Cynthia Mattiza Associate Broker · Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty
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Case study

Costa Bella: a corporate relocation that chose lifestyle over the shortest commute

Corporate-relocation buyers referred to Cynthia Mattiza of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty needed to commute to downtown Austin but did not want the commute to define the search. After comparing communities around Lake Travis, they chose Costa Bella, a gated waterfront community near Lakeway, and planned around a longer drive.

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Client
Corporate-relocation buyers referred by another Sotheby’s International Realty agent. Details are anonymized.
Area
Costa Bella, near Lakeway (78734)
Community
Costa Bella, near Lakeway (78734)
Homes in the community (per the HOA, as cited)
62
Marina boat slips (per the HOA, as cited)
72

The situation

Corporate-relocation buyers, referred to Cynthia by another Sotheby’s International Realty agent, needed to commute to downtown Austin. They did not want the home search to be defined by the commute alone. They wanted a neighborhood with a meaningful lifestyle component, a place that would feel like a resort when they came home.

The constraints

  • A commute to downtown Austin; the City of Lakeway describes Lakeway as about 25 miles west of downtown.
  • A gated neighborhood with privacy, and a luxury home that felt like a retreat.
  • Lake or Hill Country views, amenities that made everyday life feel elevated, and access to boating, recreation and the outdoors.
  • A reasonable connection to downtown for work.
Stone patio with a fireplace beside the water under oaks

The approach

Relocation searches often begin with a map: buyers look at the office, calculate a radius and focus on the neighborhoods inside it. Cynthia started instead from how the buyers wanted to live, exploring their priorities and comparing communities throughout the Lake Travis area. That shifted the search west toward Lakeway and the Lake Travis corridor, an area known for golf, tennis, marinas, trails and lake-centered recreation.

Aerial view of hillside homes and a lake at dusk

The decision

For these buyers, living farther from the urban core was an intentional trade-off: they were willing to plan around the commute in exchange for privacy, scenery and the feeling of coming home to a destination. They chose Costa Bella, a private gated waterfront community in the 78734 ZIP code near Lakeway. Their choice was based not on a checklist alone but on how the neighborhood made them feel and how well it supported the rhythm of their lives.

The outcome

Their home in Costa Bella felt less like an extension of the workday and more like a personal retreat. According to the Costa Bella Waterfront HOA, as cited in Cynthia’s post, the community has 62 homes and is adjacent to a private marina with 72 boat slips, with a clubhouse with panoramic lake views, tennis courts, a swimming pool, exercise facilities, a spa and jogging trails.

Winding road through the Hill Country at golden hour

What others can take from it

  • Test the commute you will actually live with, at the hours you will travel, rather than the mileage.
  • Decide how you want to spend evenings and weekends, because golf, boating, trails or a quiet home can point to very different places.
  • Judge amenities by whether they support the way you live: a marina matters to a boater, trails or low maintenance may matter more to someone else.
  • Privacy versus proximity is a real trade-off, and neither choice is universally better.
  • Look for local guidance beyond the listing: someone who can compare commute patterns, character and long-term priorities.

Keep going

This account is based on what Cynthia has already published. Read the original (opens in a new tab)

Cynthia Mattiza

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