Manors vs. Villas at Haywood Glen in Knightdale, NC: Which One Fits Your Home Search?
Manors vs. Villas at Haywood Glen in Knightdale, NC: Which One Fits Your Home Search?
If Haywood Glen in Knightdale, North Carolina has come up in your home search, there’s one thing you’ll want to understand right away.
The community gives buyers two noticeably different D.R. Horton options: The Manors at Haywood Glen and The Villas at Haywood Glen.
Despite the name “Villas,” these are not simply traditional attached villas or townhomes. The Villas collection includes detached single-family homes, including ranch-style options, while The Manors offers a broader range of single-family homes that reaches into larger four- and five-bedroom floor plans.
So which side of Haywood Glen makes more sense for you?
If you want a smaller footprint, single-level living options, and a lower starting price, The Villas may deserve the first look. If you need more bedrooms, more square footage, or a larger two-story floor plan, The Manors may fit you better.
I’m Brandy Nemergut, Realtor ~ eXp Realty Raleigh, NC, and I help buyers compare new construction and resale communities throughout Knightdale, Raleigh, and the surrounding area.
Here’s what I’d want you to know before choosing between The Manors and The Villas at Haywood Glen.
Where Is Haywood Glen in Knightdale?
Haywood Glen is located around Old Knight Road and Horton Road in Knightdale, NC 27545.
The Town of Knightdale approved a fourth phase of Haywood Glen in 2022 on approximately 33 acres along Old Knight Road and Horton Road. That phase added 107 single-family lots, with both front-loaded and alley-loaded home designs. D.R. Horton continued as the builder.
That location keeps Haywood Glen connected to the larger Knightdale area while giving buyers a residential community setting.
Knightdale itself sits at the intersection of I-540 and I-87, two major routes for getting toward Raleigh and other parts of the Triangle.
If you commute, I’d still test your actual drive.
A location can look perfect on a map. Your Tuesday morning commute is what matters.
What Is the Difference Between The Villas and The Manors?
This is the question I’d start with.
Both are part of the Haywood Glen home search, and both are being sold by D.R. Horton, but they serve somewhat different buyers.
The Villas at Haywood Glen
As of August 2026, The Villas are being marketed with homes ranging from roughly 1,600 to 2,300 square feet, generally with three to four bedrooms and two-car garages. Zillow currently lists the collection as actively selling from around the $340,000s.
Current D.R. Horton plans include the Beckett, a one-story three-bedroom, two-bath home starting around $349,990, and the larger Sawyer, a two-story four-bedroom plan of roughly 2,268 square feet starting around $398,990.
So even within The Villas, you have choices.
You can look at a smaller ranch-style home or move into a larger two-story layout without leaving the collection.
The Manors at Haywood Glen
The Manors offers a wider upper range.
Current information shows approximately 1,878 to 3,419 square feet, three to five bedrooms, and one- and two-story plans. Zillow currently lists The Manors as actively selling from about $417,000.
D.R. Horton’s current plans include:
Sophie: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, approximately 1,878 square feet
Lucas: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, approximately 2,792 square feet
Olivia: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, approximately 2,960 square feet
Bennett: up to 5 bedrooms, 3 to 4 bathrooms, approximately 3,419 square feet
That’s a meaningful amount of variety.
Which Collection Is Better if You Want One-Story Living?
I’d look closely at The Villas, but I wouldn’t stop there.
The Beckett in The Villas is a three-bedroom, two-bath, one-story plan.
But The Manors also has the Sophie, a one-story ranch-style home with three bedrooms and approximately 1,878 square feet.
That means a buyer looking specifically for fewer stairs should compare both collections rather than assuming “Villas” automatically means ranch homes and “Manors” automatically means two-story homes.
Look at the actual floor plan.
That’s where the answer is.
Which Collection Works Better if You Need Four or Five Bedrooms?
This is where The Manors starts to separate itself.
The Lucas offers five bedrooms at approximately 2,792 square feet, while the Bennett reaches approximately 3,419 square feet with as many as five bedrooms.
If you need:
A dedicated office
Guest bedroom
Multiple living areas
More storage
Four or five actual bedrooms
Room for a larger household
The Manors is probably where I’d spend more time.
The Villas does offer a four-bedroom Sawyer plan, so buyers who need four bedrooms shouldn’t rule it out.
But once you start wanting five bedrooms and closer to 3,000 square feet or more, The Manors gives you more options.
