New Construction Homes in Tega Cay SC: 5 Communities Building Right Now

If you are searching for new construction homes in Tega Cay SC, you have picked a moment when this peninsula town finally has fresh inventory to show you. For years, Tega Cay was the kind of place where the only way in was to buy someone else’s resale and wait for a listing to pop up on the water. That has changed. A handful of builders are now putting up brand new homes on the last developable land in and around town, and the pipeline runs from the mid $400,000s all the way past $940,000 depending on the community, the lot, and how close you sit to Lake Wylie.

I work both sides of the North Carolina and South Carolina line every week, so I get this question from relocating buyers constantly: are there actually new construction homes in Tega Cay SC being built right now, and is it worth crossing into South Carolina for the taxes and the schools? The short version is yes on both counts, but the details matter. This guide to new construction homes in Tega Cay SC walks through every active community, what each builder is charging right now, how the South Carolina tax math works on a primary residence, and the things I tell buyers to check before they sign a builder contract.

By Steve Jarrell, Broker, The Longleaf Group at eXp Realty · 11 minute read · Updated August 2026

What This Guide Covers

• The short answer on new construction homes in Tega Cay SC
• Where the new construction is happening in Tega Cay
• 5 new construction communities building right now
• What new construction homes in Tega Cay SC cost in 2026
• The South Carolina tax advantage on a new Tega Cay home
• Schools, Lake Wylie access, and the Tega Cay lifestyle
• Buying new construction in Tega Cay: what to know first
• Frequently asked questions
• About the author

The Short Answer on New Construction Homes in Tega Cay SC

Here is where I land after showing new construction homes in Tega Cay SC to relocating buyers all year. Tega Cay is a genuine option for new construction again, which was not true a few years ago. The catch is that the town sits on a peninsula in Lake Wylie, so the flat, easy-to-develop land ran out long ago. The new homes going up today are on the last larger parcels around the town’s edges, and they come in two flavors: attainable single-family product in the mid to high $400,000s, and larger, feature-rich homes that push toward and past $900,000 as you add square footage and lot premium.

For a buyer moving from a higher-tax state, the appeal is the whole package, not just the house. You get a brand new home, a South Carolina primary-residence tax bill that runs far below what a comparable Charlotte address would cost, and a school district that consistently ranks first in the state. That combination is why Tega Cay keeps drawing relocating buyers and remote workers off the Charlotte side of the line, and why new construction homes in Tega Cay SC sell as fast as builders can finish them.

Where the New Construction Is Happening in Tega Cay

To understand where the new construction homes in Tega Cay SC are going up, start with the map. Tega Cay is a peninsula that juts into Lake Wylie, the reservoir that forms the border between York County, South Carolina and Gaston and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. The oldest part of town, the streets closest to the water and the Tega Cay Golf Club, filled in decades ago. That is why so many buyers assume Tega Cay is finished and skip it entirely.

The reality is that the town has been annexing and developing the land at its edges, and that is where you will find almost all of the new construction today. Three corridors are doing the heavy lifting. The first is Gold Hill Road, the main east-west connector on the Fort Mill side, where Taylor Morrison and D.R. Horton are both building. The second is the Stonecrest Boulevard and Dam Road area, where a large mixed-use project called The Grove is rising. The third is the Windell Woods parcel between Dam and Gardendale roads, where Shea Homes is putting up single-family and eco-focused carriage homes.

If you want the official picture, the Town of Tega Cay keeps a public Active Developments page that tracks every approved project, its acreage, and its status. I point buyers to it constantly, because it is the one source that is not trying to sell them a house. It confirms what I see on the ground: the new construction homes in Tega Cay SC are concentrated on the mainland side of the peninsula, close to the Fort Mill schools and to I-77, not on the water itself.

That geography has a practical upside for buyers. Because the new communities sit near Gold Hill Road and the Stonecrest corridor, they are actually closer to the interstate and to Fort Mill’s shopping than some of the older waterfront streets. You give up the deep-water lot, but you gain an easier commute and newer everything. For a lot of relocating buyers weighing a new build here, that is a trade worth making.

5 New Construction Communities in Tega Cay SC Building Right Now

Here are the active and near-term communities where you can actually buy new construction homes in Tega Cay SC in 2026. I have grouped them by builder and included the current price ranges each is advertising. Prices move, so treat these as a snapshot and confirm the day you tour.

River Falls by Taylor Morrison

River Falls is the community I send most first-time Tega Cay new-build buyers to see first. Taylor Morrison is developing roughly 54 acres along Gold Hill Road, approved for up to about 136 single-family homes. Floor plans run from around 1,642 to 3,767 square feet, and pricing currently spans about $494,990 to $784,990 depending on the plan and lot. The community sits directly across from Tega Cay Elementary, which is one of the higher-ranked elementary schools in South Carolina, and it has quick access to SC-160, I-77, and I-485. You can see the current plans and availability on the builder’s River Falls listing.

