# Build to Rent Homes Houston | New Houston Apartment Team > Preserve at Highway 6 plus 14 other new build-to-rent and townhome communities, each with fees, water district and electric profile. Free help to tour. URL: https://newapartmentshouston.com/build-to-rent-homes/ ![Row of new single-family rental homes on a suburban street](/images/hero/row-of-new-single-family-rental-homes-with-small-f.webp) Build-to-rent homes · New rental houses and townhomes # New Build-to-Rent Homes and Townhomes Across the Houston Metro Last updated: October 25, 2026 You want a new house with a yard, but you'd rather rent. We track Preserve at Highway 6 plus 14 other build-to-rent and townhome communities around Houston. Free to you, and your rent is the same either way · 140 new communities tracked · Prices pulled every morning Get my shortlist [#shortlist →](#shortlist) See the New Build Board [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) ## Get my shortlist Free to you. Same-day confirmations during hours (Mon-Fri 8-8 · Sat 9-6 · Sun 12-5). Thanks, we got your request. We'll confirm units, specials and fee sheets and reply the same day during hours. Free to you, and your rent is the same either way 140 new communities tracked (Oct 25, 2026) Prices pulled every morning Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC · TREC #562021 Why it goes wrong ## Why build-to-rent comparisons go sideways The rent on a BTR home and an apartment can look close. The bills behind them often aren't. ### Utilities move to your name Many BTR homes put electric and water in your name. Water often comes from a MUD, with its own rates. ### Yard work isn't always included Some communities include landscaping, others leave mowing to you. That's time or money every month. ### HOA-style rules Fences, parking, trash bins and exterior changes follow community rules that a listing rarely shows. ## What are build-to-rent homes? **Build-to-rent (BTR)** communities are new houses and townhomes built to be rented, not sold. One manager runs the whole community, like an apartment community spread across streets. You usually get a **private fenced yard**, a garage, and no shared walls in a **single-family rental**. We track Preserve at Highway 6 plus 14 other BTR and **townhome community** sites around the Houston metro. Each one has a profile with required fees, the water district and the electric setup, so you can compare it fairly with a new apartment. ## How is the bill different from an apartment? The rent line can look similar. The rest of the bill usually isn’t. | Bill line | New apartment | Build-to-rent home | | --- | --- | --- | | Electric | Often your plan, sometimes included | Usually in your name | | Water | Often billed by the property | Often in your name, often MUD water | | Required fees | Valet trash, packages, tech | Often lower, sometimes a community fee | | Parking | Garage or space fees in mid-rises | Driveway or two-car garage included | | Yard upkeep | None | Sometimes landscaping included, sometimes yours | At 11 board apartment buildings, required fees ran $77.62 to $158.06 a month, median $98 (Oct 25, 2026). BTR homes often have smaller fees but larger utility bills, because you’re heating, cooling and watering a whole house and yard. > **Compare true monthly, not rent** > > We add rent, required fees, electric, water, parking and any yard service for both options. Then we show year two for each, because renewal starts from base rent. ## What should I know about yards and rules? BTR communities follow **HOA-style rules**. Expect written rules on fences, trash bins, parking, exterior decor and pets in yards. You usually can’t add or change a fence without written approval. **Yard maintenance** is the big question. Some communities include mowing and edging. Others leave it to you, so you’ll need a mower or a service. We note what each one publishes. ## Where are Houston’s build-to-rent communities? Most sit on the suburban edges, where land allows single-family lots. Cypress, around **Bridgeland** and the Grand Parkway, has several, and many addresses there fall in **Cy-Fair ISD**. Others sit along the **Fort Bend County Toll Road**, near Katy and Fulshear, and in Montgomery County. Because these communities are often in unincorporated areas, a district supplies the water. We confirm the district and the billing method for each one. ## Do BTR homes have specials? Some do, especially in lease-up. We show them with the same formula as apartments, with base rent beside the discount and year two beside the special. ## How do I compare a BTR home with an apartment? Send us your move date, bedrooms, pets and all-in budget. We’ll build the true monthly for both, line up tours on one side of town, and confirm every fee in writing. It’s free to you, and your rent is the same either way. How it works ## How we help with build-to-rent Same-day confirmations during hours. When something goes wrong, we write to the community and report back. 1. 