Your The Hills of Lakeway broker
Johnny Ronca
Luxury Associate Broker, SERHANT. · 20+ years in Austin · 300+ closings · $250M+ in sales · 5.0★ across 100+ verified reviews
What clients say
“Johnny not only helped me buy a great home in Lakeway at a great price back in January of 2021 but he then helped me sell that same house for over $200K of what we purchased it for only 9 months later. Johnny helped us get an offer that was $50K over our asking price. We are extremely happy with Johnny as our "go-to" guy for anything related to real estate.”
Ryan B. · Lakeway buyer & seller
“Johnny guided us to our dream home. He understood exactly what we were looking for and he made the process flow smoothly and gracefully. I never imagined buying a house could feel so easeful! We are so grateful we had Johnny to show us just how smooth the process can be!”
Brandilyn B. · Lake Travis buyer
“I am so grateful that my family and I found Johnny! Johnny is incredibly hardworking, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented, and he TRULY cares about his clients. He worked nonstop to help us find our perfect home and we couldn’t be happier with the results of his hustle and care.”
Julie H. · Austin buyer
More verified reviews on Zillow (5.0★).
📍 The Hills of Lakeway Location Map
Johnny RoncaLuxury Real Estate AgentSerhant Texas, LLC
Key Takeaways
- The Hills of Lakeway is a private, gated country club community centered on The Hills Country Club — 36 holes of championship golf, tennis, pools, and fine dining without leaving the neighborhood.
- Homes range from ~$650K (entry) to $2M+ for premier golf-frontage estates; mature 1980s–2000s custom builds on established lots with 30-year-old oak canopies.
- Served by Lake Travis ISD — one of the top-rated school districts in Central Texas (TEA "A" rating) — and zoned for Lake Travis High School.
- ~30-minute commute to downtown Austin via RR 620; 5 minutes to Hill Country Galleria shopping and dining.
I'm Johnny Ronca — I've lived in the Lakeway area (Apache Shores) for years now, and I've personally helped more than a dozen close friends and clients make the move out here. The Hills of Lakeway is a neighborhood I know not just from transaction records, but from the roads I drive and the people I've watched settle in and never leave.
📱 Free buyer resource: Download The 2026 Austin Buyer's Playbook
Find the Home That Moves You.
"Johnny is incredibly hardworking, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented, and he TRULY cares about his clients."
— Julie Hindman, verified Zillow review (5.0 ★, 33 reviews)
🎯 The Hills of Lakeway Off-Market Snapshot (Updated May 2026)
Looking beyond The Hills of Lakeway? My Austin pocket listings page carries the current off-market count for every area I cover, how these homes reach me before the MLS, and a short form to tell me exactly what you are looking for.
Pocket Listings — Not on Zillow
I currently have 5 pocket listings in The Hills of Lakeway that aren't on Zillow, Realtor.com, or the public MLS.
That includes golf-frontage homes, established estates, and one renovation-ready custom. Price range: $750K–$1.8M. Call me before you search anywhere else — these move fast and won't wait for an open house.
Sample Off-Market The Hills of Lakeway Inventory (Anonymized)
- 🏌️ Golf-frontage custom home, 4BR/3.5BA, fairway views on the Hills Course, in the $1.3M–$1.6M range
- 🏡 Updated single-family on quiet cul-de-sac, 3BR/2.5BA, mature oaks, community pool access, in the $750K–$900K range
- 🌄 Hill Country view estate, 5BR/4BA, private pool, oversized lot, in the $1.6M–$2M range
- 🏘️ Lock-and-leave patio villa, 2BR/2BA, low maintenance, perfect for second-home buyers in the $680K–$790K range
- 🏌️ Backs to Flintrock Falls Course, 4BR/3BA, recently renovated, in the $1.1M–$1.4M range
What Do Homes in The Hills of Lakeway Sell For? 2025 vs 2026 Closed Sales
Short answer: The Hills of Lakeway single-family homes closed at a median of $989,000 ($319.54 per square foot) across 5 MLS sales from January 1 to October 2, 2026, compared with $905,000 ($278.62 per square foot) across 15 sales in all of 2025. Median days on market went from 10 to 26, and sellers closed at 97.8% of original list price versus 94.9%. Like for like, no size band had five or more comparable resales in both years, so the same-size table below shows counts rather than medians.
