From Lease to Keys in 90 Days | The Sinclairs Find Home at Landmark by Hillwood

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Last Updated: October 31, 2026

From Lease to Keys in 90 Days | The Sinclairs Find Home at Landmark by Hillwood

First-time homebuyers, a ticking lease, and an inventory home that closed in 69 days at Landmark in Denton.

How can first-time buyers with a lease deadline buy new construction in Denton?

By looking at inventory homes: new construction that’s already built or nearly finished, so you don’t wait for a build from the ground up. Jordan and Renee Sinclair had about 90 days before their lease ended. Miranda Realty Team found an M/I Homes inventory home, the Camellia plan, at Landmark by Hillwood in Denton, negotiated the builder’s incentives, signed the contract on April 21, 2026, and closed on June 29, 2026, 69 days later. The Sinclairs became Landmark’s second homeowners, three days after the first. Their incentives, a fixed below-market rate, appliances, blinds, and builder-paid closing costs, were specific to that home and that time.

Verified Credentials

• North Fort Worth Real Producers, 2026: Edson Miranda ranked Top 250 and Paige Miranda ranked Top 1,000, out of approximately 15,000 agents in the North Fort Worth market.
• RealTrends Verified, 2026: Miranda Realty Team named a Best Real Estate Small Team in Argyle, Texas, based on independently verified 2025 production.
• Team production: Over 50 homes sold and more than $25 million in Texas real estate closed over the last two years.
• Landmark experience: Our clients signed the first contract at Landmark in December 2025, closed as its first homeowners on June 26, 2026, and the Sinclairs closed three days later.
• Service area: Denton, Argyle, Northlake, Justin, and Flower Mound, Texas

The Sinclairs’ 69 Days at a Glance

Not every home purchase takes six months of planning and a pioneer’s vision.

Sometimes it takes ninety days, the right inventory home, and an agent who knows where to look.

On June 29, 2026, the Sinclairs signed the final papers on their brand new M/I Homes Camellia plan at Landmark by Hillwood in Denton, Texas, becoming the second homeowners at one of North Texas’s most anticipated master-planned communities. And they did it before their lease was up.

This is their story.

Why the Sinclairs Chose Landmark

The Sinclairs work from home, which gave them something most buyers don’t: flexibility. They could have landed anywhere in Dallas-Fort Worth.

They chose Landmark by Hillwood, and they chose it deliberately.

Denton’s first H-E-B is planned just down the road, with an opening window of December 2026 to February 2027 (Hillwood says early 2027). The community is anchored by 1,100 acres of parks, trails, and open space, including the Cross Timbers forest at Pilot Knob. For Jordan and Renee, who wanted trails, green space, and a lifestyle that invited them outside, it checked the boxes.

And then there was the pool. Renee loves the water, and Landmark’s planned resort-style pool (some builder materials describe it as an infinity pool) helped seal it. They weren’t just buying a home. They were buying into a community that’s still being built out.

The Case for New Construction, for This Couple

When Jordan and Renee first came to us, pre-owned homes were on the table. They were doing what most first-time buyers do: scrolling listings, running numbers, and trying to make the math work.

The math wasn’t working.

So we showed them a different path. New construction at Landmark didn’t just give them a brand new home nobody had lived in. It came with builder incentives that changed their affordability picture:

✅ A below-market interest rate, locked in and fixed
✅ Appliances included
✅ Blinds throughout
✅ Builder-paid closing costs

Builder-paid closing costs mattered. Jordan and Renee kept more cash in their pocket at the closing table than they would have on a pre-owned purchase where they’d have to cover those costs themselves.

New construction isn’t always the cheaper option. For these buyers, in this community, with this builder’s incentives at that moment, it was the more affordable path. Your numbers will depend on the home, the builder, and the incentives available when you buy.

Compare incentives carefully. As an October 2026 example elsewhere in DFW, one builder’s advertised 4.99% rate was a 5-year adjustable FHA loan with a 6.645% APR through a specific lender, very different from a 4.99% fixed rate. Look at the loan type, the APR, the deadlines, and any lender requirements. See We’ve Bought 6 New Construction Homes.

The Inventory Home Advantage

Here’s something many first-time buyers never think to ask about: inventory homes.

Jordan and Renee had roughly ninety days before their lease was up. A build from the ground up often takes many months, and that wasn’t going to work.

An inventory home is a different story. Builders sometimes build homes ahead of contracted buyers: spec homes that are move-in ready or close to it. Because carrying a finished home costs the builder money, they can be eligible for additional incentives. Buyers who know to ask may benefit.

