If you’re looking for luxury homes in Austin and aren’t quite sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve broken down the city in areas and cities, explained a little bit about what attracts luxury buyers to the area and given you a link where you can learn more and search luxury homes for sale. Still not sure where to start? Try our Austin Luxury Neighborhood Finder. Scroll Down to Read Our Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide – Mapped
Scroll Down to Read Our Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide by Area
Central Austin
Central Austin is the ideal choice for you if you are looking to be as close to Downtown as possible, are looking for an historic home, favor a more urban setting or like to be where all the action is. Luxury homes in Central Austin range from a small bungalow on a manageable sized lot to a sprawling mansion on an estate sized lot. Because many of the homes were built decades ago, or if brand new by custom builders, you won’t have the same house as your neighbor five doors down. Every single property is unique, which is another big draw to the area. Read more in our Central Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
West Austin
West Austin is the ideal place for you if you want to be close to Downtown Austin, but want a more suburban feel in a more serene setting. Located just across Lady Bird Lake, West Austin (including West Lake Hills and Rollingwood) is perched atop rolling hills, giving many of the homes panoramic Hill Country, Lake Austin and Downtown Austin views. The majority of the area was built in the 1970s and 1980s, so you’ll find custom designed homes that have been remodeled as well as some infilling. Read more in our West Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Southwest Austin
If you’re looking for a combination of convenience, affordability and space, Southwest Austin might be the area of town for you. Located off 290, 71 and MoPac, residents have several ways to get Downtown when traffic gets heavy. If you’re looking for a master-planned community feel, focus on neighborhoods near MoPac. Something more rural, try the neighborhoods of 290. If the water is a draw, focus on neighborhoods of 71. Bottom line, Southwest Austin is a great choice for anyone looking for more affordable luxury and needs to have easier access to the airport or Downtown Austin. Read more in our Southwest Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Northwest Austin
Northwest Austin is one of the more topographically diverse areas of Austin. With rolling hills, Lake Austin, Lake Travis and beautiful golf courses, you’ll find panoramic views, waterfront and golf course properties. Northwest Austin is especially convenient for those who work on the north side of town and want to spend as little time in the car possible. The majority of luxury neighborhoods in Northwest Austin are master-planned communities with active HOA’s that keep the neighborhood looking pristine. Read more in our Northwest Austin Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Lake Travis
Spanning the north and south side of Lake Travis, Lake Travis is home to many luxury homes. The majority of them, as you might guess, sit along the banks of the lake, while others wind around some of the areas best private golf courses. Lake Travis is still in development, so if you’re looking for newer construction with a more modern flare, as opposed to the more traditional homes that sit along the banks of Lake Austin, you’ll find that here. Though suburban, shopping areas and restaurants are surrounded by trees and set back from the road, so big box stores are not the focal point. If you like the water and golf, you couldn’t pick a better area. Read more in our Lake Travis Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Hill Country
The Hill Country spans several Hays County cities and is the best place to start your search if you’re looking for a more rural setting. Buda has the most suburban feel, but still feels like a small town on Main Street. Wimberley is the most remote. With a small Downtown area, locals and tourists can enjoy coffee, grab a bite to eat or shop. Driftwood is the most residential, while Dripping Springs is a mix of rural and suburban with a town center. Whether you’re looking for a small town or suburban feel, the Hill Country offers some of the most expansive properties with luxury amenities. Read more in our Hill Country Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Lakeway
Lakeway is the ideal choice if you’re looking for established Lake Travis waterfront neighborhoods, country club living or a gated estate overlooking the water. As the Lake Travis ISD distinguished itself as one of the premier districts in Austin and growth moved west, Lakeway was transformed from a retirement and vacation community to a thriving, diverse city for people of all ages. With more and more of Lakeway being developed, we’re starting to see brand new luxury homes with modern finish outs. Read more in our Lakeway Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Spicewood
