Builder selling nowMove-in ready homes
Los Prados in Mercedes, TX New homes by Esperanza Homes
Independent buyer's guide by Amy Herrera, REALTOR®, a Texas real estate sales agent with RE/MAX Elite. Amy is not the listing agent for Los Prados and does not represent Esperanza Homes, which has not reviewed or endorsed this page. Prices and incentives are from Esperanza Homes' website, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Checked Oct 14, 2026; builder prices and incentives may have changed. Ask Amy for today's numbers.
Ask Amy for current builder pricing.
- 1,055 to 1,464 sq ft
- 3 to 4 beds
- Mercedes ISD
- Tax rate 1.9957 per $100
Builder price range
$173,990 to $214,990
Builder's published price, checked Oct 14, 2026. Amy represents buyers, not Esperanza Homes.
Ask Amy for current builder pricing.
See Esperanza Homes' page for Los Prados (opens in a new tab)
Key facts
From Esperanza Homes' website and public records, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm current details with the builder before you sign.
- Price
- $173,990 to $214,990Builder's published price, checked Oct 14, 2026. Amy represents buyers, not Esperanza Homes.
- Status
- Builder selling now
- Home sizes
- 1,055 to 1,464 sq ft Builder-published plan range
- Bedrooms
- 3 to 4
- Home types
- Single-family
- Quick move-in
- 12 listed by the builder, 2 ready nowSee Esperanza Homes' 12 quick move-in homes (opens in a new tab)
- School district
- Mercedes ISD
- HOA
- Not published by the builder
- PID or MUD
- Los Prados has a public improvement district (PID) that pays for its infrastructure; the assessment ends once that infrastructure is paid off. The amount is not published and is not included in this estimate. Confirm it with the title company.
- Tax rate
- 1.9957 per $100 2025 adopted rates. Outside Mercedes city limits today, so no city tax is included. Annexation into Mercedes is expected once the infrastructure is complete, which would add the City of Mercedes rate (0.785). Homes outside city limits can pay a county emergency services district (ESD) tax instead, which is not included. See the tax stack below.
- Location
- Sales office at 6117 Appaloosa Dr, near Baseline Rd and Mile 9 N, just outside Mercedes city limits
- Developer
- Rhodes Enterprises, with Hidalgo County and the City of Mercedes
- Amenities
- Community park and playground, basketball court, walking and hike-and-bike trails, 3.2 acres of parkland, fiber-to-the-home, Energy Star qualified homes Per the builder
- Checked
- Oct 14, 2026
Est. True Monthly at the starting price
The loan payment, property tax, home insurance and windstorm coverage where it applies, in one estimate. Change the down payment or rate to see your own numbers.
Ask Amy for current builder pricing.
A newer weekly average rate than the week of Oct 8, 2026 is out, so this estimate may be off. Ask Amy for today's numbers.
The weekly average rate behind this estimate is out of date, so the estimate is hidden. Ask Amy for today's numbers.
8.08% APR FHA example
Default rate: Freddie Mac's weekly national average, week of Oct 8, 2026.
Est. True Monthly at $173,990
$1,686/mo+ HOA + PID
FHA example: 5% down, 30-year fixed, 8.08% APR (7.40% rate). Includes estimated tax, insurance and mortgage insurance. Not a loan offer.
How this estimate is built. Example loan: FHA 30-year fixed rate. Price $173,990 (the lowest price the builder publishes). Down payment 5% ($8,700). Loan amount $168,183, which includes FHA's 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium ($2,893) added to the loan. APR 8.08%, interest rate 7.40%.
Payments: 360 monthly payments of $1,164.47 for principal and interest, plus FHA annual mortgage insurance of $68.58 a month in year 1. The mortgage insurance is recalculated each year, gets slightly smaller as the loan is paid down, and lasts the life of the loan at this down payment. Year 1 loan payment: $1,233.05.