| The Hills of Lakeway | Sales | Median close | Median $/sq ft | Median days on market | Close ÷ original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All single-family · 2025 (full year) | 15 | $905,000 | $278.62 | 10 | 94.9% |
| All single-family · 2026 (Jan 1–Oct 2) | 5 | $989,000 | $319.54 | 26 | 97.8% |
| Same months of 2025 (Jan 1–Oct 2) | 14 | $912,500 | $274.42 | 17.5 | 94.8% |
| Last 90 days (Jul 4–Oct 2, 2026) | 3 (too few for a median) | — | — | — | — |
Same Size, Same Age: The Hills of Lakeway Homes in 2025 vs 2026
Every row compares the same kind of home, year against year: single-family resales with 3+ bedrooms, 2+ full baths and a 2+ car garage, built 1983–2013, with new construction left out. Each size band runs 20% either side of 2,000, 3,000, 4,500 and 6,750 square feet, the way an appraiser brackets a subject home.
| Home size | 2025 sales | 2025 median close | 2025 $/sq ft | 2026 sales (Jan 1–Oct 2) | 2026 median close | 2026 $/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry · 1,600–2,400 sq ft | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Mid · 2,400–3,600 sq ft | 7 | $905,000 | $332.11 | 2 | — | — |
| Large luxury · 3,600–5,400 sq ft | 5 | $985,000 | $251.78 | 1 | — | — |
A dash means fewer than five sales in that band that year, so no median is published.
Homes are taking longer to sell in 2026: a median 26 days on market against 10 in 2025. Sellers closed at 97.8% of original list price, which leaves buyers little room to negotiate on a well-priced home. MLS sales since January 2025 closed between $475,000 and $1.79 million.
Source: Unlock MLS (ACTRIS) via Matrix, pulled October 2, 2026. Closed single-family sales in subdivisions named Hills of Lakeway, ZIPs 78734, 78738 and 78669. 2025 = full year; 2026 = January 1 to October 2, 2026. Medians, not averages. Sales counts are not a trend on their own because 2026 is a partial year; compare against the same months of 2025. Private and off-market sales that never reached the MLS are not included. Like-for-like rows use a second MLS search of the same area limited to 3+ bedrooms, 2+ full baths and 2+ garage spaces; resales only, built 1983–2013 (the 30-year span that holds the most resales in this area); new construction reported separately. Compiled and analyzed by Johnny Ronca, Luxury Associate Broker, SERHANT. Compare every neighborhood in my Austin 2025 vs 2026 price table.
- Golf-frontage premium: 18–25% above base
- School district: Lake Travis ISD (TEA "A") (Confirm assigned campuses for any specific home.)
- Primary zip: 78738
The Hills of Lakeway: What You Need to Know
A Country Club Community with Three Decades of Character
The Hills of Lakeway isn't trying to be anything other than what it is — and that's a significant part of its appeal. Established in the 1980s and built out through the early 2000s, this is a community where the oak trees have had 30 years to grow into cathedral canopies over the fairways. The custom homes here were designed when "custom" actually meant something — not a choice between three floor plans and four countertop finishes.
The Hills Country Club sits at the center of the community's social and recreational life. Two championship 18-hole courses — the Hills Course and the Flintrock Falls Course — give members 36 holes of championship golf without driving anywhere. Add tennis, resort-style pools, a fitness center, and a full-service dining room, and you have a lifestyle infrastructure that would cost real money to replicate.
Best for: Buyers who want established luxury over new construction — retirees, golf-obsessed executives, empty nesters, and buyers who value oak canopies and community character over marble countertops in a freshly framed spec home.
