Hines acquires Brown Ranch property

The Brown Ranch development took a step toward becoming a housing community last week when Hines announced it had purchased the 1,476-acre parcel of land north of Walsh Ranch.

At full buildout, the community is expected to include about 3,800 homes, making it a significant planned residential community in the western portion of the Dallas-Fort Worth region. 

Located within the Aledo Independent School District, Brown Ranch is envisioned as a large-scale master-planned community offering a range of single-family housing opportunities across an array of lot sizes and price points, according to the press release. The plan also includes about 70 acres of commercial development to support future services and amenities for the community.

Questions about possible land being earmarked for schools went unanswered.

The acquisition comes as the U.S. continues to face a significant housing supply gap of approximately 4.5 million homes, highlighting the importance of delivering new housing in markets with sustained population growth, employment diversity, and infrastructure investment, according to the Hines press release.

“Dallas-Fort Worth continues to benefit from strong population and employment growth, infrastructure investment, and sustained housing demand, making it an attractive market for Hines’ high conviction living strategy,” said Rob Witte, senior managing director and head of Residential Land Development, Americas, at Hines. “Brown Ranch gives us the opportunity to help deliver new housing at scale in one of the country’s fastest-growing regions, working alongside an experienced group of homebuilders. It is an important addition to Hines’ national land development platform.”

Population growth continues to reshape the Dallas-Fort Worth region and expand demand for housing farther from its traditional urban centers. The Dallas-Fort Worth metro reached about 8.5 million residents in 2025, an 11% increase since 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Additionally, Parker County, part of the westward growth corridor surrounding Brown Ranch, grew about 25% over the same period, reaching nearly 185,000 residents. Fort Worth itself has surpassed one million residents and grew nearly 12% between 2020 and 2025.

Homebuilders involved in the project include Beazer Homes, DRB Homes, HistoryMaker Homes, Meritage Homes, Pulte Homes, and Risewell Homes. 

The community plan, according to the press release, includes a minimum of three amenity centers, 10 neighborhood parks, and an extensive interconnected trail system, while preserving the property’s existing natural features, including mature trees, rolling terrain, and a large creek corridor.