How Much Do Homes Cost at Haywood Glen?
As of August 12, 2026, current online community information lists:
The Villas: from roughly the $340,000s
The Manors: from roughly the $417,000s
Individual builder floor plans and available homes can be higher.
For example, D.R. Horton currently lists the Villas Beckett from $349,990 and the Sawyer from $398,990. In The Manors, current builder information lists the Sophie in the $417,000s, Lucas in the $464,000s, and Olivia in the $478,000s.
Those prices will move.
Builder incentives can change too.
That’s why I wouldn’t make a decision using one online number.
When you’re ready to buy, we should compare:
Actual available homes
Base price versus final price
Builder incentives
Interest-rate incentives
Closing-cost assistance
Lot location
Included upgrades
HOA costs
Estimated taxes and insurance
Final monthly payment
The lowest purchase price doesn’t automatically create the lowest overall cost.
What Amenities Does Haywood Glen Have?
Amenities are another part of Haywood Glen’s appeal.
D.R. Horton currently markets The Villas at Haywood Glen around a lower-maintenance lifestyle with community features that include a pool and bathhouse, playgrounds, exercise lawn, dog park, walking paths, open green spaces, and sidewalks.
Current individual Haywood Glen property records also identify community features including a pool, playground, and streetlights.
If those features matter to you, I’d ask a simple question:
Will you actually use them?
If you’ll walk the paths regularly, take your dog to the dog park, or spend summer afternoons at the pool, those amenities could add real value to your day-to-day life.
If you won’t, focus more heavily on the house, location, and monthly cost.
What About the HOA?
This is one area where I would not rely on a random fee you find online.
Current third-party property sources show different HOA figures within Haywood Glen. One property record reports $332 semiannually, while another current source for The Villas reports $365 semiannually.
That may reflect different phases, collections, fee updates, or differences in how listing data was entered.
So before buying, I’d verify the current documents for the exact property.
We want to know:
What are the current dues?
What do they cover?
Is lawn maintenance included for this particular home?
Who maintains common areas?
What are the rules for fencing and exterior changes?
Are there rental restrictions?
Are there any planned assessments?
That is much more useful than quoting an HOA fee from an old listing and assuming it applies to every home.
Haywood Glen vs. an Older Knightdale Neighborhood
Haywood Glen gives buyers the opportunity to compare newer construction with established Knightdale neighborhoods.
A new D.R. Horton home may give you:
Newer HVAC and roof
Modern floor plan
Current kitchen finishes
Builder warranty coverage
Smart-home features depending on the home
Community amenities
Possible builder incentives
An established resale home may give you:
Mature landscaping
A larger or different type of lot
Fencing already installed
Window treatments
Appliances
Decks or patios
Less construction activity nearby
More resale history
Neither one automatically wins.
We compare the actual homes.
A Buyer Scenario: Villas or Manors?
This is an example, not a client testimonial.
Say you’re looking for three bedrooms.
You’d prefer one-story living.
You want a two-car garage, neighborhood pool, and newer construction.
Your first instinct may be The Villas.
That makes sense because the Beckett offers three bedrooms, two baths, one story, and approximately 1,599 square feet.
But then I’d show you the Sophie in The Manors.
It also gives you a one-story layout, three bedrooms, and approximately 1,878 square feet.
Now we have an actual comparison.
How much more does the Sophie cost?
Do you care about the additional square footage?
Which homesite do you prefer?
How do the monthly numbers compare?
That’s a better decision than choosing a collection name first.
Another Scenario: You Need Five Bedrooms
Now imagine you need space.
Maybe you work from home and need a dedicated office.
You also want a guest room without taking away one of the bedrooms.
The Manors becomes much more interesting because the Lucas and Bennett both provide five-bedroom options.
We’d still compare those homes with other Knightdale new-construction communities.
A five-bedroom home at Haywood Glen may compete directly with options in communities like Stoneriver, Retreat at Robertson, Brio, or Preserve at Marks Creek.
That’s when builder incentives, HOA costs, location, lot size, and floor plan become really important.
Is Haywood Glen Convenient for Raleigh?
Knightdale is positioned at I-540 and I-87, giving residents regional access toward Raleigh and other Triangle destinations.
Haywood Glen’s current community descriptions also emphasize its Old Knight Road location and access toward I-540, I-440, and Downtown Raleigh.
But don’t buy based on the phrase “easy commute.”
Test yours.
