When they strike on a deal, savvy homebuyers are like birds of prey that pluck their quarry out of the sky.

Nationally, new home sales have plummeted the last few years, but eagle-eyed homebuyers are flocking to Falconhead and Falconhead West in Bee Cave as ideal places to relocate.
The Austin Board of Realtors reported Falconhead and Falconhead West homebuilders combined sold 52 units.
Last year, Taylor Morrison Homes, Ryland Homes and Drees Custom Homes sold a total of 40 units in Falconhead West with Ryland accounting for about half of those sales.
Ryland’s homes starting in the $270,000 range on 60- and 70-foot lots contributed to their volume last year, but the other two homebuilders are doing brisk business with their 70-foot and 80-foot homesites.
Taylor Morrison’s homes are priced at $335,000 for a 2,655-square-foot house to $566,000 for 4,683 square feet.
Drees Custom Homes’ Designer Series starts at $360,000 for a 2,661-square-foot home, and its Luxury Series tops out at a base price of $510,000 for 4,285 square feet.
Since the development started in 2007, all three Falconhead West homebuilders are faring much better than their counterparts in other areas of the country as scores of “SOLD” signs and wooden frameworks throughout the development indicate.
“After opening a year and a half ago, this neighborhood has really taken off,” said Anne Ford, senior sales associate at Taylor Morrison Homes.
Taylor Morrison has sold nearly half its homes after selling all but one of its lots in the older Falconhead subdivision. Monterey Homes continues to perform well in Falconhead as it finishes selling its remaining lots. Monterey officials said the homebuilder sold 12 units last year.
Falconhead home sizes range from 2,967 square feet to 6,204 square feet. Prices range from $379,900 up to $1.25 million.
“We have one of the strongest markets in the country. The housing market is more like the weather, where just because it’s raining or snowing in New York City it doesn’t mean that it’s not beautiful sunny skies here. It’s completely regional,” Ford said.
Ford estimated 50 percent of their customers are out-of-state homebuyers who are flexibly employed and have more of a choice in where they live. These customers, who either travel full-time or work from home, are choosing the area for its plethora of amenities.
The City of Bee Cave’s 2-cent property tax rate, which is significantly lower than rates in neighboring cities and most others across Texas, gets the attention of many prospective buyers.
“I have talked to a few homebuyers that have purchased here, and they have looked at Bee Cave because of that rate. There is a substantial savings annually,” Bee Cave City Manager Salvato said.
The area’s natural amenities are just as enticing.
Lake enthusiasts enjoy boating, fishing, sailing, waterskiing and scuba diving on Lake Travis, and a protected greenbelt surrounding the Falconhead West development ensures green space and a gorgeous view. Hamilton Pool and Dripping Springs provide even more options for taking a dip.
“We have the Hill Country beauty, and our houses are also less expensive than they are in most other places,” Ford said.
Falconhead also boasts the 7,300-yard, par 72 Falconhead Golf Club, the country’s first PGA Tour Signature Series Course, which opened in 2003 in conjunction with the housing development.
Families with or without school-age children can appreciate the proximity of Lakeway and Bee Cave elementary schools, Lake Travis Middle School and Lake Travis High School.
“It’s an excellent school district. People are drawn to Lake Travis ISD,” Ford said. “Even for people who don’t have children, it’s a big pull because it affects resale value so much. This [district] has one of the best reputations.”
Once they discover the nearby shopping and dining at Hill Country Galleria and Shops at the Galleria and learn they will be living minutes away from the future Lakeway Regional Medical Center and The Backyard, prospective homebuyers have little reason to look elsewhere.