special mention: beyond strong academics, it offers unique specialized programs, including an Academy of Business Management and Entrepreneurship and an Aviation Academy with dual-credit aviation mechanical technology and flight training — a rare, career-focused opportunity for students.
One more buyer-friendly note: for 2026, NISD has been shifting toward campus stability (via a Limited Open Enrollment approach) to reduce the frequent rezoning that can plague high-growth districts — giving families a clearer, longer-term school path. As always, confirm exact current attendance zones for any specific address.
The Numbers, Part 1: Property Taxes
Here's the part every buyer should understand before falling in love with a floor plan.
Northstar's total property tax rate is approximately 2.66% of assessed value, and importantly, that rate includes a MUD (Municipal Utility District) tax. A MUD is a special district that finances and maintains the community's infrastructure — water, sewer, drainage, and roads — typically by issuing bonds that are repaid through the tax rate. It's the reason a MUD community's rate runs higher than an established area without one.
The good news: at ~2.66%, Northstar's rate is actually moderate for a MUD community — many comparable master-planned communities with MUDs run at 3% or higher.
What that looks like in real dollars (gross, before homestead exemptions):
| Home Value | Approx. Annual Property Tax (~2.66%) |
|---|---|
| $380,000 | ~$10,108 |
| $425,000 | ~$11,305 |
| $475,000 | ~$12,635 |
| $500,000 | ~$13,300 |
Remember that owner-occupants benefit from homestead exemptions — including the $100,000 Texas school-district homestead exemption plus city and county exemptions — which meaningfully lower the actual bill. These gross figures are for comparison; we can run exact numbers for any specific home.
The Numbers, Part 2: HOA Dues
On top of taxes, Northstar has a homeowners association with annual dues of about $1,000 per year (roughly $83/month). Those dues fund the landscaping, the amenity center, the pools and common areas, and the community events calendar. For the amenity package you're getting, that's a reasonable figure.
Putting It Together: Cost of Ownership
Take a $425,000 Northstar home as an owner-occupant and look beyond principal and interest:
- Property taxes (gross): ~$11,305/year → ~$942/month (lower after homestead exemptions)
- HOA dues: ~$1,000/year → ~$83/month
- Combined taxes + HOA: roughly $1,025/month on top of your mortgage principal, interest, and insurance
Knowing that number up front is how you budget confidently — and it's exactly the math I walk clients through before they write an offer.
The Pros
- Strong amenities for the price — multiple pools, a splash pad, and a climate-controlled indoor amenity center, all at a high-$300s entry point.
- Highly rated Northwest ISD with an elementary inside the community and Eaton High's standout business and aviation academies.
- Prime job-corridor location — minutes from AllianceTexas employers and Alliance Town Center, with a reasonable Fort Worth commute.
- Attainable, competitive pricing for a new-construction master plan with a full amenity set.
- Multiple reputable builders — choice, floor-plan variety, and healthy competition.
- Natural gas community — typically more efficient and cost-effective than all-electric.
- A moderate tax rate for a MUD community — meaningfully lower than many peers.
- Proven developer with a successful North Texas master plan already under its belt.
The Cons
- A MUD tax is baked into the ~2.66% rate — higher than a non-MUD area, and it persists for years as infrastructure bonds are repaid.
- HOA dues (~$1,000/year) are an added, ongoing cost on top of taxes.
- It's on the metroplex's northern edge — great for Fort Worth/Alliance commuters, but a long haul to Dallas, and ~40 minutes to DFW Airport.
- Still building out. As a large, phased community, expect ongoing construction activity, and some immediate-area retail is still developing (you'll lean on Alliance Town Center nearby).
- Production-builder product. The value is excellent, but as with any volume builder, a strong independent inspection is a must — which I always coordinate.
- Limited high-end ceiling. Pricing tops out around the mid-$400s to ~$495K; this isn't a luxury or custom-estate community.
Who Northstar Is Best For
Great fit: families prioritizing Northwest ISD and amenities at an attainable price; professionals commuting to AllianceTexas or north Fort Worth; first-time and move-up buyers who want new construction with resort-style amenities under ~$500K; and buyers who value a natural-gas, newer community with room to grow.
Think twice if: you commute into Dallas daily, you're seeking a luxury or custom home, you want the lowest possible tax rate with no MUD, or you need a fully built-out, no-construction environment today.
The Bottom Line
Northstar delivers a lot of community for the money: genuine resort-style amenities, a top-tier school district with an elementary in the neighborhood, a location plugged into one of North Texas's biggest job hubs, and new-construction pricing that still starts in the high $300s. The MUD-inclusive tax rate and HOA dues are real costs to budget for — but at ~2.66%, the rate is reasonable by master-planned-community standards. For the right buyer, Northstar is one of the best value stories in north Fort Worth.
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