What does it cost to buy in West Lake Hills in 2026?
Buying in West Lake Hills in 2026 takes about $2.13M at the median for the 78746 zip code, according to Keenan Group's ACTRIS MLS data for the 12 months ending October 18, 2026, and the average West Lake Hills home ran about $3.34M in October per HAR.com. Entry starts near $1.5M for an older home on a smaller lot, and custom estates pass $8M. West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia prices West Lake Hills by tier, not by average.
West Lake Hills at a Glance (October 2026)
- 78746 median sale price: $2.13M (Keenan Group, ACTRIS MLS, trailing 12 months to October 18, 2026)
- 78746 median price per square foot: $588 (Keenan Group, same period)
- West Lake Hills average price: about $3.34M at roughly $803 per square foot, with 29 homes for sale (HAR.com, October 2026)
- 78746 inventory: 94 active listings, 4.3 months of supply, 263 single-family closings in 12 months (Keenan Group, same period)
- West Lake Hills sub-market speed: 34 median days on market and 92.9% of list price received (Keenan Group, 12 months to October 2026)
- School district: Eanes ISD
$3.34M. That is the average West Lake Hills price today. The median for the zip code that contains it is $2.13M. Same streets, same school district, a gap of more than $1.2M.
Neither number is wrong. The average shows what the top of the market does to a small city. The median shows where half of the sales landed. Most families shopping for a move-in home in Eanes ISD live somewhere in between, and that is the number nobody prints.
West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia reads West Lake Hills as a ladder, not a price. The incorporated city is a cluster of pockets, from hillside lots to older homes sitting on land worth more than the house. A buyer's budget decides which rung they stand on.
One naming note: the city is West Lake Hills, three words. Westlake is the broader corridor that also includes Rollingwood, Rob Roy, Davenport Ranch, and Lost Creek. The 78746 zip code mixes several of them, so zip-code numbers run a little different from the city itself.
What does each price band actually buy in West Lake Hills?
Reflex-reversal first. Most buyers ask what the neighborhood costs. The better question is what the lot costs, because in West Lake Hills the land sets the floor and the house sets the premium on top of it.
The 78746 listings range from about $1.07M to $19M (Keenan Group, October 2026), and the tiers below reflect Brandon Galia's professional analysis of how that range sorts in practice, not a guarantee of any single sale.
Budget | What it typically gets you | The honest tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
$1.5M to $2.2M | Older home or townhome-scale property on a smaller lot, often a remodel candidate | You pay for the zone, not the finish. Plan renovation money |
$2.2M to $3.5M | Updated or renovated home on a usable lot, or an older home on a better lot | Most families land here. Condition varies widely house to house |
$3.5M to $6M | Newer construction or a full rebuild, larger lots, some views | Less room to negotiate on the best ones |
$6M and up | Custom estates, hillside or view positions, privacy | Buyer pool is thin and pricing is driven by one-of-one features |
Translation:
Listing says: "Great bones, ready for your vision."
Translation: Budget six figures before you hang a picture.
Each tier is a different purchase. The $1.5M buyer is buying a school district and a lot. The $4M buyer is buying a finished house on top of both.
How big is the Eanes premium, and is it worth paying?
The premium is real and measurable. Highland Park West, a West Austin neighborhood zoned to Austin ISD, showed a $1.6M median at $482 per square foot in October 2026, against $2.13M at $588 per square foot for 78746 (Keenan Group, October 2026). That is roughly $530,000 and $106 per square foot for the same side of Mopac and a different school district.
You just did something while reading that table. You found your budget row and decided that was your tier. Stay there a moment. Your tier is a starting point, not a verdict, because lot and condition can pull the same dollars in either direction.
West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia, who closed a $3.04M on-market sale at 4505 Balcones in December 2025 and about $23.7M in total volume through September 2026, frames it this way. The premium is worth paying if your kids will be in the district for years, you plan to hold the house a long time, and you value the lot more than the finishes. It is not worth paying if you need to stretch to the top of your approval to get in. Earlier this summer he closed a Westlake-corridor purchase off-market in the mid-$3M range, a buyer who never touched the open market.
How fast do West Lake Hills homes sell, and what does that do to your offer?
The West Lake Hills sub-market showed 34 median days on market and 92.9% of list price received over the last 12 months (Keenan Group, October 2026). With 4.3 months of supply across 78746, buyers have more room than they did in 2022, but well-priced homes still move.
That 92.9% figure means the typical buyer negotiated roughly 7% off list. It does not mean every buyer can. The best homes in each tier, the ones priced right on day one, close near list. The ones that sit past 30 days are the ones that trade at a discount.
