Summary
I met this family when we were both coaching families in Waco. When a coaching job took them to Frost ISD in 2022, we sold their Park Meadows home with a leaseback and found an off market house in Hillsboro before it ever listed. In 2026, an athletic director job at Holland ISD brought them south. They moved over spring break into new construction at Hartrick Ranch in Academy ISD, with closing costs paid and a lower interest rate.
Why do coaching families need a different kind of plan?
I'm a coaching wife myself, so I know this life from the inside.
Coaches get hired on the school's timeline, not the housing market's. A lot of moves line up with the school year. But athletic director and head football jobs often don't. Those can mean a move in the middle of the school year, which usually means leaving a house behind before it sells.
And once you get there, the hours are long and unpredictable. Early mornings, late nights, and a lot of "I have to run up to the school real quick." So when I help a coaching family, being close to the school is the first thing I look at. Every time.
Move one, 2022: Waco to Hillsboro for a job in Frost ISD
We met back when I lived in Waco. Two coaching families, same world.
When a new coaching job came through in Frost ISD, it was time to sell their home in Park Meadows in Waco and find something close to the new school.
The problem was 2022. Inventory was extremely tight. There just wasn't much to choose from.
So I went looking for what wasn't on the market yet. I found a home in Hillsboro before it was ever listed, about 20 minutes from the school. That's the kind of commute that actually works for a coach.
On the Waco side, I negotiated a leaseback on their sale. That let them close on their Park Meadows home and stay put until they closed on the Hillsboro house. One move, not two.
Move two, 2026: a mid year athletic director job at Holland ISD
About four years later, the call came again. This time it was an athletic director position at Holland ISD, and it started in the middle of spring.
By then I had moved to Belton, so they were coming into my backyard.
They moved over spring break, and the kids finished the school year in their new district. Anyone who has done a mid year move with kids knows how much planning that takes.
Why new construction at Hartrick Ranch?
They landed at Hartrick Ranch in Academy ISD, about 15 minutes from the school.
New construction made a lot of sense for them. The builder incentives included paying their closing costs and a significantly lower interest rate. For a family moving on a coach's timeline, those incentives made the move down here possible on terms that worked.
What happened to the house they left behind?
This is the honest part of a mid year move. The Hillsboro home sat vacant for about a month after they left.
Then the right buyer came along, and it sold.
A month can feel long when you're paying for a house you don't live in. That's exactly why pricing and prep matter so much when a job is pulling you somewhere else on someone else's schedule.
What would I tell a coaching family who just got the call?
Start with the schools. Look at the elementary and middle schools you actually want your kids in, and make sure they feed into the high school where you'll be coaching. Then find the neighborhoods you like inside those attendance zones.
I'll be honest about why I care so much about this one. We live in the community where my husband coaches. The kids at elementary school with my kids will one day be coached by him. There's something really special about that, and I want it for every coaching family I work with.
If you just got the call about a new coaching job, or you think it's coming, let's talk before you start packing.
FAQ
How do coaching families handle a mid school year move?
Plan the move around a natural break, like spring break, and get the house you're leaving ready to list as soon as the job is official. Many coaching families end up leaving their old home vacant for a period, so pricing and prep matter.
Should a coach buy close to the school?
In my experience, yes. Coaching hours are long and unpredictable, and being close to the school makes daily life much easier. It's the first thing I look at.
Can I find a home that isn't on the market yet?
Sometimes. When inventory is tight, knowing the area and the people in it can turn up homes before they're listed, like the Hillsboro home in this story.
What is a leaseback?
A leaseback lets you sell your home and stay in it for an agreed period after closing, so you can move once instead of twice.
Are new construction incentives worth looking at?
They can be. Builders sometimes offer to pay closing costs or help with a lower interest rate, which can make a big difference in your monthly payment. Incentives change often, so always check what's currently offered.