8517 Appalachian DR, Austin, TX 78759

Great Hills has a golf course that most Austin residents forget exists - the Great Hills Country Club, a private 18-hole layout threaded through mature live oaks that has been quietly anchoring this neighborhood since 1980. The club's understated presence tells you everything about Great Hills itself, a neighborhood that does not draw attention but consistently delivers one of the most convenient daily lives in northwest Austin. Great Hills sits between US 183 to the south, Loop 360 to the west, and the Balcones Canyonlands to the north, placing it in the middle of Austin's tech corridor. The Arboretum forms the commercial anchor along Research Boulevard, and The Domain is about seven minutes north on MoPac. Apple's campus on Parmer is roughly 15 minutes away. IBM's Austin facility sits even closer along Burnet Road. Downtown runs about 20 minutes south on MoPac. The Arboretum area provides H-E-B, Whole Foods, and enough services to handle most errands locally. Housing dates from the late 1970s through the early 2000s, giving it a more established feel than newer communities to the north. You will find single-story ranch homes, two-story traditional builds, and larger custom homes along golf course and greenbelt lots. Most range from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet on quarter-acre to half-acre lots. Original builds feature brick and wood exteriors, while renovated homes incorporate limestone and expanded outdoor areas. Pricing runs from the mid-$500s for dated homes up to $1.5 million for renovated golf course or greenbelt properties. The mature tree canopy is a genuine asset that newer subdivisions cannot replicate. Great Hills feeds into Round Rock ISD for most addresses, which surprises buyers who assume the 78759 zip falls within Austin ISD. Spicewood Elementary and Anderson Mill Elementary serve younger grades, with Canyon Vista Middle School handling the transition. Westwood High School has a strong reputation for math and science. The Round Rock ISD affiliation is a selling point, as the district outperforms Austin ISD on state assessments. Some southern addresses do fall within Austin ISD, so verifying by specific address matters. Daily life balances suburban comfort with easy access to dining and outdoor recreation. The Great Hills Park Trail winds through the greenbelt. St. Edwards Park on Bull Creek offers swimming holes and hiking terrain that feels wild despite surrounding development. The restaurant options nearby are among Austin's best. Truluck's does upscale seafood. Perry's Steakhouse brings its pork chop Friday tradition. Roaring Fork handles Western American cuisine. North Italia covers pasta in a polished setting. Uchiko serves some of the most inventive Japanese food in Texas. Bartlett's anchors the casual American end with steaks and a bar feel. Great Hills occupies middle ground between Cat Mountain's established wealth and newer developments in Cedar Park. It is more affordable than the 360 corridor. It offers more mature landscaping than Burnet Road infill. And it provides better tech corridor access than south Austin at comparable prices. The tradeoff is age - much of the stock is 30 to 40 years old, and buyers should budget for roof replacements, plumbing updates, and foundation work on Central Texas clay. Great Hills makes sense for tech workers at Apple, IBM, or Meta who want a short commute and an established neighborhood. It fits families who value Round Rock ISD without living in Round Rock. It works for anyone who wants upscale dining within five minutes but prefers sleeping in a quiet, tree-covered neighborhood. If you need brand-new construction or walkable urbanism, look elsewhere. But if you want central location, mature trees, good schools, and a golf course visible from your back fence, Great Hills checks those boxes.