Thinking about betting on US 380 in McKinney but not sure where to plant your flag? You’re not alone. With steady growth across Collin County and long-range plans to improve mobility, this corridor is on many investors’ shortlists. In this guide, you’ll learn how to think about the different investment corridors along 380, balance access with noise, and match product types to real demand. Let’s dive in.
Why US 380 shapes value in McKinney
US 380 is the key east–west route tying McKinney to Frisco, Prosper, and towns to the east. As population and jobs have grown, 380 has attracted housing, retail, and logistics because it connects fast-growing suburbs and employment centers. Planned capacity improvements typically increase access and throughput, which can lift development interest at interchanges and key nodes.
The flip side is traffic noise and faster vehicle speeds near the mainline. That matters at the parcel level. The best plays consider where access will concentrate, how noise will affect livability, and whether zoning and utilities support your timeline.
Three investment corridors near 380
Interchanges and nodes
These are parcels at or next to planned interchanges, signalized intersections, or major cross streets that will see new ramps or turn lanes and higher traffic counts. You benefit from visibility and quick access, which suits convenience retail, medical, gas/fast casual, and multifamily.
Noise exposure is the tradeoff. Plan for orientation, parking placement, and landscape buffers. For residential, design and mitigation can protect livability while preserving the access advantage.
Mid-block frontages and secondary arterials
These are parcels within about 1,000 to 2,500 feet of 380 but set back on new or existing collectors, loops, and neighborhood streets. You capture commute-time improvements without sitting on high-speed lanes.
This niche fits single-family, build-to-rent, and neighborhood retail or medical. Distance, buffers, and intervening development reduce noise impacts. You trade some drive-by visibility for quieter surroundings and often stronger long-term tenant retention.
Industrial and logistics nodes
These are larger, truck-friendly sites near high-capacity connectors and grade separations. They win when improved throughput cuts operating costs and opens cleaner east–west routes across the region.
Noise is less of a constraint here, but heavy truck circulation can change nearby residential desirability. Use separation and buffers if you’re mixing uses.
Access vs. noise vs. tenant demand
Access and mobility
- Focus on where ramps, intersections, and signals will concentrate access.
- Parcels with direct ramp or signalized frontage often command a premium for retail and multifamily.
- Parcels that see only marginal access improvements may need rezoning or a different product to pencil.
Noise and livability for residential
- Check for planned mitigation like noise walls or wider setbacks in city code.
- Directly adjacent sites offer visibility but often require higher upfront investment in buffering and building orientation.
- Setback sites typically need less mitigation and may support better tenant retention.
Zoning, entitlements, and utilities
- Confirm current zoning, likely paths to a planned development, and whether platting changes are required.
- Verify water and sewer capacity in the city’s capital plans. Utility extensions often track road work, so timing matters.
- Utility availability drives time-to-market. Gravity sewer access can be a difference-maker versus lift stations.
Demand by property type near 380
- Multifamily and build-to-rent: Strong near employment corridors and amenitized nodes; proximity to shopping and dining matters.
- Retail and service: Gas/convenience, quick-service restaurants, and grocery-anchored centers thrive at interchanges; monitor nearby supply to avoid cannibalization.
- Industrial: Small-bay distribution and yard-heavy users prioritize truck access and large sites near connectors.
- Office: More limited unless paired with strong placemaking and mixed-use amenities.
Timing your play on 380
Road work unfolds in phases and timetables can shift. That affects pricing and hold strategy.
- Pre-construction: Land tends to price lower but entitlements and alignment risk are higher.
- During construction: As designs and access patterns become visible, markets begin to re-price.
- Post-construction: Over 3 to 7 years, values reflect new traffic patterns and stabilized access.
For long holds of 7 years or more, prioritize sites with funded improvements or secured right-of-way. Speculative plays call for extra contingency capital and conservative underwriting.
