Goodnight Ranch: Southeast Austin's Walkable Master-Planned Community

At a glance

Location

Southeast Austin, TX 78747, on Slaughter Lane near Onion Creek

Size

770-acre master-planned community

Price range

Low-mid $300,000s to the $600,000s (as of Jul 2026)

Home types

Single-family (front and rear-entry garages), twin homes, townhomes, Empire's 3-story homes

Schools

Austin ISD: Blazier Elementary, Paredes Middle, Akins (Early College) High

Tax rate

About 2.34% in the north section (as of Jul 2026)

HOA

$40/month base; up to $160 for shared-structure homes; gated section in the $200s (as of Jul 2026)

Location and commute

Goodnight Ranch sits at the southeast corner of Austin, right off Slaughter Lane near Onion Creek. We're just barely within an Austin address here. That means it's quieter with less traffic, but you're still 10-15 minutes from some of the best spots in South Austin, and it's quick to downtown when there's no traffic.

I don't want you to feel like you're that far out, even though we are on the edge of town. Day-to-day things are close. The new flagship H-E-B at Slaughter and I-35 has opened, and it's one of the biggest in the entire Austin area. Another H-E-B is being built at Easton Park, and I think that one will be closer once you factor in traffic.

There's also a CapMetro stop in the neighborhood now, within walking distance. If you work central downtown, that's convenient.

Walkability: what's opened

In Texas we're very, very car dependent. That's why the walkable pieces are what make Goodnight Ranch most unique.

When I toured in 2024, the commercial was still being built. As of my July 2026 tour, a lot of what was promised has opened:

• A breakfast restaurant, a boba shop and a beauty shop, with more on the way
• The Goodnight Ranch pool at the main amenity center, plus several parks
• Onion Creek Park across the street, with hike and bike trails, an off-leash dog area and creek swimming when the water is deep enough and safe (not in peak summer)
• Blazier Elementary, directly across the street, with a preschool right across from that

The neighborhood borders the Onion Creek Greenbelt preserve to the north, which is one of the best places in Austin to hike or mountain bike. There's also Goodnight Lake, a water retention pond with walking paths around it.

North vs. south of Slaughter Lane

Goodnight Ranch straddles Slaughter Lane. The original section is north of Slaughter, and the newer section is south of it.

Both are Goodnight Ranch. You get the same schools and the same amenity access either way. The south side has more new construction, more townhomes and rear-entry homes, and a gated section where your yard maintenance is included.

One thing to double-check: the tax rate moves by a couple of tenths depending on which section you're in.

Homes, builders and prices

There's a little bit of something for everybody here:

• Traditional single-family with front garages
• Rear-entry garage homes
• Twin homes, which are individually deeded duplexes
• Townhomes, more than two homes on the same foundation
• Empire Communities' three-story "entertainer's home": a two-car garage and flex space on the ground floor, bedrooms on the second floor and the kitchen, living and dining on top. These back up to the commercial parking lot.

That Empire product is great if you want to feel really urban without being in Austin, at a really reasonable price point. In January 2024, David Weekley Homes was also building on the south side, and Empire was building attached townhomes and single-family homes too.

As of July 2026, prices ran from the smaller townhomes in the low-mid $300,000s up to the $600,000s, with homes up to close to 3,000 square feet. Back in January 2024, I saw a range from the low $300,000s to about $750,000.

Because of the tax rate and the location, Goodnight Ranch has also been a popular community with investors.

Taxes and HOA

As of my July 2026 tour, the tax rate was 2.34% in the north section. It shifts by a couple of tenths depending on the section, so confirm it for the exact home. For comparison, when I toured in January 2024 it was 2.1%.

The HOA is tiered by home type. As of July 2026:

• $40 a month base, which is really on the low end for what I'm used to seeing out here
• Up to $160 a month for townhomes that share a structure
• The $200s in the gated section, where yard maintenance is included

Schools

Goodnight Ranch is in Austin ISD:

• Blazier Elementary, directly across the street. You could walk your kids there.
• Paredes Middle School
• Akins (Early College) High School

The honest trade-off: the middle and high schools are closer into Austin, so you are going to have a little bit of a drive for those.

Who it fits

Goodnight Ranch fits buyers who want a newer home with an Austin address, real walkability and a low base HOA, without paying central Austin prices.

Pros

• Walkable shops, pool, park, trails and elementary school
• Onion Creek Park and the greenbelt right next door
• A wide range of home types and prices
• A $40 base HOA (as of July 2026)
• A CapMetro stop in the neighborhood

Trade-offs

• It's on the edge of town, so most errands still mean a short drive
• Middle and high school are a drive toward Austin
• The tax rate and HOA vary by section and home type, so check the specific home

When I work for you, you get me. I show the homes, I negotiate and I'm the one who answers your call. You're never handed off to a teammate you didn't choose.

What's in the video

• 0:00Goodnight Ranch has transformed: here's what's new
• 1:10Location and walkability: shops, CapMetro, Onion Creek Park and schools
• 3:45North vs. south of Slaughter Lane: two sections explained
• 4:37Every home type: single-family, twin homes, townhomes and Empire's 3-story
• 6:21Pricing: low-mid $300s to the $600s
• 6:37HOA tiers ($40 to the $200s) and the 2.34% tax rate
• 7:42Schools: Paredes Middle and Akins High
• 7:55Final thoughts and how to reach me

Common questions