Brandon Galia's read: price discipline is the whole game. A buyer who can tell which listings are priced on purpose and which are priced on hope can save six figures.
7 Key Facts About Buying in West Lake Hills
- West Lake Hills is an incorporated city, not a subdivision, and is part of the broader Westlake corridor.
- Eanes ISD serves the city, with Westlake High School as the high school.
- The 78746 median sale price is $2.13M and the median is $588 per square foot (Keenan Group, October 2026).
- The average West Lake Hills price is about $3.34M, pulled up by estate sales (HAR.com, October 2026).
- 78746 has 94 active listings and 4.3 months of supply (Keenan Group, October 2026).
- Rollingwood is its own city and Lost Creek is its own neighborhood, not part of West Lake Hills.
- Zip-code data includes more than the city itself, so verify any number against the specific street.
Brandon's Take
I will be honest about something most agents skip. West Lake Hills is not the best value in West Austin. It is the best version of a specific bet.
My two daughters are young, and a third is on the way. When I price a neighborhood for my own family, I ask what I am paying for beyond the house. Here it is the schools, the lot, and the ten-minute drive to downtown. That is a real bundle. It is also a bundle you pay a premium for, every year you own it.
My rule for a buyer in this range: buy the lot you can afford. Spend on the house later.
The finished house at the top of the budget leaves nothing for the repairs every house eventually asks for.
Run the math both ways before you tour a single home. If the premium over Austin ISD neighborhoods like Highland Park does not change what your kids will actually get, keep the $530,000. If it does, pay it and do not look back.
Most people searching for homes in West Austin are only seeing what's publicly listed. That's roughly two-thirds of what actually trades. If you want the full picture, get on my off-market list: join my off-market list
Most buyers look at what's listed on Zillow and the MLS and think that's the market. It's not. A significant share of West Austin's best properties trade through private channels before they ever go public. Some never go public at all.
I track off-market opportunities across West Austin every week through a network I've built over the last four-plus years. When something comes up that fits West Lake Hills, I send it directly to the people on my list.
Get on the list: join my off-market list
If you're past the research phase and ready to talk strategy, reach out directly.
The lot sets the floor. The house sets the price. Know which one you are buying.
OFF-MARKET ACCESS
Most buyers only see what's publicly listed. A significant share of West Austin's best properties trade through private channels before they ever go public. I track these opportunities every week and send them directly to a short list of buyers. No newsletters. No drip campaigns. Just my judgment on what's worth seeing.
FAQ
What is the average home price in West Lake Hills, TX in 2026?
The average West Lake Hills home sold or listed near $3.34M in October 2026, about $803 per square foot, according to HAR.com. The 78746 median is lower at $2.13M (Keenan Group). Brandon Galia treats the average as an upper-tier signal and the median as the better guide for a typical purchase.
How much do you need to buy in West Lake Hills?
Entry sits near $1.5M for an older home on a smaller lot. The 78746 listings start around $1.07M and run to $19M (Keenan Group, October 2026). Most families searching for a finished home land between $2.2M and $3.5M.
Is West Lake Hills more expensive than Rollingwood or Lost Creek?
Generally yes against Lost Creek. West Lake Hills averaged about $3.34M in October 2026 (HAR.com), while Lost Creek's median list price sat near $1.699M (Neuhaus Real Estate). Rollingwood competes with West Lake Hills on price. All three are Eanes ISD.
What is the Eanes ISD premium worth in dollars?
Against Highland Park West, an Austin ISD West Austin neighborhood, the 78746 median runs roughly $530,000 higher and about $106 more per square foot (Keenan Group, October 2026). West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia says the premium pays off for families who hold seven-plus years.
Are West Lake Hills homes selling quickly in 2026?
The West Lake Hills sub-market showed 34 median days on market and 92.9% of list price over 12 months, with 4.3 months of supply in 78746 (Keenan Group, October 2026). Well-priced homes move; overpriced ones sit and discount.
Who helps buyers find homes in West Lake Hills before they list?
West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia, a West Austin Realtor with Lujo Realty, tracks off-market opportunities weekly and shares them with buyers on his list. You can reach out directly to discuss your budget and tier.
Sources
- Keenan Group, 78746 market report (ACTRIS MLS, trailing 12 months to October 18, 2026): https://thekeenangroup.com/austin-real-estate/78746
- HAR.com, West Lake Hills (October 2026)
- Neuhaus Real Estate, Lost Creek median list price (October 2026)