1 ### Tell us what you need in a home Bedrooms, yard, garage, pets and your all-in budget. 2. 2 ### We build the bill profile Rent, required fees, water district, electric, and whether landscaping is included. 3. 3 ### We compare with apartments True monthly for a BTR home and a new apartment, side by side. 4. 4 ### We tour on one side of town BTR communities and nearby apartments in one afternoon. ## Want the whole bill for build-to-rent before you tour? It's free to you. Communities pay the brokerage, and your rent is the same either way. If we can't confirm a price, we'll say so. Get my shortlist [#shortlist →](#shortlist) Text us [sms:+1512000000 →](sms:+1512000000) Why renters use us ## Why use New Houston Apartment Team for build-to-rent? ### BTR and apartments on one board Compare a house and an apartment with the same math. ### Full bill profile Fees, water district and electric for each community. ### Yard rules as published Upkeep, fences and pet rules from each community. ### Free to you Communities pay the brokerage. Your rent is the same either way. On the ground ## What we check on a tour Illustrative scenes of the things we look at in person. Property pages use our own dated photos; renderings are labeled. Learn ## Guides for build-to-rent All guides [/guides/ →](/guides/) Explainer ### Yards, Fences, and Upkeep at Build-to-Rent Communities Fenced yards, whether landscaping is included, pet rules in yards, and HOA-style rules at new build-to-rent communities around Houston. [Yards, Fences, and Upkeep at Build-to-Rent Communities →](/guides/build-to-rent-yards-fences-upkeep/) Decision guide ### Build-to-Rent Home vs. Apartment: Comparing the Monthly Bill Compare true monthly for a build-to-rent home and a new apartment: rent, fees, utilities in your name, and yard upkeep, step by step. [Build-to-Rent Home vs. Apartment: Comparing the Monthly Bill →](/guides/build-to-rent-vs-apartment-monthly-bill/) FAQ ## Build-to-Rent questions What is a build-to-rent home? A build-to-rent home is a new house or townhome built to be rented, usually in a community run by one manager. Most come with a yard and a garage, and many put utilities in your name. Is a build-to-rent home more expensive than an apartment? Compare the true monthly, not the rent. Utilities and yard upkeep often shift to you in a BTR home, while apartments add required fees and parking. We put both side by side. Who mows the yard at a build-to-rent home? It depends on the community. Some include landscaping, others leave it to you. We note what each one publishes. Do build-to-rent homes have specials? Some do during lease-up. We show them with the same math as apartments: net effective, true monthly and year two. What is a MUD, and why does it change my water bill? A MUD is a Municipal Utility District that supplies water outside city systems; 67 of 140 board buildings get water from a district, usually billed through the property. We ask for last year's average bill before you apply. Can I have a dog at a build-to-rent home? Most BTR communities allow pets with limits, fees and pet rent. We list the rules as each community publishes them. Can you guarantee a price or approval? No. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign. Still have a question? Text us or send your move date. We reply the same day during hours. Text us [sms:+1512000000 →](sms:+1512000000) Get my shortlist [/contact/ →](/contact/) Keep looking ## Related ways to search ![Dog on a leash in a new apartment hallway by an elevator](/images/hero/dog-on-a-leash-waiting-by-an-elevator-in-the-hallw.webp) Pets ### Pet-Friendly New Apartments New builds filtered by pet policy and pet cost. [Pet-Friendly New Apartments →](/pet-friendly-new-apartments/) ![Newly built mid-rise apartment buildings along a Houston-area street](/images/hero/row-of-newly-built-mid-rise-apartment-buildings-al.webp) New Build Board ### New Construction Apartment Board A map and cards for every tracked ground-up build, with feed pricing and address facts. [New Construction Apartment Board →](/new-construction-apartments/) ![Moving boxes in a newly built Houston apartment living room](/images/hero/moving-boxes-stacked-in-the-living-room-of-a-newly.webp) Moving to Houston ### Moving to Houston Area picker by job anchor, plus utilities, tolls and ISD at a glance. [Moving to Houston →](/moving-to-houston/) ## Send us your move date. We make the calls. We confirm the unit, the special, the written fee sheet and who bills the water, the same day during hours. Get my shortlist [/contact/ →](/contact/) Text us [sms:+1512000000 →](sms:+1512000000) 512-000-000 [tel:+1512000000 →](tel:+1512000000) We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign. Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC · TREC #562021 · Free to you, and your rent is the same either way