Project types
Build-to-rent.
Build-to-rent communities sit between subdivision and multifamily. Depending on how the homes are laid out and owned, the rules can follow either path, and the difference changes the timeline.
Why it gets complicated
Where the time and money go.
A community of detached or attached rental homes can be built on one lot under a site plan, or platted into individual lots. Which path applies depends on the jurisdiction and the layout, and it decides the approvals, the road standards and the fees.
Platting brings the thoroughfare plan into play. A planned road along or through the site can mean a reservation or dedication, and internal streets may need to meet public road standards.
More rooftops mean more runoff and more water and sewer demand. Drainage, detention and utility capacity are often the longest items on the schedule.
Outside cities, there is no zoning, but county subdivision, road, floodplain and septic rules still apply, and septic is rarely practical at rental densities.
What we look at first
Deal-killers first, in order.
The checks most likely to change the plan for this type of project. Each links to a plain-English guide.
Platting path
One lot with a site plan, or a subdivision plat, and what each requires.
Platting guideRoads and reservations
Thoroughfare plan reservations, internal street standards and access.
Access guideDrainage and detention
Runoff control for a site with many roofs and drives.
Drainage guideWater and wastewater
Capacity for the full community, and who builds the lines.
Water and wastewater guideJurisdiction
City, ETJ, county or district, and how that sets the path.
Jurisdiction guideFloodplain
Mapped flood areas that remove lots or need permits.
Floodplain guideBefore you close
Questions to ask early.
Cheap to ask before closing. Expensive to learn after.
- Will the jurisdiction treat this as a site plan on one lot or as a subdivision?
- Does the thoroughfare plan show a road through or along the site?
- Must internal streets meet public road standards?
- Can the provider serve the full community, and who pays for the lines?
- How much land will detention take?
- Are there deed restrictions that limit rentals or density?
Typical patterns
Common situations, and what they usually mean.
Patterns, not rules. Every report checks the actual parcel, its jurisdiction and its utilities.
| Situation | What often happens | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Large tract outside city limits | County subdivision rules and road standards apply | Plat requirements, road standards, ETJ status |
| Planned arterial on the thoroughfare plan | Reservation or dedication takes frontage | Plan alignment, width, triggers |
| Rural water provider | Line extension funded by the developer | Service area, capacity, extension terms |
| Inside a city with zoning | Zoning change or planned development district | Use tables, hearing path, conditions |
| Inside a utility district | District consent and fees | District rules, consent steps, fees |
Keep reading
Waitlist open · Starting in Central Texas
Check your next build-to-rent site.
Send us the parcel and a rough home count. We start with the path that decides the schedule.