Retiring in the Pines

New 55+ community breaks ground on 260 homes in Bastrop

Del Webb Lost Pines will include more than 500 homes when it's done being built.

Photo courtesy of Del Webb

Del Webb, a Phoenix, Arizona-based builder specializing in "active adult communities," has broken ground on a new community in Bastrop — its first in the Austin area in more than 30 years. Del Webb Lost Pines will encompass 500 residences with resort-style amenities in early 2026 if construction sticks to its current schedule.

The community is a smaller area within a larger master-planned community called The Colony, part of which touches the Colorado River. The Lost Pines section is within the north side of The Colony, about a 10-minute drive to the river according to Google Maps. The new homesites are located along Republic Drive.

Over two phases of construction, Del Webb Lost Pines will have more than 500 residences across 323 acres; more than 260 residences will be completed in the first phase, and home sales are expected to start in the first quarter of 2026.

According to a press release from Del Webb, its communities prioritize wellness, health, and friendship. Like other properties in the area, it's named for the Lost Pines Forest, which contains more than 75,000 acres of pine trees and is partially within Bastrop State Park.

There will be three home series in the development that all have one story, energy-efficient features, and kitchens the release describes as "spacious." Most important among the amenities will be a community center to be completed in Q3 of 2026. The center will include a fitness center, aerobics classes, multi-purpose rooms to enjoy hobbies, and even a golf simulator. Outdoor spaces include a pool, plus bocce and pickleball courts. The community will also have access to walking trails.

Organizing all that, there will be a full-time lifestyle director on staff.

“Given the growth of Austin and the rapidly expanding 55+ demographic, we’re excited to break ground on this new community and showcase the Del Webb lifestyle to the great town of Bastrop,” said Pablo Rivas, division president of home builder PulteGroup Central Texas, in the release.

According to the development's website, prices will be coming soon.

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REAL ESTATE NEWS

Austin ranked No. 2 buyer’s market among major U.S. metros

Redfin/Facebook

Redfin says Austin home buyers hold all the cards.

If you’re shopping for a home in the Austin area, this might be a great time to make a purchase.

A new report from residential real estate platform Redfin ranks Austin as the second-best buyer’s market among the country’s 50 largest metro areas. In a buyer’s market, prospective homeowners wield an advantage over sellers, strengthening their ability to score a bargain.

San Antonio pulled just ahead of Austin to claim the top spot on the list.

The report shows that in October, there were 117 percent more sellers than buyers in the San Antonio area — the highest percentage across the 50 biggest markets. In second place: the Austin metro area, where there were 115 percent more sellers than buyers. Across the country, there were 37 percent more sellers than buyers.

“Of course, it’s only a buyer’s market for those who can afford to buy — many Americans have been priced out of the housing market as affordability has eroded,” Redfin says.

During the pandemic, homebuyers from pricier places relocated to the Sun Belt (which includes Texas), driving up housing costs and pricing local residents out of the market, according to Redfin.

“To meet surging demand,” says Redfin, “homebuilders ramped up activity, which is one reason there are now a lot more homes for sale than people who want to buy them. … New construction can have a significant influence on whether negotiating power lies with buyers or sellers because it impacts the balance of supply and demand.”

The Austin market saw its highest number of houses for sale since 2022 in October, according to an Austin Board of Realtors (ABOR) report. There were 1,321 homes on the market, 12.7 percent more than the same month the year before.

The median home price stayed stable at $552,500, which is only half a percent more than in 2024.

In September, ABOR declared that Austin was becoming a buyer's market based on August data, so it looks like the organization's predictions for fall were spot on.

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