The rest of Est. True Monthly is estimates, not loan terms: property tax $161 and home insurance $292 a month. Property tax applies the homestead exemption: $140,000 off school district tax ($5,000 off South Texas ISD). HOA dues are not published by the builder and are not included. A PID or MUD assessment may apply and is not included. Your lender sets escrow from the real tax bill and your insurance quote, so your actual payment will be different, and it often rises in year 2 when a new home is taxed at full value.
Assumptions: no discount points, no lender fees and no prepaid interest; if you pay them, your APR will be higher: with a typical 1% lender fee ($1,653), this example's APR would be about 8.18%. The rate is Freddie Mac's weekly national average for 30-year fixed loans for the week of October 8, 2026 (borrower profile: 20% down, good to excellent credit); your rate depends on your credit, down payment, loan type and lender. FHA loans need at least 3.5% down and a base loan at or under the 2026 FHA limit of $541,287 in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties.
This is an estimate, not a loan offer, a rate quote or a commitment to lend. Amy Herrera is a real estate sales agent with RE/MAX Elite, not a lender or loan originator. Ask a lender for a Loan Estimate.
3rd lowest of 3 Mercedes communities on this guide with a published price, sorted by Est. True Monthly at each community's starting price with the same loan example.
Tax rate below the Mercedes median. 1.9957 per $100 here, against a median of 2.7807 across 3 Mercedes communities on this guide.
$165 per sq ft at the starting price, above the median of $81 across 3 Mercedes communities on this guide (starting price divided by the smallest published plan).
Nearest community on this guide: Tiger Crossing by Affordable Homes of South Texas, about 3.0 miles away.
Not included: HOA dues (not published by the builder), a PID or MUD assessment, utilities and closing costs. Year 1 tax is often lower on a new home and rises in year 2; the estimate uses the full-value tax.
Property taxes in Los Prados
2025 adopted rates per $100 of value for the taxing units on a Mercedes bill in Mercedes ISD.
| Taxing unit | Rate per $100 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County | 0.575 | Source 1 for the Hidalgo County rate (opens in a new tab) |
| Drainage District #1 | 0.1123 | Source 2 for the Drainage District #1 rate (opens in a new tab) |
| South Texas College | 0.162 | Source 2 for the South Texas College rate (opens in a new tab) |
| South Texas ISD | 0.0492 | Source 3 for the South Texas ISD rate (opens in a new tab) |
| Mercedes ISD | 1.0972 | Source 3 for the Mercedes ISD rate (opens in a new tab) |
| Combined | 1.9957 |
2025 adopted rates. Texas Comptroller 2025 rate files (county, city, school district and special district), checked against the appraisal district's 2025 roll.
At the starting price of $173,990, the yearly property tax is about $1,934 for a homeowner with the homestead exemption, or about $3,472 without it (a second home or rental).
Homestead exemption. A homeowner gets $140,000 off school district tax ($5,000 off South Texas ISD), so it mostly lowers the Mercedes ISD part of the bill. How to file.
City limits. Outside Mercedes city limits today, so no city tax is included. Annexation into Mercedes is expected once the infrastructure is complete, which would add the City of Mercedes rate (0.785). Homes outside city limits can pay a county emergency services district (ESD) tax instead, which is not included.
PID or MUD. Los Prados has a public improvement district (PID) that pays for its infrastructure; the assessment ends once that infrastructure is paid off. The amount is not published and is not included in this estimate. Confirm it with the title company.
Year 1 is different. A new home is often taxed on the lot in its first year, so the bill usually rises in year 2. Protesting an appraisal.
Builder incentives
As published by the builder on the date shown, with its conditions. Each incentive disappears from this page the day after its end date.
Esperanza Homes offer, checked Oct 14, 2026
Los Prados Homebuyer Advantage Program: a $15,000 buyer credit, given as a forgivable loan, for buyers who keep the home as their primary residence for at least 3 years, meet household income limits and use an approved lender; if the terms are not met, part of it may have to be repaid. Select homes also carry an extra $5,000 Flex. Up to $20,000 Flex Cash on select homes when you finance with the builder's affiliated lender, Stonewood Home Lending. Builder offers; they may not be combined, and restrictions apply.