Windell Woods by Shea Homes

Windell Woods is Shea Homes’ single-family community, sitting less than a mile from the shores of Lake Wylie between Dam and Gardendale roads. It is the higher end of the Tega Cay new-construction range, with about 89 homes priced from the mid $500,000s to about $941,000 depending on plan and lot. Buyers choose from three elevations that Shea calls Contemporary, Americana, and Modern Farmhouse, and the plans lean into big garages, walk-in pantries, and optional spaces like a first-floor guest bedroom or a home gym. If you want a larger new home near the water without paying for a deep-water lot, this is the community to walk. Details are on the Shea Homes Windell Woods page.

Lucere at Windell Woods by Shea Homes

Adjacent to Windell Woods, Shea builds a smaller carriage-home neighborhood called Lucere. This is the one I flag for buyers who care about energy efficiency and operating cost. Every Lucere home comes standard with a 4kW solar system, electric-vehicle-ready wiring, and all-electric appliances, which is unusual for production new construction in this market. It is a lower-maintenance, carbon-conscious option that still gives you a brand new home inside the Tega Cay footprint and the Fort Mill schools.

Lake Ridge Estates by D.R. Horton

D.R. Horton is building single-family homes at Lake Ridge Estates, with pricing that has started from around $456,990, making it one of the more attainable entry points into new construction homes in Tega Cay SC. Lake Ridge itself is a large, established golf-course community spanning roughly 435 acres, with a big share of that land set aside for parks, walking trails, and wooded conservation. Buyers who want the amenity base of a mature master-planned community but the warranty and efficiency of a new home tend to gravitate here.

The Grove at Tega Cay (Coming Soon)

The Grove is the wild card and the one worth watching. It is a 55-acre mixed-use project, formerly referred to as Main Street, on land between Stonecrest Boulevard and Dam Road. Site work began in 2025, and plans call for a blend of homes and townhomes alongside retail, office, and gathering space, including an outdoor area and a beer-garden-style entertainment component along an existing stream. Full buildout is projected to take several years, with the first commercial pieces targeted for late 2026. If you want a walkable, live-work-play pocket inside Tega Cay rather than a traditional subdivision, keep The Grove on your radar as its residential phases come online.

Put together, these five communities are why I tell relocating buyers not to write Tega Cay off as built out. Between Taylor Morrison, Shea Homes, and D.R. Horton, there are real, buyable new construction homes in Tega Cay SC across a wide price band, plus a mixed-use project that will reshape the center of town over the next few years. For the full picture of listings, neighborhoods, and market data in one place, see my Tega Cay real estate hub.

What New Construction Homes in Tega Cay SC Cost in 2026

Let’s talk numbers, because this is the question every buyer really wants answered. New construction homes in Tega Cay SC currently span a wide range, and the spread tells you a lot about who each community is built for. Here is the current snapshot of new construction homes in Tega Cay SC across the active builders.

Community	Builder	Starting Price	Style
Lake Ridge Estates	D.R. Horton	From about $456,990	Single-family, golf community
River Falls	Taylor Morrison	About $494,990 to $784,990	Single-family, 1,642 to 3,767 sq ft
Lucere at Windell Woods	Shea Homes	Carriage homes, energy-efficient	Solar and EV-ready standard
Windell Woods	Shea Homes	Mid $500,000s to about $941,000	Larger single-family
The Grove	Mixed-use developer	Coming soon	Homes, townhomes, retail

A couple of things stand out. The entry point into new construction homes in Tega Cay SC, roughly the mid $400,000s at Lake Ridge Estates and River Falls, is close to the town’s overall resale median. For context, a typical existing Tega Cay home trades in the low-to-mid $500,000s, around $505,000 on recent sold data, up about 4.7% year over year, at roughly $221 per square foot. I break that down in detail in my Tega Cay housing market report. So a new home in the $450,000s to $500,000s is not carrying a huge premium over resale, which is unusual and part of the appeal.

At the top end, Windell Woods pushes toward $941,000, but you are buying a larger home with high-end finishes on a newer street near the lake. Where the price lands for you comes down to three levers: the base plan you choose, the lot premium (waterfront-adjacent and larger homesites cost more), and your design-center selections, which is where a lot of buyers quietly add $40,000 to $80,000 without realizing it. That last lever is exactly why I tell buyers shopping these communities to bring representation before they sit down with a builder’s sales agent.

