Here is a question I get almost every week: for about $300,000 in Anna, should you buy a brand-new home or a 15- to 20-year-old resale? The prices can look almost identical on Zillow. The monthly payments, and what you spend over the first five years, often are not.
Anna is one of the few places in North Texas where you can compare the two at the same price. New builders in communities like Villages of Hurricane Creek have homes starting around $300,000, and established neighborhoods like Creekside and Oak Hollow sell in the same range. Here is how I walk buyers through it.
The Part That’s the Same: Your Base Tax Rate
A typical Anna address carries a combined tax rate of about $1.99 per $100 of value. On a $300,000 home, that is about $5,970 a year, or roughly $500 a month, whether the house is new or 20 years old.
Either way, file your homestead exemption with the Collin Central Appraisal District after you close. Texas voters raised the school-tax exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 in November 2025, so the first $140,000 of your home’s value is exempt from Anna ISD taxes. That is real money on a $300,000 house.
Where New Builds Cost More Each Month
The PID. Many of Anna’s newer communities sit in a public improvement district. The PID is a fixed assessment tied to your lot that pays for the roads, water lines and amenities the developer built, and it shows up as its own line on your tax bill. In Hurricane Creek, for example, it runs on a 30-year schedule. The amount varies by community and phase, so look up the exact installment for the address on the district’s assessment roll before you sign. I walk through how in PID and MUD Taxes in Anna, TX.
I haven’t seen a PID referenced in Creekside or Oak Hollow. Both were built before Anna started using them. Still, confirm with the Notice to Purchaser for the specific home.
The HOA. Resort-style amenities cost money to run. Villages of Hurricane Creek dues are about $900 a year, or $75 a month. Creekside runs about $250 to $360 a year, and Oak Hollow about $352 to $387, so roughly $20 to $30 a month.
Where Resales Cost More: Repairs
A 20-year-old house has 20-year-old parts. In Anna’s established neighborhoods, these are the big ones I check on every showing:
- Roof. Hail is a fact of life here, and many Texas insurers price policies, or decline them, based on roof age.
- HVAC. Systems installed before about 2010 usually run on R-22, the refrigerant phased out in 2020. Recharging one is expensive, and replacement is usually the answer.
- Water heater. Most last 10 to 15 years.
- Foundation. North Texas clay moves. Look for cracks, sticking doors and uneven floors.
None of these is a reason to skip a resale. They are reasons to know the ages before you make an offer and to price them in. A home where the seller has already replaced the roof and HVAC is worth more than one where you will be doing it in year two.
A new build, on the other hand, comes with a builder warranty, new systems and current energy efficiency.
Builder Incentives Can Flip the Math
Builders in Anna have been competing hard. This fall, some have offered first-year rate buydowns in the low 3 percent range and included appliance packages, usually tied to their preferred lender. On the right home, an incentive like that can more than cover the PID and higher HOA for the first couple of years.
Two cautions. A first-year buydown is temporary, so make sure the payment works after it ends. And the builder’s sales agent works for the builder. That is why I tell everyone not to walk into a model home alone.
Resale sellers can offer concessions too, especially on homes that have sat a while. In September 2026, Oak Hollow listings were averaging about 60 days on the market, which gives buyers room to ask for help with closing costs or repairs.
Side by Side at About $300,000
| Resale (Creekside, Oak Hollow) | New build (e.g. Hurricane Creek) | |
|---|---|---|
| Base taxes | About $500/month | About $500/month |
| PID | None I have seen | Yes; look up the address |
| HOA | About $20 to $30/month | About $75/month |
| Repairs, first 5 years | Depends on roof, HVAC and water heater ages | Minimal, with builder warranty |
| Incentives | Negotiated with the seller | Often a rate buydown or upgrades |
| Amenities | Parks, plus a pool in Oak Hollow | Amenity center, pools, trails |
| Trees and lots | Grown in | Young |
So Which Is Right for You?
Lean toward a resale if you want the lowest fixed monthly cost, you are comfortable budgeting for a few big-ticket repairs, or you want grown trees and an established street. It is also where most investors in Anna start.
Lean toward a new build if you want predictable costs for the first several years, you will use the amenities, or a builder incentive closes the gap on the PID and HOA.
Most of my buyers tour both before deciding, and that is exactly what I recommend. Seeing a 2004 house and a 2026 house at the same price, on the same afternoon, settles the question faster than any spreadsheet.
Want Me to Run the Numbers?
Send me two homes you are deciding between, one new and one resale, and I will lay out the real monthly cost of each, including the PID, HOA and the repairs I would expect. Call or text (469) 344-8111 or email amy@bigrock.properties.