We identified the right M/I Homes inventory home, the Camellia plan, negotiated the incentives, signed the contract on April 21, 2026, and closed on June 29, 2026. Sixty-nine days from contract to keys. Jordan and Renee had time to spare before their lease ended, a comfortable window to move without a hard deadline breathing down their necks.

The Journey, Milestone by Milestone

📸 Contract Execution: April 21, 2026

On April 21, 2026, we executed the contract on Jordan and Renee’s M/I Homes Camellia plan at Landmark by Hillwood. The inventory home was identified, the incentives were negotiated, and the clock started. Sixty-nine days to closing.

📸 Home Orientation: June 22, 2026

One week before closing, we walked Jordan and Renee through their completed home, room by room, finish by finish, making sure everything was right before the keys changed hands. The orientation is where it becomes real.

📸 Closing Day: June 29, 2026

On June 29, 2026, Jordan and Renee Sinclair became homeowners for the first time. A brand new M/I Homes Camellia plan, at Landmark by Hillwood, and a lease they didn’t have to break.

We are so proud of them. 🙏

About Landmark Today

Jordan and Renee planted roots in a community that is still writing its story. Here’s where it stands:

• Size: 3,200 acres in Denton, with an estimated $10 billion build-out value
• Open space: about 1,100 acres of parks, trails, and wild spaces
• Phase 1: about 750 homesites with nine builders, all now selling
• Schools: Landmark is zoned to Denton ISD (E.P. Rayzor Elementary, Harpool Middle School, and Guyer High School). Denton ISD plans three on-site campuses, but none are built yet.
• H-E-B: Denton’s first H-E-B, at I-35W and Robson Ranch Road, with an opening window of December 2026 to February 2027
• Costs: HOA dues of $1,600 a year and a total tax rate of 2.704158%
• Amenities: many are still planned, including the Timberview amenity center, which Hillwood lists as opening in late 2026

The outdoor lifestyle they were chasing is what Hillwood is building toward. We can’t promise how it develops, and construction continues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the second homeowners at Landmark by Hillwood? Jordan and Renee Sinclair, who closed on their M/I Homes Camellia plan on June 29, 2026, three days after the first homeowners.

How fast can you close on an inventory home? The Sinclairs closed 69 days after signing, but timelines depend on the home’s stage, your financing, and the builder. A finished home can close faster.

Is new construction cheaper than a pre-owned home? Not always. For the Sinclairs, builder incentives made it the more affordable path. Compare the total cost of both, including incentives and loan terms.

What school district is Landmark in? Denton ISD. Students are currently zoned to E.P. Rayzor Elementary, Harpool Middle School, and Guyer High School, and three on-site campuses are planned.

What incentives did the Sinclairs receive? A fixed below-market interest rate, appliances, blinds, and builder-paid closing costs. Incentives change often and vary by builder and home.

Who should I talk to about inventory homes at Landmark? Edson Miranda and Paige Miranda of Miranda Realty Team, based in Northlake, TX. Reach them at 940.577.2051 or [email protected].

Your Path Might Be Closer Than You Think

The Sinclair story is one we love to tell, not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s real: first-time buyers, a lease with a deadline, a community they fell in love with, and a path to homeownership that worked for them.

If you’ve been scrolling pre-owned listings and feeling like the numbers aren’t adding up, let’s talk. There may be an inventory home worth looking at. This is one couple’s experience, not a promise of what you’ll get.

For the glory of God and the good of others. 🙏

📲 Book a consultation | 📞 940.577.2051 | 📧 [email protected]
Miranda Realty Team | Northlake, TX | Brokered by Real Broker, LLC

Sources

• Landmark by Hillwood
• Cross Timbers Gazette: Denton ISD to build new school in Denton’s next big development (October 2026)
• Hillwood and community homeowner materials for HOA dues and tax rates

Keep Reading

• Your 2026 First-Time Homebuyers Guide to North Texas
• 2026 Guide to Buying New Construction in North Texas
• Why You Need a Realtor When Buying New Construction
• Landmark by Hillwood: Your Complete Guide to Denton’s $10 Billion Master-Planned Community
• Landmark’s First Family: The Bennetts Come Home
• Meet Paige Miranda: Your Landmark by Hillwood Realtor

Information is accurate as of October 2026 and subject to change. This story describes one couple’s experience and isn’t a guarantee of results. This article is for informational purposes and doesn’t constitute financial or real estate advice.