What $500K–$1M Buys in Hudson Bend, TX (2026)

What can you buy in Hudson Bend, Texas at $500K, $750K, and $1 million? In Hudson Bend (78734), $500K generally buys a condo or a smaller older home off the water, $750K buys an updated single-family home on a large lot with hill or lake views, and $1 million opens the door to newer construction, pools, boat slips, and true lakefront territory.

Hudson Bend Is a Peninsula, Not a Price Point

Most buyers searching Lake Travis assume the whole area prices the same way. Hudson Bend doesn't work like that. It's a peninsula that juts into Lake Travis in unincorporated Travis County, and the price of a home here has less to do with square footage than with three things: how close you are to the water, whether you can see the water, and whether you can get to the water from your own property.

That's why you'll see a two-bedroom condo listed under $400,000 a few minutes from an estate over $4 million. Same ZIP code, same 78734 mailing address, completely different market.

For context, the average sale price in Hudson Bend over the past 12 months was around $810,000 — up roughly 7% from the year before — with a median closer to $937,500 and homes averaging about 57 days on market (Homes.com). Compare that to Travis County as a whole, where the median sat near $500,000 in early 2026 (Redfin), and you get a sense of the premium the lake carries.

Here's what each budget realistically gets you right now.

What $500,000 Buys in Hudson Bend

At $500K, you're buying access to the Hudson Bend lifestyle rather than a piece of the shoreline. That's not a knock — it's the most common way people get into this market.

What's typically available at this price:

• Condos and townhomes in the Ranch Road 620 corridor and the Villas on Travis area, generally 1,200–1,800 square feet, two to three bedrooms, often with community pools and, in some cases, marina or boat ramp access
• Older single-family homes, mostly 1970s–1990s builds, on quarter- to half-acre lots set back from the water
• Homes needing updates — original kitchens, aging roofs, older HVAC — where the lot is worth more than the structure
• Vacant lots in the interior of the peninsula, if you're planning to build

What you generally won't get: a water view, a boat slip on the property, or new construction.

The tradeoff at this tier is honest: you're two minutes from the same marinas, restaurants, and boat ramps as the million-dollar buyers. You just aren't looking at the lake from your kitchen window.

What $750,000 Buys in Hudson Bend

This is the sweet spot in Hudson Bend, and it's where the inventory gets genuinely interesting.

What $750K typically gets you:

• 2,000–2,800 square feet of single-family living, usually three to four bedrooms
• A half-acre to a full acre, often with mature live oaks and real separation from neighbors — Hudson Bend has no dense subdivision grid
• Hill Country or seasonal lake views from a deck or upper level, depending on elevation and tree line
• Updated or renovated interiors — this price point is where remodels and 2000s-era builds start showing up
• Guest casitas and detached structures, which are common here and have real value if you're considering multigenerational living or a rental unit

At this level you also start seeing homes positioned for short-term rental. Hudson Bend's proximity to the marinas makes it a well-established vacation rental submarket, so if income potential matters to you, this is the tier where the math starts working. Just verify current Travis County and state short-term rental rules before you build a spreadsheet around it.

What $1 Million Buys in Hudson Bend

A million dollars in Hudson Bend buys something that would cost considerably more in Westlake or Rollingwood — but it does not automatically buy waterfront.

What's realistic at $1M:

• 3,000–3,700 square feet, often four bedrooms with an office or media room
• Real lake views, not seasonal peeks — elevated lots with unobstructed water sightlines
• A pool, which is close to standard at this price on the peninsula
• An acre or more, sometimes with gated entry
• Deeded boat slips or shared waterfront access through a community dock arrangement
• Newer construction or heavy recent renovation, with the finish level to match

The waterfront line: true lakefront in Hudson Bend — meaning your property runs to the water with a private dock — generally starts above $1 million and moves quickly into the $1.5M–$3M range. At exactly $1 million, you're most often buying an outstanding view home rather than a shoreline home. Waterfront inventory across Lake Travis is thin, which keeps that segment insulated from the softness in the broader market.

The Costs Buyers Forget in 78734

Price is only part of the picture in Hudson Bend. Three line items catch relocating buyers off guard:

Property taxes. The combined rate in the Hudson Bend area ran about 1.68% for the 2025 tax year. On a $750,000 home, that's roughly $12,600 a year — no state income tax, but the property tax bill is real. Verify current rates with the Travis Central Appraisal District.

Septic and water. Much of Hudson Bend is on septic systems rather than city sewer, with water service through the local water control district. Budget for a septic inspection during your option period, and ask about the system's age and capacity.

Insurance and wildfire exposure. The peninsula sits in a wildland-urban interface area. Insurance quotes here can run meaningfully higher than in central Austin, so get a quote early rather than at closing.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Hudson Bend?

The broader Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos market has been recalibrating — the 2025 MSA median came in around $435,000, down about 2.4% from the prior year (Unlock MLS). Across the Lake Travis area, inventory has climbed to roughly five to six months of supply, sale-to-list ratios have settled near 96%, and price reductions are common.

Translation: buyers have negotiating room in Hudson Bend that didn't exist three years ago — on price, on closing costs, and on rate buydowns. That leverage is strongest below $1 million and weakest on genuine waterfront.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median home price in Hudson Bend, TX? Recent data puts the Hudson Bend median around $937,500, with an average sale price closer to $810,000 over the trailing 12 months. The gap between those numbers reflects how much high-end waterfront skews the average — most non-waterfront homes trade well below the median.

Can you buy a lakefront home in Hudson Bend for under $1 million? Rarely. Sub-$1M waterfront in Hudson Bend usually means a small, older structure or a lot with difficult topography. Most buyers at that budget do better with an elevated view home plus a boat slip at a nearby marina.

Is Hudson Bend part of Austin? Hudson Bend is an unincorporated community in Travis County with an Austin mailing address and the 78734 ZIP code. It's not inside Austin city limits, which affects taxes, permitting, and services. It's zoned to Lake Travis ISD.

Let's Talk About Your Budget Specifically

Every one of these price tiers has exceptions — the underpriced fixer with a killer view, the $1.1M waterfront that's been sitting for 200 days, the condo with a transferable slip. Those don't show up in a blog post. They show up in the MLS on a Tuesday afternoon.

If you're weighing Hudson Bend against Lakeway, Steiner Ranch, or a move from California, let's map your budget against what's actually available right now.

Amanda Zito | Real Broker, LLC | Lake Travis & Hudson Bend, TX