The South Carolina Tax Advantage on a New Tega Cay Home

This is the section that changes minds. When a buyer is comparing new construction homes in Tega Cay SC against a similar new home on the Charlotte side of the line, the South Carolina property-tax structure often tips the decision. Here is how it works.

South Carolina taxes property based on an assessment ratio, and the state gives a major break to owner-occupied primary residences. If you own and live in the home as your legal residence, it is assessed at a 4% ratio of market value. A second home, a rental, or an investment property is assessed at 6%.

That 4% classification is not automatic: you have to own and occupy the home and file for the legal-residence classification with the York County auditor. Once you do, the effective tax bill on an owner-occupied Tega Cay home typically lands somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.6% of market value, which is dramatically lower than a comparable Mecklenburg County, North Carolina bill. You can read the state’s own explanation on the South Carolina Department of Revenue property tax page.

Put a number on it. On a $525,000 owner-occupied Tega Cay home, that primary-residence treatment can mean a property-tax bill running a few thousand dollars a year less than an equivalently priced home just over the line in Charlotte. Over a decade in the house, the difference adds up to real money, which is why so many buyers who work in Charlotte choose to live in South Carolina. I walk through the full NC-versus-SC tax comparison in this short video on how the taxes actually shake out.

That clip is from my Living in South Charlotte YouTube channel, where I tour new construction and break down the real cost of buying across the metro. If you are weighing the SC side, it is worth ten minutes before you tour.

One caution. York County went through a reassessment in 2025, so recent purchases and newly built homes are being valued on current numbers. That is normal, but it means you should ask for the actual estimated tax figure on the specific new home you are considering, rather than assuming the builder’s model-home tax estimate applies to your plan and lot. On a brand new home that has never been taxed, the first full-year bill can surprise buyers who did not plan for it.

Schools, Lake Wylie Access, and the Tega Cay Lifestyle

Price and taxes get buyers looking at new construction homes in Tega Cay SC, but the lifestyle is what keeps the town on the shortlist. Two things drive it: the schools and the lake.

The Fort Mill School District

Tega Cay is served by the Fort Mill School District, formally York County School District 4, which Niche has ranked the number one district in South Carolina for 2026. Tega Cay Elementary, on Gold Hill Road, is one of the top-ranked elementary schools in the state, and the town also feeds Gold Hill Elementary and Gold Hill Middle. At the high-school level, students attend Fort Mill High or Catawba Ridge High depending on where the home sits. You can confirm the current directory on the Fort Mill School District site.

One important note for new-construction buyers: the district adjusted elementary attendance lines for the 2025 to 2026 school year and is adjusting middle-school lines for 2026 to 2027 to absorb all the new rooftops. So do not assume a new community automatically feeds a specific school. Verify the exact assigned schools for the specific address and lot you are considering, because a home two streets over can zone differently. This is one of the first things I check for buyers touring these new communities.

Lake Wylie, Golf, and Parks

Tega Cay’s identity is the water. The town is a peninsula wrapped by Lake Wylie, and even if your new home is not on a waterfront lot, you are minutes from boat launches, marinas, and waterfront parks like Windjammer Park and Pitcairn Park, plus the town’s Beach and Swim Center. The Tega Cay Golf Club runs 27 holes across roughly 200 acres along the lake, with a clubhouse and restaurant. Add lighted tennis courts, miles of walking trails, playgrounds, ball fields, summer concerts, and the town’s street and water parades, and you get a genuinely amenity-rich place to live. For a fuller picture, see my guide to living in Tega Cay SC.

The Commute to Charlotte

The commute is the real tradeoff, so let me be specific about it. From Tega Cay to Uptown Charlotte is roughly 20 to 25 minutes via I-77 outside of rush hour. During peak morning traffic, I-77 northbound can slow considerably, so plan on longer if you have to be Uptown by 8 a.m. The I-77 Express Lanes give you a paid option to keep moving when the general lanes back up.

If your job is in SouthPark, Ballantyne, or Fort Mill rather than Uptown, your daily drive is often easier than the Uptown number suggests. If you want to compare Tega Cay against its neighbor across the water, my Tega Cay vs Lake Wylie comparison lays out the differences side by side.

Buying New Construction Homes in Tega Cay SC: What to Know First

Buying new construction is not the same as buying a resale, and the differences are exactly where buyers lose money if they walk in unrepresented. Here is what I tell every client before they tour new construction homes in Tega Cay SC.

Bring your own agent to the first visit

The friendly person in the model home works for the builder, not for you. In most cases the builder pays the buyer’s agent commission, so representation costs you nothing, but you generally have to register your agent on your very first visit. If you tour alone and come back with an agent later, some builders will not honor the representation. Bring me the first time you tour new construction homes in Tega Cay SC, and you get an advocate through pricing, upgrades, inspection, and closing at no cost to you. Start with my buyer resources page if you want to see how I work.