The Golf: 36 Holes, No Waiting List for Your Commute
The Hills Country Club's two courses are the community's defining asset, and they've earned their reputation. The Hills Course is the original — a mature, tree-lined layout that rewards local knowledge and plays beautifully in the morning light. The Flintrock Falls Course is the newer sibling, with more dramatic Hill Country terrain and some of the best views in Lakeway.
Both courses are private — no public tee times, no tournament crowds overrunning your Saturday morning round. Membership is separate from the HOA and comes in several tiers depending on access level. If golf is central to your lifestyle, you're looking at one of the best club-per-dollar propositions in the Austin area.
The shared club structure between The Hills of Lakeway and the Flintrock Falls neighborhood means members from both communities use the same facilities — which gives the club the critical mass to support genuinely excellent dining, programming, and course conditioning.
Real Estate: What the Homes Are Actually Like
The home stock in The Hills of Lakeway skews older by Lakeway standards — and that's not a knock. These are 2,800–5,500 sq ft custom builds with real architectural character: stone and stucco exteriors, mature landscaping, generous lots, and floor plans designed before the open-concept era homogenized everything.
The renovation opportunity here is genuinely compelling. A well-priced home in original condition with a golf course location can be updated to current standards and come out the other side with a value proposition that's hard to match anywhere on the west side of Austin. I've seen clients buy at $850K, put $150K into thoughtful renovations, and end up with a $1.3M home that earns every dollar.
Premium positions — golf-frontage lots on the Hills Course, Hill Country view lots at the elevated sections of the neighborhood — command a meaningful premium and tend to have the lowest turnover. When they become available, they move quickly. That's where my off-market network earns its keep.
Lifestyle, Dining & Local Life
- Hill Country Galleria (5 min): H-E-B, Whole Foods, Torchy's Tacos, Kendra Scott, local boutiques, and 50+ restaurants and shops — the community anchor for all of western Lakeway
- Lake Travis waterfront access: Community boat ramps, parks, and Lake Travis Marina within 10–15 minutes
- Lakeway City Park & Trails: Miles of hike/bike trails connecting to Lake Travis shoreline
- Bee Cave dining scene: Continued restaurant expansion along the Highway 71 corridor — pizza, sushi, Mexican, wine bars, all within 10 minutes
- Rocky Creek Ranch Preserve: 2,000+ acres of Hill Country open space accessible from the Lakeway area
- Zilker Park/Barton Springs: ~35 minutes; still connected to what makes Austin Austin
The vibe in The Hills of Lakeway is established and unhurried. Golf carts are a legitimate form of local transportation. Neighbors know each other's names. It's not a neighborhood where people are passing through on the way to something else — they've arrived.
Schools
Lake Travis ISD — Consistently TEA "A" rated, top 10% in Texas:
- Lakeway Elementary — Strong academics, community-focused, active parent programs
- Hudson Bend Middle School — Solid academics, strong arts and athletics programs
- Lake Travis High School — State championship athletic programs, strong college placement, 26:1 student-teacher ratio, advanced coursework across disciplines
Lake Travis ISD is a genuine draw that anchors values in this zip code. Buyers relocating from California, in particular, are consistently impressed by the combination of school quality and tax load relative to comparable California districts.
The Hills of Lakeway vs. Rough Hollow vs. Flintrock Falls: Which Is Right for You?
Factor | The Hills of Lakeway | Rough Hollow | Flintrock Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
Price range | $650K–$2M+ | $850K–$3.5M+ | $800K–$2.5M+ |
School district | Lake Travis ISD (A) | Lake Travis ISD (A) | Lake Travis ISD (A) |
Primary amenity | Private golf club (36 holes) | Yacht Club & Marina | Private golf club (shared) |
Home age/style | Established (1980s–2000s) | Newer (2010s–2020s) | Newer/contemporary |
Community character | Traditional, mature, quiet | Active, family-focused, lake lifestyle | Golf-focused, custom homes |
Off-market access | Strong | Strong | Strong |
Best for | Golf buyers, established luxury | Lake lifestyle, families, younger buyers | Golf + newer construction |
If your primary driver is golf, mature landscaping, and a community that already knows who it is — The Hills of Lakeway is the answer. If you want the yacht club and a newer build, Rough Hollow wins. If you want golf but prefer a more contemporary home stock, Flintrock Falls is the bridge.
