Greater Austin · Relocation
The short answer
The realtor who can help you move to Lakeway, Texas is one who knows this far west Austin lake town and can plan your search before you arrive. Barrett Raven of Raven Residential Group at eXp Realty can help. Call or text (512) 855-2713, and explore the Lakeway city page.
Three things to settle first
- 1 Start with your life. Match the search to your budget, school questions, travel needs and the way you expect to use the lake.
- 2 Compare the full cost. Ask for address-specific taxes, insurance, association charges and maintenance, not just a list price.
- 3 Put the relationship in writing. Check the agent with TREC and understand services, compensation and the agreement before a tour.
What should a Lakeway relocation realtor do for me?
If you're moving to Lakeway, here's the deal: the search has to fit your actual life, not just a photo of the lake. We'll start with your target move date, the payment and cash range you establish with your lender, and a couple things you love and a couple things you hate. A wide search gives you options, but it can also bury the homes that fit. I want your shortlist to show the address, asking price, ownership expenses to investigate and the details still missing. Tell us where you need to go and what matters for school, work and travel. That gives us a practical way to narrow the Lakeway search. Lakeway sits on the south end of Lake Travis in far west Austin. The lake and Hill Country setting are a draw, but a view in a listing doesn't establish water access or the route you'll take to work. The guide to choosing an Austin relocation agent helps you prepare for that conversation. Leave it with a shortlist and a dated list of unanswered questions for each home.What does Barrett show in his Lakeway tour?
In my August 2025 Lakeway video, I show the town against the southern end of Lake Travis and the Hill Country around it. I like that setting. But here's the tradeoff: the particular home, your travel pattern and its ongoing costs still have to work for you. I said in that video that I once thought Lakeway was a retirement community, then found young families there too. I also talked about the hills and schools as draws. Those are my impressions from August 2025, not a school rating or a description of every street. Lake Travis ISD can confirm the campus for an address. I take you through Old Lakeway, Rough Hollow, the Hills of Lakeway and Serene Hills in the video. My reaction to each is different, and yours might be too. Watch the footage with your own priorities in mind, then compare the actual homes, access and association documents. Start with Old Lakeway and Rough Hollow.How can I compare neighborhoods before I arrive?
All right, you're going to want to compare the actual properties in Old Lakeway, Rough Hollow, the Hills of Lakeway and Serene Hills. In my August 2025 tour I react differently to each, but neighborhood details need current sourcing before you rely on them. Use the video to pick the settings you want to investigate, then get current association and property documents. Here's a concrete difference to investigate in Rough Hollow: Lakeway MUD says it serves part of that area and is responsible for Travis County MUDs 11, 12 and 13 as of August 17, 2026. That does not establish which district serves your address. Compare the seller's district notice and the address record before budgeting. For each candidate, map the route to work, school and the places you use at the times you expect to travel. A hillside setting may give you the look you want, while the lot can bring stairs, slope or maintenance questions. Lake Travis ISD can confirm the assigned campus; the association can explain dues, restrictions and access. Your decision is which address works for your routes, budget and Lake Travis ISD campus.Can I tour and make an offer from out of state?
You're going to want to see the street, backyard and full rooms on video before you fly out. A remote tour can save a trip, but the camera cannot replace an inspection or property documents; the guide to buying an Austin home without visiting covers the remote decision. Before making an offer, discuss the agreement and contract deadlines, and have your title company and lender confirm the signing arrangements for your transaction. Your decision is whether the Lakeway home merits an offer and an in-person visit.What will a Lakeway home cost beyond the price?
The purchase price is only the start, so compare the costs tied to each address before deciding what fits. Taxes, insurance, association charges, utilities, repairs and the condition of the lot all belong in your budget. A home with a view or amenities may be worth the tradeoff to you, but the asking price alone will not tell you the ongoing cost. The City of Lakeway lists its fiscal year 2027 city property tax rate as $0.170076 per $100 of taxable value. Lake Travis ISD's 2026-27 rate is $1.0329 per $100 (2025: $1.0397), per the Travis County tax rate table. With Travis County ($0.38621) and Central Health ($0.132863), an in-city Lakeway home carried about $1.72 per $100 in 2026, or about $1.82 with the Lake Travis Fire Rescue district (ESD 6), before exemptions and any MUD line. Treat it as an estimate and check the address record. These are separate dated components, not a complete current tax bill. Rates differ by address and any MUD, PID or special district. Get an insurance quote for the actual home and review association documents and fees. Your lender can explain its tax estimate, and the appraisal district and taxing units can confirm the address record and exemptions. If you're selling a Greater Austin home first, include sale costs and your loan payoff in your move budget. The 2026 in-city estimate is about $1.72 per $100, or about $1.82 with ESD 6.How do I check a realtor and the buyer agreement?
