A smaller, walkable new-construction community in Buda, about a mile and a half from the downtown square. New homes start in the $270,000s, the tax rate is a low 1.99%, and the HOA takes care of your yard, so it is low-maintenance living within a short walk of Buda's shops, coffee, and barbecue. Here is the honest local rundown and who it fits. 175+ closings since 2016.
The Porch at Du Pre is a smaller new-construction community in Buda, about 16 miles south of Austin and just a mile and a half from the downtown Buda square. New homes start around $279,000, and the community offers something you do not find often: a low 1.99% tax rate, an HOA that maintains your yard, and a genuine walk-to-downtown location. If you want low-maintenance living close to Buda's shops, coffee, and barbecue, this boutique community is worth a look.
Tour the Brooke model and the neighborhood with me. Pricing moves over time, so confirm current numbers with me:
The Porch at Du Pre is a small community with two builders. The main one is New Home Company, which builds the single-family homes here. I will be upfront: New Home Company is new to the Austin market. They are a California-based builder that acquired Hamilton Thomas Homes and is working to make a mark in Texas, so I do not have a tier rating for them from personal experience the way I do for the big production builders on my builder list. What I can tell you from touring is my honest read, and I am happy to walk it with you. A good example of their product is the Brooke, a 2,028-square-foot plan with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a loft, a study, and a nook. The second builder, Prominence, is bringing a condo and townhome product to the community, with pricing that starts in the low $300,000s, which opens up a lower-maintenance, lock-and-leave option.
This community stands out for three things that rarely come together:
The HOA is $179 a month and covers your lawn and landscaping, which is what makes this a true lock-and-leave community, no weekend mowing required.
The Porch at Du Pre is served by Hays CISD, with children attending Elm Grove Elementary, Dahlstrom Middle School, and Johnson High School. The location is the headline: you are about 16 miles south of Austin and a short walk from the downtown Buda square, so you can leave the car at home for dinner or coffee. For the wider picture, see my Buda relocation guide and the Buda new construction guide, and if you want a larger, amenity-rich Buda community instead, compare it with Turners Crossing. Confirm the exact campus zoning for your specific lot before you offer, since assignments can shift.
The builders here run incentives, like rate buydowns and closing-cost help, and they change often and are tied to specific homes and timelines. What matters is how a given incentive changes your actual monthly payment, not the flashiest number on the flyer. Because this is a newer community with two builders and a townhome product still coming online, it is worth reaching out before you visit so I can tell you what is current, confirm the HOA and taxes, and run your real monthly numbers. Contact me or call (512) 487-9242.
Buda is one of my core markets, and new construction is most of what I do, with 175+ closings since 2016 across South Austin, Buda, Kyle, and Bastrop. I have toured The Porch at Du Pre firsthand, so I will give you my honest read on a newer builder, help you weigh a single-family home against the townhome product, confirm the HOA and taxes, and stand in your corner at the model, which costs you nothing because the builder pays your agent.