The honest answer is: I take buyers through all three. The one that clicks on the first drive-through is usually the right one.
Why I Love Selling The Hills of Lakeway
I'll be direct with you: The Hills of Lakeway is one of my personal favorite listings to take on, and here's why. There's a certain type of buyer who walks into a 1990s custom home in this neighborhood — stone fireplace, mature oaks framing the golf course view out back, a kitchen that needs work but bones that would make a builder jealous — and they just get it immediately. They're not looking for newness. They're looking for substance.
I've sold homes in this neighborhood where the oak tree in the backyard has a bigger trunk than most people's waists. You can't buy that. You can't rush that. You have to show up at the right moment and recognize what you're looking at.
The off-market dynamics here are particularly interesting. Long-term owners who've lived in The Hills for 20+ years don't love the idea of strangers touring their home on an open listing. They want a quiet introduction, a qualified buyer, and a clean close. That's exactly the kind of deal I'm built for — and why roughly a third of my transactions close without ever hitting the MLS.
I've also done the math on the renovation play in this neighborhood more times than I can count. When you're buying a structurally excellent home at $800/sf and putting $100K into a kitchen and master bath update, you're often creating $200K+ in equity by the time you get to your first anniversary in the house. Not many markets let you do that anymore. The Hills of Lakeway is one of them.
Come out sometime. I'll show you the neighborhood properly — golf cart optional but recommended.
Real Client Quote
"We were so fortunate to have found Johnny Ronca 7 years ago when we bought our first home in Austin. As our Realtor, he helped us find the right house in the right neighborhood, for the right price. He was so great, we came back for his expertise when it was time to sell that first home he helped us purchase, and to help us with the purchase of our next home. In short, he was always on our side, working to make the buying and selling of our homes as simple and successful as possible. Our family has definitely found our lifetime realtor and would highly recommend Johnny Ronca to anyone interested in buying or selling property in Austin." See verified reviews from my past clients on Zillow (5.0★).
Closing-Day Video Testimonial
“So we just closed on our very first house with Austin’s best real estate agent… I don’t know how people do this alone. If y’all are looking for a real estate agent, this is the only one. Look no further.”
Josh Trent · Host of the Wellness + Wisdom podcast · Austin homebuyer
“Johnny did an incredible job helping me to negotiate the price down on this house. We got tens of thousands of dollars in discounts that I would not have had without his support. He remained available to me through several months of escrow while the house was being fixed up and was incredibly helpful in identifying new contractors.”
Andrew H. · Austin buyer
Off-market access
Ask me what is quietly for sale in The Hills of Lakeway
Not every home here reaches Zillow or the public MLS. Some sellers will trade privately but will not sign a listing agreement, and those homes only surface through relationships. Mine run 20 years deep — a cross-brokerage network, Austin Luxury Network access, and Johnny’s Off Market Private Luxury Listings. Some of the coolest and most coveted luxury properties in Austin only ever sell as pocket listings.
Tell me your price range and must-haves and I’ll send you what matches — today, not when it hits the market. Contact me to see which gems match your specific needs, and what I expect to come up in The Hills of Lakeway in the next 90 days.
More from clients
“We were so fortunate to have found Johnny Ronca 7 years ago when we bought our first home in Austin. He helped us find the right house in the right neighborhood, for the right price. He was so great we came back for his expertise when it was time to sell that first home and to help us with the purchase of our next home. Our family has definitely found our lifetime realtor.”
