Serene Hills · Lakeway, Texas · 78738
Serene Hills A neighborhood with neighborhoods of its own.
Custom homes, Hill Country land, private trails, a true neighborhood park—and one of Lakeway’s most useful locations for reaching Highway 71.
La Campana · Los Senderos · Las Colinas Estates · Las Colinas Del Lago
01 / Where It Sits
In Lakeway. Distinct from Lakeway.
Serene Hills sits along Serene Hills Drive between the Highway 71 corridor and the established Lakeway area. That position is a major part of its identity: residents can move toward Bee Cave and Austin from Highway 71 without first relying on Ranch Road 620 for every trip.
Inside the neighborhood, the experience changes quickly. Rolling terrain, custom homes, greenbelt edges, varied lot sizes, and four named sections give Serene Hills a more intimate identity than the large amenity-driven master plans nearby.
It is not lakefront, gated, or built around a resort complex. Its appeal is quieter: land, architecture, privacy, trails, neighbors, and an unusually practical Lakeway location.
Conceptual orientation only—not a survey, plat, or boundary map. Verify a property’s legal subdivision, HOA documents, school assignment, utilities, and jurisdiction by address.
02 / The Neighborhoods Within
One Serene Hills name. Four different experiences.
Section is not a decorative label here. It affects lot scale, architecture, build period, privacy, topography, competing homes, and what a buyer will reasonably compare.
La Campana
An established section with a mix of respected builders and architectural styles. Its relationship to La Campana Park gives this part of the neighborhood a particularly visible community center.
Park relationship · Builder variety · Established streetsLos Senderos
A residential enclave with custom and semi-custom homes on more conventionally scaled lots than the estate section. Lot position, rear exposure, street character, and floor-plan function can create meaningful differences.
Residential scale · Greenbelt edges · Floor-plan varietyLas Colinas Estates
The community’s estate-scale section, known for highly custom homes and rare lots that can reach roughly two to two-and-a-half acres. Privacy, approach, usable land, construction quality, and architecture drive value here.
Estate lots · Custom architecture · Maximum privacyLas Colinas Del Lago
A later custom-home section where elevated positions, canyon or greenbelt relationships, slope, view corridors, and contemporary construction can materially change the property experience.
Elevated terrain · Custom homes · View potential03 / The Story of the Land
From ranch land to boutique Lakeway community.
The shape of Serene Hills makes more sense when you understand its beginning: this was ranch land first, and infrastructure—not a quick production-home rollout—determined how development unfolded.
The Heard Family Ranch
The 456-acre property was used for cattle grazing before residential development. Its lack of water and wastewater service helped preserve the land’s rural character for years.
Land acquired
Developers purchased the property, but the economic downturn and utility planning delayed the original development schedule.
Infrastructure agreement
An agreement involving Travis County WCID 17 allowed water and wastewater planning to move forward, setting the stage for the community’s buildout.
Parade of Homes
Serene Hills hosted the Greater Austin Home Builders Association Parade of Homes, putting its custom construction and Hill Country setting on a regional stage.
Historical summary based on contemporaneous Lake Travis-area reporting. Development dates are commonly described as beginning in the early 2010s because land acquisition, infrastructure work, platting, and home construction occurred at different stages.
04 / Park, Trails and Community
The amenities are quieter. The neighborhood is not.
Serene Hills was not designed around a giant clubhouse or resort pool. Its community life happens at the park, on the trails, at the mailbox areas, and through the neighbors who organize events and welcome people in.
La Campana Park
The neighborhood’s private gathering place.
Located on Crestone Stream Drive, La Campana Park provides a central outdoor space for residents. The park and connected greenbelt areas support everyday walks, informal gatherings, children’s play, dog outings, and larger neighborhood events.
- Playground and open recreation areas
- Picnic and gathering space
- Dog-friendly neighborhood use
- Connections to private trails and greenbelt areas
- Location for community events and seasonal activities
La Campana Park and neighborhood trails are private HOA amenities. Features, rules, guest access, and conditions can change; buyers should verify current information with the association.
05 / Climate at a Glance
Long summers. Mild winters. Real Hill Country weather.
Serene Hills has the Austin region’s humid-subtropical climate: hot summers, shorter mild winters, and warm transitional seasons. Hill Country elevation and topography can produce small local differences.
Average regional daytime high / nighttime low
Average regional daytime high / nighttime low
Average regional daytime high / nighttime low
Average regional daytime high / nighttime low
70°F annual mean
The 1991–2020 normal annual mean at Austin Camp Mabry is 70.0°F.
36.25 inches of rain
Regional annual precipitation is distributed throughout the year, with May normally the wettest month.
Heat is the headline
July and August average daytime highs in the upper 90s. Shade, orientation, HVAC condition, pools, and outdoor-living design matter.
Seasonal figures are averages calculated from NOAA 1991–2020 Austin Camp Mabry climate normals. They are a regional reference, not a property-specific forecast.
06 / Schools and Daily Life
A neighborhood school name that is actually local.
Serene Hills is served by Lake Travis Independent School District, and Serene Hills Elementary sits on Serene Hills Drive. Attendance boundaries can change, so every address should be verified directly with LTISD.
Serene Hills Elementary
Located at 3301 Serene Hills Drive. The campus opened in 2008 and is part of Lake Travis ISD.
Lake Travis ISD
The district serves the broader Lake Travis area. Middle-school assignment should be confirmed by street; LTISD currently operates as a single-high-school district.
Verify by address
School boundaries, transportation, utilities, taxes, HOA obligations, and municipal jurisdiction should all be checked for the specific property—not assumed from the neighborhood name.