If your job is in Downtown Raleigh, drive there.
If you’re going to RTP, test that route.
If RDU matters because you travel often, try the drive.
Your commute needs to fit your life, not somebody else’s brochure.
What Should Buyers Know About Buying From D.R. Horton?
The onsite sales representative works for the builder.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use the builder’s sales team. It means it helps to understand who represents whom.
If you want your own Realtor involved, bring that representation into the process before you get too far into touring, registering, or signing paperwork.
When I’m helping a buyer evaluate a new construction home, I’m looking at things such as:
Contract terms
Builder deadlines
Deposit requirements
Incentive requirements
Lender incentives
Inspection opportunities
Walkthrough process
Warranty coverage
HOA documents
Competing resale homes
Competing new-construction communities
The model home is the fun part.
The contract and numbers matter just as much.
What About Schools?
Haywood Glen is in Wake County, and school assignments should be verified using the exact property address.
Wake County Public School System provides an official address-based lookup showing base elementary, middle, and high school assignments by residence and school year.
I wouldn’t rely on an older listing or another home down the street.
If schools matter to your move, check the particular address you’re considering.
Common Mistakes Buyers Can Make at Haywood Glen
Assuming The Villas are townhomes
The Villas include detached single-family homes. Current community information includes ranch-style homes with attached two-car garages.
Assuming The Manors only has large two-story houses
The Sophie gives Manors buyers a one-story three-bedroom option.
Looking only at the starting price
The exact floor plan and available home can cost significantly more than the lowest advertised starting number.
Not comparing the two collections
There is overlap in bedroom count and home size.
Walk both.
Assuming the HOA fee is identical everywhere
Current published figures vary, so use the documents for the exact home.
Skipping inspection questions because the house is new
New construction still deserves careful due diligence.
Not comparing Haywood Glen with resale homes
A newer home isn’t automatically the better purchase.
Compare total costs and what comes with each property.
FAQ About The Manors and Villas at Haywood Glen
Who builds homes in Haywood Glen?
D.R. Horton is the builder for the current Manors and Villas collections and continued as the builder for Haywood Glen’s fourth phase.
Are The Villas at Haywood Glen townhomes?
Current builder information describes The Villas as single-family homes, including ranch-style layouts with attached two-car garages.
How large are The Villas homes?
Current listings show roughly 1,600 to 2,300 square feet, with three to four bedrooms.
How large are homes in The Manors?
Current Manors information shows approximately 1,878 to 3,419 square feet, with three to five bedrooms.
Does Haywood Glen have a pool?
Yes. Current D.R. Horton information for The Villas identifies a community pool and bathhouse among the amenities.
Does Haywood Glen have a dog park and walking paths?
D.R. Horton currently lists a dog park, walking paths, open green areas, sidewalks, and an exercise lawn among The Villas community features.
How much do homes at Haywood Glen cost?
As of August 2026, current community pages list The Villas from roughly the $340,000s and The Manors from roughly the $417,000s. Specific floor plans and move-in-ready homes may be higher.
Which is better, The Villas or The Manors?
That depends on the buyer. The Villas may appeal more to someone seeking a smaller footprint or lower starting price, while The Manors provides larger four- and five-bedroom choices. Both collections offer options that overlap, so comparing actual floor plans is the best approach.
Which Side of Haywood Glen Should You Tour First?
If you’re looking for new homes in Knightdale, NC, I’d put both The Manors and The Villas on the comparison list.
But I wouldn’t tour them the same way.
If you want a smaller three-bedroom home, one-story living, and a lower entry price, start with The Villas.
If you need four or five bedrooms, a larger floor plan, or more flexible living space, spend more time in The Manors.
And if you fall somewhere in between?
Tour both.
Haywood Glen is a good example of why buyers shouldn’t choose a community from an online description alone. The floor plan, homesite, HOA, builder incentive, and final monthly payment can completely change which option makes more sense.
Brandy Nemergut, Realtor ~ eXp Realty Raleigh, NC helps buyers looking in Knightdale, Raleigh, and surrounding communities compare new construction, builders, neighborhoods, and resale alternatives before making a decision.
If you’d like to tour The Manors or The Villas at Haywood Glen, I can help you compare current homes, floor plans, builder incentives, HOA details, and other Knightdale communities side by side.
Brandy Nemergut, Realtor ~ eXp Realty Raleigh, NC
[email protected]
919-583-6895
LivingInRaleighNow.com