The majority of the luxury developments in Spicewood are found along the banks of Lake Travis. You’ll find both master-planned, gated communities with amenities and marinas and non-HOA, waterfront properties spanning hundreds of feet of pristine shoreline. Spicewood should be your first stop if you love the look of Georgetown, but also want to be near the water. Spicewood feels very Texas in some respects and very Lake Travis in other respects. As you travel from 71 to the Lake Travis shoreline, you’ll drive for several miles without seeing any houses. But, when you enter the neighborhood, it will look very suburban. Read more in our Spicewood Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Dripping Springs
Only 25 miles west of Downtown Austin, you’ll feel like you are in the country when you really are only 30 minutes out. As growth moves west, we’re seeing more master-planned communities in Dripping Springs. But, instead of transforming the city into any other suburb, developers are keeping the natural setting a core focus. The majority of luxury homes in Dripping Springs have one thing in common – acreage. While most cities consider 1 acre a sprawling lot, Dripping Springs luxury homes usually sit on 5+ acres, some even more than 125 acres. Read more in our Dripping Springs Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Driftwood
Similar to Dripping Springs, the majority of Driftwood luxury homes are gentlemen’s ranches on 5 or more acres. Contrary to Dripping Springs, Driftwood does have a few master-planned leaning neighborhoods with a Texas Hill Country flair. There are also a few luxury neighborhoods (existing and planned) that overlook a winery, giving a very unique view not replicable to many other places in Texas. Driftwood is a few miles closer in than Dripping Springs, so if you like the idea of Dripping Springs, but want to be a bit closer in, Driftwood is the best place to start your luxury home search. Read our Driftwood Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Wimberley
Wimberley is one of the most unique cities in Austin because it has the most “small town” feel. 37 miles from Downtown Austin, Wimberley is surrounded by beautiful, Texas Hill Country cities, so it takes about 25 minutes to get to a more suburban area. Luxury homes in Wimberley sit on larger lots and include more amenities than luxury homes in neighboring cities, making it the ideal place for someone who likes to spend the majority of their time at home. When you get the urge to go out, there is a cute, Downtown area, where residents and tourists often congregate for coffee, a meal or wine. Read more in our Wimberley Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Buda
Buda is the most affordable and most convenient Hill Country city with luxury homes. The downside is you’ll have less choices in Buda as much of it is yet to be developed. But, Buda is supposed to have a population boom in the next decade, which will add inventory to the luxury market. If you’re looking for a Hill Country setting only about 15 miles from Downtown Austin, Buda is the best place to start your luxury home search. Read our Buda Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Cedar Park
Cedar Park is the ideal choice if you are looking for brand new construction with chef’s kitchens, pot fillers, high end appliances, two story family rooms and open floor plans on manageable sized lots. There are still a few established homes on estate sized lots, but, if you find one, you’ll have to act quickly as they usually don’t last long. Cedar Park is the first northwestern suburb of Austin and is known for its highly rated school district and proximity to Austin employers. Cedar Park is also making a bigger push for luxury, while surrounding suburbs tend to focus more on affordability. Read more in our Cedar Park Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Leander
Leander, like Cedar Park, is making a bigger push for luxury. New, master planned communities like Travisso and Crystal Falls set aside a section of land for higher end homes. This way, luxury home buyers can enjoy the amenities of a master-planned community and still live in a house they love. If you’re looking for a larger piece of land, you can also find that in Leander, but not as frequently as in the Hill Country. If golf or master planned communities in a beautiful setting are up your alley, Leander is the best place to start your luxury home search. Read our Leander Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Round Rock
Round Rock is the place to start your search if you are looking for affordable luxury. The majority of Round Rock is focused on affordable housing, so there are fewer luxury homes in the city. On the flip side, the luxury homes that are in Round Rock start at a much lower price point than in neighboring Cedar Park or Georgetown. If you’re looking for newer construction in a master planned community, but want to keep the budget as low as possible, Round Rock is the best place to start your search. Read more in our Round Rock Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
Georgetown
If you’re looking for the most “Texas” feel, Georgetown is the place to start your search. With open space for miles, you won’t think you’re only 27 miles from Downtown Austin. If Texas isn’t your thing, you’ll also find luxury, guard gated country club communities and established master-planned communities as well. If you prefer a town square feel, perhaps an historic home within walking distance to the Square is the best fit for you. Or, maybe a luxury home on the banks of the San Gabriel River. Bottom line is there are a wide range of options in Georgetown, which is one of the reasons it is the premier, luxury city north of Austin. Read our Georgetown Luxury Neighborhood Guide.
