Lately, many people can relate to the appeal of having more land with wide open spaces. It’s one thing to dream about it and another to make that dream a reality. Yet the latter is precisely what Sharon and Jason Romano, owners and developers of High Hill Farm & Development, set out to do.
As we’ve previously mentioned, it was in 2012 that the Romanos first got a taste of East Texas’ small-town charm when their daughter was competing in dressage. The competition was held at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler. After falling in love with the location and topography, the Romanos embarked on a journey to buy a piece of this charming area.
“When we set out to look for land, we stumbled upon High Hill by a complete accident,” said Jason Romano, owner of High Hill Farm & Development. “However, we fell in the love with the location immediately.”
Stumbling into a Land Goldmine
Stemming from a love of travel, good food, and admiration for the great outdoors, the Romanos created a luxury resort for people looking to escape the everyday hustle and bustle. Sitting just 20 miles southeast of Tyler is the first initiative of the Romanos, High Hill Farm.
“We recognized there was a void in the market for places in close proximity to escape to from Dallas,” Jason adds. “We originally set out to create a personal weekend escape — a place to bring our family and friends. But once we started breaking land and creating this oasis, we realized we could do so much more with the space.”
It wasn’t long until the visionary couple grew this initiative into a planned, developed community and added High Hill Development to the plot of land. Now sitting on 175 acres of rolling hills in the piney woods, High Hill Farm & Development provides laid-back luxury travel and entertainment for folks looking to escape and unwind.
What started out as a new business venture quickly turned into a life-altering opportunity. Once the couple started building this land of dreams, they couldn’t help but feel a draw to live there themselves. It was in 2015 that the Romanos packed up their home in Lake Highlands and made the move to Arp, Texas.
Bringing the Honeymoon Home
For years, and even on their honeymoon, the Romanos frequented the Florida panhandle often. Relishing in the small-knit communities, good food, and entertainment all within walking distance was and still is something the Romanos look for in a destination.
“When we set out to create High Hill, we were looking to create an oasis for people like us — those that love to travel, especially to places like 30A, Watercolor, Alys Beach,” Sharon Romano said. “But what we didn’t expect was to fall in love with the concept so much to make the move out here ourselves.”
Sharon has a background in event planning and retail — with experience living in New York and working for a top law firm in Dallas — while Jason has an extensive background in homebuilding. The couple has a combined power of taking a dream, making it a reality, and doing it well — checking off all the necessary boxes to make people greatly satisfied.
“We both have a background in hospitality, so it’s very natural for us to bring people together and treat them well,” Romano adds.
Enjoying the Small-Town Living
Often referred to by his wife as ‘Walt Disney,’ Jason is a true visionary and can take a blank canvas and see the beautiful end result. Which is exactly what he did with High Hill.
The powerhouse couple enjoys their new digs in East Texas — specifically the slower pace of living, tight-knit community, and breathtaking scenery — and hopes to provide a property that others can fall in love with. However, the two are creatures of habit and do miss several local cuisines only found in Dallas.
“We do miss our favorite restaurants back in Dallas, but we are hopeful we can recreate those experiences here at High Hill,” Sharon says.
Sharon and Jason first moved out to Arp with their two children, but now find themselves empty nesters. When the Romanos aren’t scheming up new business ideas, they spend their time loving on their five dogs who get to enjoy the beautiful open range that High Hill has to offer.
