Starr County · Texas
Rio Grande City is the Starr County seat and prices in the same tier as Hidalgo, $115 to $120 per square foot. What changes here is the land: larger rural parcels, well and septic instead of city service in many cases, and USDA Rural Development zero down eligibility across much of the surrounding county.
01
USDA Rural Development financing requires no down payment for eligible properties and eligible incomes. Much of Starr County qualifies. For a family that has been saving toward a conventional down payment, checking the USDA map first can change the timeline by years.
02
Inside city limits you permit through Rio Grande City. A few hundred feet outside, you permit through Starr County. We confirm which applies from the parcel before the design conversation, because the requirements are not identical.
03
Parts of the county are served by smaller water and utility districts rather than a single municipal provider. Service availability and connection cost get verified parcel by parcel during the site evaluation.
04
Being further from our McAllen base does not change what we build. It changes how we schedule supervision, regular planned site visits rather than incidental drop ins, and we say so up front.
Primary sources
Flood, windstorm and loan eligibility determinations come from these agencies, not from us. Verify your specific parcel before making a decision on it.
Construction cost only. Land, site preparation, permits, utility connections and septic are quoted separately.
| Service region | Fully Loaded rate | Why it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo & Starr County (McAllen / RGV core)You are here | $115 to $120 / sq ft | Our closest trade base and shortest supply runs. |
| Cameron County | $120 to $130 / sq ft | Reflects coastal code requirements and longer crew travel. |
| Alice, TX & the Coastal Bend | $130 to $145 / sq ft | Distance from our McAllen supply base drives the difference. |
The same six services, applied to this market’s soil, permitting and price tier.
Every one of these was built by the same crews who would build yours, to the same standard, at the rate published for this region.
Every custom home we have built
For sale
$310,000
Building in McAllen starts at $115 to $120 per square foot for our Fully Loaded standard, the same specification on every home we build, with no stripped down base model. For a standard 1,800 square foot home that is $207,000 to $216,000 in construction cost.
That figure covers construction only. Land, site preparation, permits and utility connections are separate line items, and we walk through each of them with you before anything is signed. Rates shift outside the McAllen and Hidalgo, Starr core; see the tier table for your county.
Six months from loan closing to key delivery is the typical timeline. That breaks down as roughly two weeks for design and blueprints, two weeks for permit approval, two to four weeks for site prep and foundation, four weeks for framing and roof, four weeks for MEP rough ins, three weeks for insulation and drywall, six weeks for interior finishes, and two weeks for final inspections and punch list.
Weather, material availability and permit queues can extend it. Permit timelines in particular vary by city, which is why we quote your schedule against your actual jurisdiction rather than a Valley average.
Yes, our Build On Your Lot program exists for exactly that. We start with a free site evaluation: soil, drainage, access, utility availability, zoning, setbacks, deed restrictions and FEMA flood status.
Then the plan is drawn to your parcel rather than adapted to it. Your land can also serve as equity in your construction loan, which often reduces the cash you need at closing.
Yes, at no charge. The evaluation answers one question directly: can we build what you want on this lot, and what will the land itself add to the cost.
We assess soil, drainage, slope, vegetation and existing structures; proximity to water, sewer, electrical and gas; zoning, minimum lot size, setbacks and any restrictions; FEMA flood status; and approximate site preparation cost. If the answer is that the lot will not work for what you have in mind, we say so.
Get prequalified with a lender. It defines everything that follows: lot selection, home size, design options and timeline.
It is free, it takes one to three business days, and it replaces guesswork with a real number. Designing a $350,000 home when you qualify for $230,000 is a painful way to spend three weeks, and prequalification is how you avoid it. It also lets you move quickly when the right lot appears.
Next step
Tell us the parcel address or the neighborhood you have in mind. We answer with what the land will actually allow, and what it will cost.
Prefer to talk to a person?(956) 594-6936