Know what is base price and what is upgrade

The advertised starting price is almost never the home in the model. The model is dressed in design-center upgrades and sits on a premium lot. Get a clear line-item breakdown of base price, lot premium, and each selection so you know your true out-the-door number before you fall in love with a finish package. This is where a good buyer’s agent earns their keep on a new build.

Still get an independent inspection

New does not mean flawless. I recommend both a pre-drywall inspection and a final walkthrough inspection with your own inspector, not just the municipal one. Builders in the Tega Cay area move fast to keep up with demand, and a third set of eyes catches the small things before your warranty period starts ticking.

Ask about HOA, timelines, and rate incentives

Most new construction homes in Tega Cay SC sit inside an HOA, so confirm the dues and what they cover, get the construction timeline in writing, and ask about the builder’s current financing incentives. In a market like this one, builders often offer rate buydowns or closing-cost help through their preferred lender that can be worth more than a small price cut. Always compare that incentive against an outside lender before you commit.

Do those four things and buying new construction homes in Tega Cay SC becomes a straightforward, low-drama process. Skip them, and you can overpay on upgrades or end up in a home that zones to a different school than you expected. That is the whole reason to have a local broker who does this every week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best new construction communities in Tega Cay SC?

The active new construction communities in and around Tega Cay in 2026 are River Falls by Taylor Morrison and Lake Ridge Estates by D.R. Horton on the Gold Hill Road side, and Windell Woods and Lucere at Windell Woods by Shea Homes near the lake. The Grove, a mixed-use project on Stonecrest Boulevard, is also coming online. The best of these communities for you depends on your budget, whether you want an established golf community or a newer street, and how much you care about energy efficiency.

How much do new construction homes in Tega Cay SC cost?

New construction homes in Tega Cay SC currently range from about $456,990 at the entry level to roughly $941,000 for larger homes at Windell Woods. Most single-family new construction lands in the high $400,000s to high $700,000s, close to the town’s resale median of around $505,000. Your final price depends on the base plan, lot premium, and design-center upgrades.

Who are the home builders in Tega Cay SC?

The builders currently active in and around Tega Cay are Taylor Morrison (River Falls), Shea Homes (Windell Woods and Lucere at Windell Woods), and D.R. Horton (Lake Ridge Estates). Each targets a slightly different price band and buyer, from attainable single-family homes to larger, feature-rich homes near the lake.

What school district is Tega Cay SC in?

Tega Cay is served by the Fort Mill School District, formally York County School District 4, which Niche ranked the top district in South Carolina for 2026. Because the district is redrawing attendance lines to absorb new growth, verify the exact assigned elementary, middle, and high schools for the specific address before you buy.

Are property taxes lower in Tega Cay SC than in Charlotte NC?

For an owner-occupied primary residence, yes, usually by a meaningful margin. South Carolina assesses a primary home at a 4% ratio, and the effective bill on a Tega Cay home often lands near 0.6% of market value, below a comparable Mecklenburg County, NC bill. You must file for the legal-residence classification with York County to get the 4% rate, and you should confirm the actual estimate on your specific new home.

Is Tega Cay SC still building new homes?

Yes. While the original waterfront core of the peninsula is nearly built out, Tega Cay is actively developing land on its edges along Gold Hill Road, Stonecrest Boulevard, and Dam Road. The town’s public Active Developments page tracks every approved project, and multiple national builders have new construction homes in Tega Cay SC for sale right now.

How long is the commute from Tega Cay to Uptown Charlotte?

Plan on roughly 20 to 25 minutes to Uptown Charlotte via I-77 outside of peak hours, and longer during the morning rush, when I-77 northbound can back up. The I-77 Express Lanes offer a paid option to keep moving. Commutes to SouthPark, Ballantyne, or Fort Mill are often shorter and easier than the Uptown drive.

About the Author

Steve Jarrell is a licensed broker in both North Carolina and South Carolina and the founder of The Longleaf Group at eXp Realty, a RealTrends Verified team based in Weddington. He works the NC and SC border every week, which means he prices, tours, and negotiates new construction on both sides of the line and knows exactly how the Tega Cay tax and school math compares to a Charlotte address.

If you are considering new construction homes in Tega Cay SC, Steve can represent you at no cost through pricing, upgrades, inspection, and closing. Whether you are just starting to research new construction homes in Tega Cay SC or you are ready to tour this weekend, reach him at 704-774-7170, steve@jarrellhomes.com, or thelongleafgroup.com.