Hilltop Ranch: Drees Custom Homes on Acre-Plus Lots in Leander

At a glance

Location

Leander, within city limits; about 10 minutes to Old Leander

Lot size

1-acre homesites, some up to about 2 acres

Price range

$900Ks to over $1.3M, subject to change (as of Aug 2025)

Builders

Drees Custom Homes, self-developed; 13 floor plans (as of Aug 2025)

Schools

Down the street from Glenn High School; ask me for current zoning

Tax rate

Expected about 2%, no PID (as of Aug 2025)

Why acreage matters

Most master-planned neighborhoods around Austin have postage-stamp lots. You're lucky to get a quarter of an acre sometimes. At Hilltop Ranch, the homesites are about an acre, and some go upwards of 2 acres.

Some lots have trees and a little elevation change. I wouldn't call it a view necessarily, but if you sit a little elevated, you have something interesting to look at. There are a couple of other acre communities around here, but very few offer lots this large with trees.

Location

I really think this location stands on its own.

• Old Leander is about 10 minutes away, with City Hall, the historic downtown, a bakery and a food truck.
• Leander Northline is a straight shot.
• 183 is easy to reach for the Domain, Apple and Dell.
• Glenn High School is down the street. Confirm zoning for the specific lot.

Drees Custom Homes and floor plans

Hilltop Ranch is self-developed by Drees Custom Homes. Drees has one of the best reputations among the luxury, higher-end builders around Austin. Because one builder controls the whole community, it's going to have a very cohesive look.

As of August 2025, Drees offered 13 floor plans with a huge range of customization. Quoted prices ran from the $900,000s to over $1.3 million, depending on home size. This was a first look, so treat those numbers as subject to change.

Taxes: no PID

As of August 2025, the tax rate was expected to be right around 2%. The community across the street was just over 2%. Hilltop Ranch is inside the City of Leander, and there's no PID tax.

At this price point, the math matters. Compared with a higher-rate area, a difference of roughly 1% on a home around $1 million could be $8,000 to $10,000 a year in savings. That's massive.

Getting in early

When I filmed in August 2025, the model home wasn't built yet and only two homes were vertical. Most lots were still available, so you had the pick of them. On acreage, the lot is a big part of what you're buying, so early buyers get the most choice.

What's in the video

• 0:00Intro: why acreage matters
• 1:06Old Leander and historic downtown
• 1:30Leander Northline
• 1:56183 access and Glenn High School
• 2:22Pulling into Hilltop Ranch: first look
• 2:53Lots up to 2 acres; early lot selection
• 3:01Drees Custom Homes reputation
• 3:4413 floor plans and pricing
• 4:00Trees and elevation
• 4:34Tax rate, no PID
• 5:08Final thoughts

Common questions