Plano has always been two markets. West Plano—Legacy West, Willow Bend, the Shops at Legacy—is where the corporate campuses cluster and the median home price pushes $700K. East Plano is where prices are 20-30% lower, the housing stock is older, and the perception is... less glamorous.
For years, this discount has been stable. West Plano buyers stay west. East Plano buyers accept the trade-off. The gap persists.
But something is shifting. Three catalysts are converging on East Plano simultaneously, and the market is starting to notice.
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1. Collin Creek Redevelopment ($1B+)
The former Collin Creek Mall sat dead for years—a 100-acre reminder of retail's decline. Now it's becoming something else entirely: a $1 billion mixed-use district with:
- •500 single-family homes
- •2,300 apartments
- •Hotel
- •Office space
- •Retail/dining
- •The Chisholm Trail extension connecting it to surrounding neighborhoods
This isn't just filling a hole. It's creating a new urban center for East Plano—a walkable, mixed-use destination that rivals what West Plano built at Legacy West.
Phase 1 is underway. Vertical construction is visible. The transformation is real.
2. The DART Silver Line (Opened October 25, 2025)
East Plano now has two Silver Line stations:
| Station | Location | Connections |
|---|---|---|
| 12th Street | K Avenue & 12th Street | Transfer to Red/Orange lines; mixed-use development planned |
| Shiloh Road | Eastern terminus | Technology/employment hub; Cotton Belt Trail trailhead |
The 12th Street Station is particularly significant. The Station Area Plan explicitly protects the adjacent Douglass Community (historic Black neighborhood) from displacement while concentrating density along the rail corridor. Residents get transit access; neighborhood character is preserved.
From 12th Street, you can reach DFW Airport Terminal B directly. That's transformational for business travelers who previously had to drive.
3. The 2025 Bond ($316M for Streets)
The largest bond in Plano's history dedicates $316 million to arterial reconstruction—and East Plano is a primary beneficiary:
| Street | Location | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Alma Drive | Central-East | Full overlay |
| Independence Parkway | Central | Full overlay |
| Parker Road | East | Full overlay |
| Los Rios Boulevard | East | Reconstruction |
These are 1980s-era roads reaching end-of-life. The bond extends their lifespan by 15-20 years. For East Plano neighborhoods that have felt neglected relative to the west side, this is concrete evidence (literally) of investment.
The Price Gap
Let me show you the current spread:
| Zone | Median Price | Schools | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Plano (Legacy, Willow Bend) | $700K-$850K | Plano West HS feeder (stable) | Newer stock, corporate proximity |
| Central Plano (Los Rios, Park Forest) | $500K-$650K | Consolidated feeders | 1980s-90s, tree-lined |
| East Plano (Collin Creek adjacent) | $425K-$550K | Plano East/Senior feeder | Older stock, more diverse |
The spread between West and East is $200K-$300K for comparable square footage. That's a 30-40% discount for East Plano.
The question is: does that discount persist, or does Collin Creek + Silver Line + bond investment narrow the gap?
The Case for Narrowing
Here's why the East-West gap may compress:
Collin Creek creates amenity parity. The "East Plano has nothing to do" objection disappears when you have a walkable mixed-use district with dining, retail, and entertainment. Legacy West is 15 years old; Collin Creek is brand new. Shiny matters.
The Silver Line creates connectivity parity. East Plano now has the same airport access as anywhere on the rail network. The "too far from everything" objection weakens when you can reach DFW in 40 minutes by train.
Bond investment creates infrastructure parity. When Alma, Independence, and Parker Road get fresh asphalt, the "roads are falling apart" objection dies. East Plano neighborhoods look maintained, not neglected.
Demographics are shifting. Corporate transferees priced out of West Plano are looking east. The same 4-bed, 2,500 SF house costs $475K in East Plano vs. $700K in West Plano. For a buyer with a $550K budget, East Plano is the only game in town.
The Case Against Narrowing
Here's why the gap might persist:
School perception is sticky. PISD closed four campuses in 2024-2025—Davis Elementary, Forman Elementary, Armstrong Middle, Carpenter Middle. All were in Central or East Plano. West Plano (Plano West HS feeder) was untouched. Buyers associate closures with decline, even if the real driver is demographic aging.
West Plano has corporate gravity. JPMorgan Chase, Toyota, Texas Instruments—the major employers are on the west side. Executives want short commutes, and that keeps demand concentrated near Legacy.
Housing stock age. East Plano homes are 40-50 years old. They need HVAC replacement, roof updates, electrical panel upgrades. West Plano has more recent construction with less deferred maintenance. The renovation burden is a real cost.
Perception lags reality. Even if Collin Creek is successful, it takes 5-10 years for "East Plano is up and coming" to become "East Plano is desirable." Investors can be early; owner-occupants often wait.
The Neighborhood Play
If you're buying in East Plano, here's how I'd prioritize:
Tier 1: Collin Creek Adjacent Properties within walking/biking distance of the redevelopment. When the district opens, you're first to benefit. Buy now while "construction zone" psychology suppresses prices.
Price range: $425K-$550K
Tier 2: 12th Street Station Walkshed Properties within 0.5 miles of the Silver Line station. Rare opportunity for transit-adjacent single-family living in a suburb. The Douglass Community offers character that master-planned communities can't replicate.
Price range: $375K-$500K
Tier 3: Los Rios / Park Forest Established 1980s neighborhoods with tree-lined streets and community pools. School closures disrupted feeder patterns, but the Quiet Zone implementation (August 2025) removed Silver Line noise concerns. Buy on streets scheduled for 2025 Bond reconstruction.
Price range: $450K-$650K
Avoid: Direct Silver Line adjacency without buffers Properties backing directly to the rail corridor faced a noise discount before Quiet Zones were implemented. That discount should correct—but verify the Quiet Zone is in effect for your crossing.
The Bottom Line
East Plano has been undervalued relative to West Plano for years. The question is whether that's about to change.
The catalysts are real: Collin Creek is under construction, the Silver Line is operational, and the bond investment is funded. The infrastructure gap is closing. The amenity gap is closing. The transit gap has closed.
What remains is the perception gap—and that's the opportunity.
If you're a buyer with a $500K budget who wants Plano schools, Plano employers, and Plano services, East Plano is where you look. The West Plano premium buys you newer housing stock and shorter drives to Legacy. Whether that's worth $200K-$300K is your call.
But if Collin Creek delivers, the calculus shifts. East Plano stops being "the affordable part of Plano" and becomes "the up-and-coming part of Plano." And by the time everyone agrees, the prices will have already moved.
Sources: Collin Creek Development Agreements, Silver Line Station Areas Plan, City of Plano 2025 Bond Referendum, PISD Long Range Facility Plan, Community Impact News