India G. · Repeat client, buyer & seller
“He sent us tailored options that considered all of our must-haves and was patient with us being super picky too. Once we found The One he went above and beyond to get our offer accepted within our budget — on a Saturday afternoon too! It was a really tight timeline before the holidays and before baby was born, and there’s no way we could have done it without Johnny!”
Margeaux O. · Austin buyer
“Johnny Ronca has been an invaluable asset throughout the sale of our old home and the purchase of our dream home. During the sale, Johnny facilitated a bidding war and got an all-cash offer significantly over our asking price. He helped us find and strategize our way into our new dream home and negotiated a way for us to move in prior to closing.”
Buyer & Seller · Austin buyer & seller
More verified reviews on Zillow (5.0★).
Thinking of selling?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Hills of Lakeway gated?
Yes — The Hills of Lakeway is a private gated community. Entry is controlled, which contributes to both the security and the community feel. Guests and vendors go through a staffed or coded entry point. It's one of the things that makes the neighborhood feel like an actual community rather than a collection of expensive houses.
Do I have to join The Hills Country Club if I buy here?
Club membership is separate from the HOA and is not mandatory for residency. However, most buyers in The Hills of Lakeway join at some level — the golf and social infrastructure is a large part of what you're paying for when you buy here. Current membership tiers and pricing should be confirmed directly with the club, as they vary and occasionally change.
How does The Hills of Lakeway compare to newer Lakeway communities?
The honest comparison: The Hills of Lakeway trades newer finishes for more character, larger lots, mature landscaping, and lower entry prices for comparable square footage. If you want a move-in-ready home with quartz countertops and an open plan, Rough Hollow or newer sections of Lakeway Highlands will serve you better. If you want bones, location, and a neighborhood that's been working well for 30 years, The Hills wins that argument.
What's the commute like to downtown Austin or the Domain?
Downtown Austin is approximately 30–35 minutes via RR 620 and MoPac under normal traffic conditions — and that's a qualifier worth noting. During peak hours, it can stretch to 45–55 minutes. The Domain (tech corridor) is closer — typically 20–25 minutes. Most Hills of Lakeway residents are in knowledge-work jobs with flexible schedules or are retired, which makes the commute math work well for them.
Are there homes in The Hills of Lakeway under $750K?
Entry-level in The Hills of Lakeway starts around $650K, typically for smaller villas or townhome-style properties within the community. These represent genuine value — full club access eligibility, neighborhood community, and the Lake Travis ISD school zone at a price that's hard to match elsewhere in western Lakeway. They move quickly when they become available, and I often know about them before they hit the market.
Who is the best realtor in The Hills of Lakeway?
Johnny Ronca, SERHANT. — 20+ years selling in the Lakeway/Apache Shores area, 300+ closed transactions, $250M+ in career sales, and two decades of firsthand experience selling homes in The Hills of Lakeway's golf course community. Call (512) 797-0965 or email [email protected].
External Resources
- Lake Travis ISD — School ratings, programs, and enrollment information for 78738
- City of Lakeway — City services, parks, development information
- Hill Country Galleria — Shopping and dining anchor for the Lakeway/Bee Cave corridor
- Texas Parks & Wildlife — Lake Travis — Lake Travis recreation, fishing, and boating resources
Explore Nearby Austin Neighborhoods
- Flintrock Falls Real Estate
- Lakeway Highlands Real Estate
- Lake Travis Real Estate
- Serene Hills Real Estate
- Hudson Bend Real Estate
Ready to Buy or Sell in The Hills of Lakeway?
Johnny Ronca
SERHANT. Luxury Associate Broker · 20+ Years · 300+ Transactions · $250M+ Sales
📞 (512) 797-0965 | ✉️ [email protected]
📞 (512) 797-0965 | ✉️ [email protected]
— Johnny Ronca, SERHANT. · Lives in Lakeway/Apache Shores · 20+ years · 300+ transactions · $250M+ career sales