Incentives are set by the builder, may require its preferred lender and change often. Confirm the current terms with Esperanza Homes before you sign; Amy can ask for you. Offer page 1 (opens in a new tab) Offer page 2 (opens in a new tab)
Location
Mercedes, Hidalgo County. School district: Mercedes ISD.
Sales office at 6117 Appaloosa Dr, near Baseline Rd and Mile 9 N, just outside Mercedes city limits
About 16.1 miles, in a straight line, from Valley International Airport in Harlingen.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Nearby communities on this guide
- Tiger Crossing3.0 miAffordable Homes of South Texas, Mercedes · From $127,000
- Texas Heights5.0 miEsperanza Homes, Weslaco · From $217,990
- Rabb Ranch5.1 miU R Home Texas, La Feria · From $300,000
- Rio Orchards Estates5.9 miU R Home Texas, Weslaco · From $395,900
Builder-published prices, checked Oct 14, 2026. Amy represents buyers, not these builders.
Before your first model visit
How Amy helps
Amy Herrera, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Elite
Amy habla español.
In many new-home purchases the builder pays the buyer's agent. Your written buyer agreement states Amy's services, how she is paid and by whom. Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
Sign a written buyer agreement, then Amy registers you with the builder before your first visit, compares this community with others, negotiates and walks you through the builder's contract. How registration works.
Protect your representation.
About this page. This is an independent buyer's guide to Los Prados by Amy Herrera, REALTOR®, a Texas real estate sales agent with RE/MAX Elite. Amy is not the listing agent for Los Prados and does not represent Esperanza Homes; Esperanza Homes has not reviewed or endorsed this page. Prices, plans, lot availability, HOA dues and incentives are taken from Esperanza Homes' website (esperanzahomes.com) on Oct 14, 2026 and change often. Confirm current terms with Esperanza Homes before you sign. Incentives are set by Esperanza Homes, may require its preferred lender, and have conditions shown with each offer. If you want Amy to represent you, sign a written buyer agreement and have her register you with Esperanza Homes before your first visit to the sales office. Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. Builder names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify their communities. How the estimates and checks work.
Questions about Los Prados
What is the property tax rate in Los Prados?
The 2025 combined rate is 1.9957 per $100 of value: Hidalgo County 0.575, Drainage District #1 0.1123, South Texas College 0.162, South Texas ISD 0.0492 and Mercedes ISD 1.0972. Homeowners who live in the home can claim the homestead exemption: $140,000 off school district tax ($5,000 off South Texas ISD). Outside Mercedes city limits today, so no city tax is included. Annexation into Mercedes is expected once the infrastructure is complete, which would add the City of Mercedes rate (0.785). Homes outside city limits can pay a county emergency services district (ESD) tax instead, which is not included.
Does Los Prados have a PID or MUD?
Los Prados has a public improvement district (PID) that pays for its infrastructure; the assessment ends once that infrastructure is paid off. The amount is not published and is not included in this estimate. Confirm it with the title company.
Is there an HOA in Los Prados, and how much are the dues?
Not published by the builder. Ask the builder for the HOA budget, the resale certificate and the deed restrictions, which can also limit leasing.
Do I need my own agent to buy in Los Prados?
No, but the sales team at the model home works for Esperanza Homes. A buyer's agent works for you: Amy can register you before your first visit, compare communities, negotiate incentives and walk you through the builder's contract. In many new-home purchases the builder pays the buyer's agent. Your written buyer agreement states Amy's services, how she is paid and by whom. Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
Why might my first-year tax bill be lower than this estimate?
Texas taxes property on its January 1 status. A home finished during the year is often taxed on the lot or a partly built house for that first year, so the first bill can be much lower and the escrow payment usually rises in year 2 when the home is taxed at full value. Est. True Monthly uses the full-value tax on purpose.