When you’re scouting the Austin area for a new home, the myriad options might feel overwhelming. After all, new home developments seem to be springing up every day.
We're opening the door to four noteworthy master-planned communities in the Austin area.
Easton Park
Once construction is completed within 20 years, the Easton Park master-planned community will boast about 8,000 residential units spread among four neighborhoods: Bryant Park, Knob Hill, Union Park, and Skyline Park.
One of the hallmarks of Easton Park is affordability, as about 10 percent of the residential units will be dedicated to lower-income residents. Six builders are putting up homes that start in the mid-$200s. The developer is Brookfield Residential.
Located near East William Cannon Drive and McKinney Falls Parkway, Easton Park encompasses 1,500 acres. Of that, more than 350 acres will comprise pathways, parks, and green space. There’ll also be about 13 miles of trails. Residents of Easton Park send their children to schools in the Del Valle Independent School District.
Goodnight
The developer of the Goodnight master-planned community is transforming 700 acres of former ranchland into what it’s calling an “urban hub.”
Goodnight, east of the Onion Creek neighborhood in Southeast Austin and adjacent to Onion Creek Metropolitan Park, is envisioned as a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, condos, and apartments.
Set to be developed over 10 to 15 years, Goodnight will include 3,500 residential units, a mixed-use town center, 226,000 square feet of retail space, and more than 120 acres of open space.
During the first phase, Centerra Homes, Homes by Avi, and M/I Homes are building a total of 104 single-family homes ranging from 1,200 square feet to 3,500 square feet.
Among Goodnight’s amenities are community ponds, “pocket” parks, a community pool, and three miles of trails. Goodnight is in the Austin Independent School District. Blazier Elementary School already is in the neighborhood, and a second AISD school is on tap.
Siena
There’s a land rush, of sorts, happening at the Siena development near Round Rock. In the first half of 2017, Siena ranked among the 50 top-selling, master-planned communities in the U.S., according to real estate advisory firm RCLCO.
Eleven homebuilders are putting up homes at Sienna, which is near U.S. Highway 70 and State Highway 130. It’s a little bit northeast of Dell Diamond and sits in the Hutto Independent School District.
Amenities at Siena include a swimming pool, a basketball court, a soccer field, two parks, and walking, hiking, and biking trails.
Home prices start in the $200s. While floor plans vary from builder to builder, each home will include high-end features such as stainless steel appliances, tile backsplashes, and marble countertops in the bathrooms.
Whisper Valley
The $2 billion Whisper Valley master-planned community is taking sustainability to a whole new level.
Once it’s completed in 10 years, the 2,063-acre development will feature more than 7,500 single-family homes and apartments, and more than 2 million square feet of retail and office space. Thermal energy and solar power will figure prominently in how the homes are powered.
Every home will come equipped with Google Fiber internet connectivity, Bosch appliances, and other higher-end amenities.
Among the benefits of living Whisper Valley that the developer, EcoSmart Solutions, touts are sustainability, affordability, and cutting-edge technology.
Homes at Whisper Valley start in the low $200s. The development is just east of State Highway 130 and about three miles south of Manor. Whisper Valley is situated within the Del Valle Independent School District.
Easton Park will boast about 8,000 residential units when complete.
