Spicewood · Private Club Community
Loraloma. A private club on the river, west of Austin.
A David McLay Kidd golf course, more than two miles of river frontage and over 400 acres of open space.
Loraloma is a gated, members-only residential community in Spicewood, about 25 miles from downtown Austin, created by Areté Collective. Here is what is open, what is coming and what to ask before you buy.
01 / What It Is
A members-only community built around land and water.
Loraloma is a private, gated residential club in Spicewood. The community is organized around a cliffside David McLay Kidd golf course, more than two miles of river frontage, over 400 acres of preserved natural open space and about 40 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, according to the club.
It is a different product from most luxury neighborhoods west of Austin. You are buying a home or homesite and, alongside it, access to a private club with golf, river amenities, dining, wellness and outdoor programming. That combination is the point, and it is also what makes the purchase more complex than a typical resale.
Community Impact reported in May 2026 that Loraloma is planned for nearly 300 residences, with the golf course opened to lot purchasers in October 2025.
02 / The Golf
David McLay Kidd’s first Texas course.
The 18-hole course was designed by David McLay Kidd, the architect known for Bandon Dunes in Oregon and the Castle Course at St Andrews. The club describes it as a cliffside course, and it debuted in early October 2025.
The developer’s 2023 announcement called it McLay Kidd’s first course in Texas and described a low-impact, sustainable design that follows the land. A limited number of homesites front the course, including a group on hole 15 that the club was marketing as of October 2026.
Golf frontage is the scarcest thing a club community sells. It is also the hardest thing to value when a community has few closed sales.
03 / Club Life
The amenities are the neighborhood.
From the club’s own materials and Community Impact’s May 2026 reporting. Ask what is open today and what is still planned before you count on it.
River and swimming hole
River access with water activities, plus a natural swimming hole and fishing pond.
The McLay Kidd course
Eighteen holes along the cliffs, open since October 2025.
Trails and equestrian
About 40 miles of hiking, biking and riding trails, and equestrian facilities.
Dining, spa, fitness
Private dining, a spa and fitness facilities, with a dance hall and a recording studio.
04 / The Homes
Homesites, cottages and estates.
The developer has described two- to five-bedroom cottages, villas and estates, along with custom homesites. Current offerings shown to agents in October 2026 included specific lots and designed plans such as the Limestone Walkout, Bonnell Walkout and Bonnell Two-Story.
Pricing and availability change as phases release, so this page does not publish prices. Diana can pull what is available now, what has sold and how the plans compare, and walk the lots with you.
Ask Diana for current availability05 / Loraloma vs. Thomas Ranch
Two projects. Two different purchases.
They share a developer and sit side by side, which is why they get confused. They are not the same community, the same product or the same buyer decision.
Loraloma
A gated, members-only community built around a private golf club, river amenities and preserved land.
- Access
- Private and gated
- Golf
- David McLay Kidd, open since October 2025
- Scale
- Nearly 300 residences planned (Community Impact, May 2026)
- Homes
- Cottages, villas, estates and custom homesites
Thomas Ranch
A 2,200-acre master plan next door with a public downtown, a planned boutique resort and a broad mix of housing.
- Access
- Public town center
- Scale
- About 3,500 residences planned over 12 to 15 years
- Timing
- First residents expected in early 2027 (Community Impact, May 2026)
- Schools
- Currently Marble Falls ISD, per the developer
06 / Buying Here
What to ask before you buy into a club.
A private club community is two decisions at once: the property and the membership. These are the questions worth answering in writing.
Membership terms
What the membership costs to join and to keep, what it includes, whether it transfers when you sell, and who controls future changes.
Taxes and districts
Property tax rate, any special district or utility charges, HOA dues and club dues together. New communities often add lines that resale homes do not have.
School district by lot
District lines can differ across a large property west of Austin. Confirm the district for the exact lot, not the community.
Builder program or custom
Who builds, what the timeline is, what is included, and what the design review requires before you can start.
Open now vs. planned
Which amenities are open today and which are still planned. Price what exists. Treat the rest as upside, not a promise.
Resale and appraisal
New luxury communities have few closed sales, and Texas does not require sale prices to be disclosed. That makes value harder to support, for you and for your lender.
Why Diana
An advisor who is also a Certified General Appraiser.
Diana Roberts is the Austin luxury real estate advisor who is also a practicing Certified General Appraiser, two disciplines seldom found in the same career. In a new club community, that matters: she looks at the lot, the build, the carrying costs and the evidence for value, not only the amenities.
New-home sales teams often ask that your agent be with you, or registered, at your first visit. If you are considering Loraloma, bring Diana in before you tour so your representation is in place from the start.
- Before the tourDiana registers as your agent and pulls current availability.
- On the landWalk the lots for view, slope, light and access.
- In writingReview membership, district, tax and build terms.
- On valueCompare against the closest real evidence before you commit.
07 / FAQ
Questions about Loraloma.
Where is Loraloma?
Loraloma is in Spicewood, west of Austin near Lake Travis, about 25 miles from downtown Austin according to the club. It has more than two miles of river frontage.
Is Loraloma the same as Thomas Ranch?
No. Loraloma is a private, gated club community. Thomas Ranch is a separate 2,200-acre master plan next door with a public town center. Both are by Areté Collective, but they are different communities and different purchases.
Who designed the Loraloma golf course?
David McLay Kidd, known for Bandon Dunes and the Castle Course at St Andrews. The 18-hole course debuted in early October 2025 and was described by the developer as his first course in Texas.
What kinds of homes are at Loraloma?
The developer has described two- to five-bedroom cottages, villas and estates, plus custom homesites, including some golf course homesites. Availability changes as phases release, so ask for the current list.
Can Diana Roberts represent me at Loraloma?
Yes. Diana is an Austin Real Estate Advisor with Compass. Bring her in before your first visit, since new-home sales teams often ask that your agent be present or registered at that first visit.
Keep Exploring
The corridor around Loraloma.
Start With the Real Question
Considering Loraloma? Start with the land.
Diana Roberts · Austin Real Estate Advisor · Compass
Texas Agent · California Broker · Certified General Appraiser
512.888.8326 · diana.roberts@compass.com
Sources, checked October 3, 2026: Loraloma Club (loralomaclub.com), Areté Collective project materials, Thomas Ranch FAQ (thomasranchtx.com), the developer’s July 2023 announcement, and Community Impact reporting from June 2023 and May 2026. Plans, amenities, timing and availability are set by the developer and can change. Verify current details before you rely on them.
This page is an independent guide by Diana Roberts and is not produced or endorsed by Loraloma, Areté Collective or Thomas Ranch. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local fair housing laws.