Start with the TREC License Holder Search: review status, expiration and sponsoring broker. The TREC consumer FAQ explains disciplinary history in a result. Since January 1, 2026, Texas requires a written agreement for a license holder working with a residential buyer before showing residential property, or before presenting an offer if no property is shown. The TREC explanation of the buyer agreement rule says an agent cannot show the property if the buyer refuses to sign. The enrolled Texas legislation sets out the requirement. Ask about the agreement before scheduling a video tour, too. Read the services, termination date, exclusivity, representation and compensation terms. The agreement must disclose that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. Discuss early termination and have a Texas attorney explain terms you don't understand. The key date is January 1, 2026.What should I ask a Lakeway realtor before hiring?
A Lakeway hiring conversation should produce a search plan, not a stack of vague promises. Tell us which matters most: Lake Travis ISD campus assignment, the route from a particular address, or the cost of an association and any district. Each can change which home makes your shortlist. Find out who will conduct your video tours, how the team communicates while you're away, and how it will help you compare disclosures, property condition and contract deadlines. For Rough Hollow, include the address-specific water district and association documents in that comparison. Discuss the written agreement's services, exclusivity, compensation, end date and early termination. If you're considering new construction, the guide to having your own agent for an Austin new-build explains another representation decision. Leave the conversation with a Lakeway shortlist and a plan for the unanswered questions.How do I start my move to Lakeway?
Call or text me at (512) 855-2713 with your timing, budget questions and what drew you to Lakeway. You don't need a perfect list before we talk. A lender conversation can help establish the payment and cash range for the search. Use the Lakeway search and city page above to save homes, then tell us a couple things you love and a couple things you hate about them. We'll use those choices to focus the search and identify the property details that need answers. If you're selling first, include your current home, sale costs and loan payoff in the plan. Then decide whether an in-person visit belongs in your Lakeway search. Reach out to us: give us a call, shoot us a text or send us an email. Start with your shortlist and your target move date.Frequently asked questions
Can Barrett help me look for a Lakeway home before I move?
Yes. Barrett Raven and the Raven Residential Group can discuss your priorities, organize a Lakeway search and plan property tours while you are away. Ask how video tours and communication will work before you start. You will still want property-specific documents, independent inspections and advice from the appropriate professionals before making your decision.
Is Lakeway only a retirement community?
No. In his August 2025 video, Barrett says he once thought of Lakeway as a retirement community, then found young families there too. That is his observation in the video, not a demographic count or a prediction about any street. Visit or arrange a tour and decide whether the particular neighborhood fits your household.
Can I verify a Lakeway agent online?
Yes. Search the Texas Real Estate Commission license database by the agent's name or license number. Review the license status, expiration and sponsoring broker, and use TREC's FAQ to understand the disciplinary search information. Then ask the agent about the services and communication you can expect during your relocation.
Do I need a written agreement before a video tour?
Expect to sign a written agreement before an agent shows you residential property; the Texas requirement took effect January 1, 2026. TREC's guidance does not say whether a live video tour counts as a showing, so ask the agent whether they will ask you to sign before one. Read the services, representation, exclusivity, end date and compensation terms, and ask what the particular agreement says about ending it early before you sign.
Are the city and school tax rates my total tax rate?
No. The city and school rates are separate dated components, and the total depends on the address and applicable taxing units, including any MUD, PID or special district. Ask the appraisal district and taxing units for current property-specific information. Your lender can explain the estimate used in your payment calculation.
Can I close on a Lakeway home without traveling?
That depends on the transaction and the parties involved. Ask your title company and lender early whether remote signing is available for your purchase, what documents and identification are needed, and what arrangements they accept. Do not book your move around an assumed remote closing until those details are confirmed.
How should I compare Lakeway schools?
Start with the needs of your household and ask Lake Travis ISD to confirm the assigned campus and relevant programs for each actual address. A neighborhood name, a video impression or a listing description does not settle a school assignment. Confirm how to check the information again before making a purchase decision.
About Barrett Raven
Local context for your decision
Raven Residential Group at eXp Realty
TX Real Estate License #639278
Barrett Raven is the founder and team lead of Raven Residential Group with eXp Realty, serving Greater Austin. TX Real Estate License #639278. He helps relocating buyers organize their search, tours and purchase questions; this article is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
Sources and further reading
- City of Lakeway property taxes
- Travis County Tax Office jurisdiction tax rate table
- Texas Real Estate Commission License Holder Search
- Texas Real Estate Commission consumer frequently asked questions
- Texas Real Estate Commission buyer representation changes
- Texas Legislature enrolled Senate Bill 1968
- Touring the Austin Texas Hill Country Paradise - FULL Vlog Tour of Lakeway Texas!(Barrett Raven, YouTube)