How to pick a parcel in McKinney
Use a simple due diligence checklist before you write an offer:
- Official project documents: Collect TxDOT maps and schedules for the US 380 segment touching your area and any related connector schematics.
- Traffic data: Pull current annual average daily traffic and regional forecasts to understand momentum.
- City plans and zoning: Review McKinney’s future land use map, zoning, and any corridor plans.
- Utilities: Verify water and sewer capacity, planned collector roads, and stormwater projects in city and county capital plans.
- Right-of-way: Check schematic right-of-way lines and potential takings that could reduce usable acreage.
- Noise and environment: Review noise studies and any environmental documentation if available.
- Floodplain: Confirm FEMA maps for low-lying areas along the corridor.
- Entitlements: Note platting, easements, access points, and deed restrictions that affect site design.
- Schools: Map district boundaries and capacity with official sources if you plan family-oriented residential.
- Pipeline and comps: Research nearby building permits and recent land sales to gauge supply and pricing.
- Community sentiment: Scan planning commission and council minutes for public input on the corridor.
A simple node analysis template
Apply this to any intersection or site you are evaluating in McKinney:
- Corridor node: Name the intersection or area.
- TxDOT status: Funded or unfunded, right-of-way status, and schematic stage.
- Traffic: Current counts and projected change.
- Zoning: Allowed uses and likely path if a change is needed.
- Proximity: Nearby amenities and employment centers that drive demand.
- Pros: Access, visibility, retail draw, multifamily demand.
- Cons: Noise, possible right-of-way loss, utility lag.
- Investor fit: Best suited for retail, multifamily, industrial, or single-family/BTR.
- Timeline: Estimated years to catalytic change based on schedules.
Risks and how to manage them
- Alignment or timing changes: Verify right-of-way schematics and use conditional contracts tied to final alignment.
- Access restrictions or tolling shifts: Confirm plans and model how traffic could reroute.
- Noise and air quality for residential: Use building orientation, buffers, and high-performance materials; place community amenities away from the highway.
- Utility constraints: Secure letters of availability and factor off-site improvements into your pro forma.
- Product oversupply: Track the pipeline and stage delivery; diversify across product types.
What this means if you buy or sell near 380
If you own or plan to buy a home near 380, access improvements can boost everyday convenience and long-term appeal. Setback locations often deliver a quieter living experience and stronger resale with fewer mitigation costs. Closer-in sites can work well too when buffers and thoughtful design are in place.
If you are selling, highlight commute access and nearby amenities while addressing peace-of-mind features like double-pane windows, landscaping buffers, or interior layout that positions bedrooms away from the roadway. If you are investing, match the site to the right product and hold period, and build your plan around the timeline of funded improvements.
Ready to explore parcels, model rent and resale scenarios, or position your current home for the next phase along 380? Reach out to KW 1st Team for local guidance, investor sourcing, and full-service buyer and seller representation. Start Your Home Search or Get a Free Home Valuation.
FAQs
What is US 380’s impact on McKinney real estate?
- US 380 is a primary east–west route across northern Collin County that has fueled housing, retail, and logistics growth; access improvements tend to concentrate value at interchanges and nodes while increasing noise near the mainline.
How close to US 380 should I buy for rental housing?
- Setback parcels on secondary streets within about 1,000 to 2,500 feet of the corridor often balance commute access with lower noise, which can support tenant retention for family-oriented rentals.
What should I check before buying land near 380 in McKinney?
- Confirm project maps and timing, zoning and utilities, right-of-way, floodplain status, noise mitigation, nearby permits, and comparable sales; then align your product and hold period with the improvement timeline.
Which uses tend to work best right at interchanges?
- Convenience retail, gas and fast casual, medical services, and multifamily often benefit from visibility and direct access at interchanges, with design measures to address noise for residential.
How long should I plan to hold an investment tied to 380 improvements?
- Many plays take 5 to 10 years to fully mature after construction, with industrial often on the shorter end depending on absorption and residential typically on longer cycles.