Official resources: Serene Hills Elementary and LTISD attendance-zone information.
07 / What Changes Home Value
The neighborhood premium is property-specific.
Serene Hills does not reward every square foot equally. Diana’s appraisal background helps separate a marketable feature from a feature that merely cost money.
Section and street
La Campana, Los Senderos, Las Colinas Estates, and Las Colinas Del Lago attract overlapping—but not identical—comparisons. Street position and direct competition matter.
Lot and greenbelt
Usable yard, slope, drainage, rear exposure, greenbelt adjacency, privacy, driveway grade, and view quality can matter more than raw acreage.
One story or two
Functional single-story living can command strong attention, but design, natural light, bedroom separation, office space, and storage still determine buyer response.
Pool and outdoor living
A pool is not a fixed-dollar adjustment. Orientation, privacy, shade, decking, outdoor kitchen, remaining yard, and connection to the main living area change its contribution.
Construction quality
Builder, architecture, workmanship, systems, finish quality, window package, energy performance, and renovation execution affect both perception and value.
Current alternatives
A seller is competing with what buyers can tour now: other Serene Hills homes, nearby custom communities, and sometimes newer construction with incentives.
08 / Market Presence Matters
Limited turnover. Meaningful Compass reach.
Serene Hills does not produce hundreds of public sales each year. In a community with limited turnover, direct experience with its homes, buyers, pricing, and negotiations carries more weight.
Nearly one out of every two public MLS sales involved Compass.
Between August 6, 2024 and August 6, 2026, 40 publicly marketed homes sold through the MLS in Serene Hills. Compass was involved in 18 of those sales—a 45% participation rate.
MLS records reflect Compass representation on 10 seller sides and 12 buyer sides. Compass agents appeared on both the listing and buyer sides of five sales.
For a seller, that reach means access to professionals who repeatedly work with Serene Hills inventory and buyers. For a buyer, it means advice grounded in actual neighborhood transactions—not just ZIP-code averages.
Source: Diana Roberts’ review of MLS closed-sale records for publicly marketed Serene Hills homes, August 6, 2024–August 6, 2026. Seller-side and buyer-side figures describe representation sides and may overlap within a transaction. Private, off-market, and non-MLS transfers are not included.
09 / An Honest Fit
Why people choose it. What they should still consider.
A useful neighborhood guide should help someone decide—not just applaud. Serene Hills is an excellent fit for many buyers, but it is not trying to be every kind of Lakeway community.
The reasons it works
- Boutique scale instead of a thousand-home master plan
- Custom and semi-custom architecture
- Lot sizes ranging from neighborhood scale to true acreage
- Private park, trails, greenbelt relationships, and active neighbors
- Lakeway address with direct Highway 71 access
- Neighborhood elementary school and Lake Travis ISD context
The questions to ask
- Is the lot’s slope useful, expensive, private—or all three?
- How does the section and street affect resale competition?
- Which HOA, tax, utility, and defined-area obligations apply?
- Does the home’s orientation work in an Austin summer?
- Is a resort-style pool or lake-access community more important?
- What future road, school, and nearby development should be reviewed?
10 / Frequently Asked Questions
Living in Serene Hills.
These are broad community answers. A property decision still requires address-level review.
Is Serene Hills in Lakeway or Austin?
Serene Hills is commonly identified as a Lakeway community in ZIP code 78738. Some property records and mailing addresses may use Austin. Municipal limits, taxing entities, utilities, and legal subdivision information should be verified for the specific address.
What are the four sections of Serene Hills?
The four commonly recognized sections are La Campana, Los Senderos, Las Colinas Estates, and Las Colinas Del Lago. They differ in lot scale, topography, builders, architecture, build period, and direct comparable-sale sets.
How large is Serene Hills?
Community reporting describes Serene Hills as approximately 456 acres with 339 planned single-family homesites. Older sources sometimes count fewer lots or completed homes because the community was still building out when those reports were published.
Does Serene Hills have a community pool or clubhouse?
Serene Hills is not centered on a resort-style community pool or large clubhouse. Its private amenities focus on La Campana Park, trails, greenbelt areas, and neighborhood gathering spaces. Buyers should verify current amenities and access rules with the HOA.
What is La Campana Park?
La Campana Park is the neighborhood’s private park and gathering space on Crestone Stream Drive. It supports everyday recreation and community events. Current features, operating rules, guest access, and conditions should be confirmed with the HOA.
What schools serve Serene Hills?
Serene Hills is within Lake Travis ISD, and Serene Hills Elementary is located on Serene Hills Drive. School assignments and boundaries can change; verify every address using the official LTISD attendance-zone resources.
Why does Serene Hills’ Highway 71 location matter?
The neighborhood connects directly to the Highway 71 corridor, providing a practical route toward Bee Cave and Austin without requiring every trip to begin on Ranch Road 620. Actual travel time varies substantially by time, route, weather, and construction.
How does Diana Roberts know Serene Hills?
Diana lives in the community, serves on the HOA board, has served on official neighborhood event committees, and participates in the welcome committee for new residents. She also brings the valuation discipline of a Texas Certified General Appraiser to Serene Hills buying and selling decisions.
Where can I see current Serene Hills market information?
Use Diana’s live 78738 market report for the broader trend, then ask for a Serene Hills section- and property-specific analysis. ZIP-code data alone cannot price an individual home.
11 / Start With the Local Answer
Considering a move within—or into—Serene Hills?
Diana can help you understand the section, street, lot, home, current competition, and market evidence before you decide what to ask, offer, or accept.