Where exactly is Sun Chase and how far is downtown Austin?

Sun Chase sits along Pearce Lane in Del Valle, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Austin near SH 130 and SH 71. An honest drive to downtown is roughly 20 to 30 minutes off-peak and 30 to 45 minutes in rush hour. Austin-Bergstrom airport is only about 5 to 8 miles, roughly 10 to 20 minutes away.

Who is building in Sun Chase right now?

The built section south of Pearce Lane was developed by Lennar and Brightland Homes (formerly Gehan and Gray Point) and is largely sold out, so most near-term homes there are resale. New-construction phases are restarting on the larger 1,400-acre north tract now controlled by Starwood and rebranded Revelry, where DRB Homes (a D.R. Horton brand, from the lower $300s) and others are coming online, with lots and homes delivering through about 2028.

Why are the property taxes so high?

Sun Chase and the Revelry tract sit inside Travis County Municipal Utility Districts that repay the bonds funding roads and water and sewer. That MUD levy stacks on top of Del Valle ISD, Travis County, Central Health, and ACC, pushing the combined rate well above the 78617 area median effective rate of about 1.71 percent. Listings suggest a combined rate in the high 2s to low 3s percent, but confirm the exact figure on the Travis Central Appraisal District record and always budget from the full rate.

What schools serve Sun Chase?

The community is zoned to Del Valle ISD. Depending on the section, campuses have included Hornsby-Dunlap, Popham, Hillcrest, or Del Valle Elementary; Ojeda, Del Valle, or Dailey Middle; and Del Valle High School. Elementary and middle rezoning takes effect Fall 2027, and North Del Valle High School has been delayed to Fall 2028, when new high school zones apply, so confirm the current assignment with Del Valle ISD before you buy. District GreatSchools ratings are generally low.

Is Sun Chase a good fit for Tesla or airport workers?

Yes, that is arguably its strongest case. The Tesla Gigafactory is under 10 miles (roughly 15 to 20 minutes) north up SH 130 and Austin-Bergstrom airport is only about 5 to 8 miles, making Sun Chase one of the most affordable new-home options within an easy drive of both.

What amenities does Sun Chase offer?

The built neighborhood has swimming pools, splash pads, several parks and playgrounds, pavilions, basketball courts, and trails, with HOA dues around $57.50 a month for Lennar sections. The larger master plan advertises about 10 miles of trails, roughly 600 acres of open space, and a 62-acre lake, but much of that is tied to the unbuilt north (Revelry) tract and has not yet been delivered.

What should I watch out for as a buyer here?

Model the payment at the full MUD-inflated tax rate, confirm the school zone given the Fall 2027 elementary/middle and Fall 2028 high school rezoning, separate the stable built section from the higher-risk north Revelry tract, and get any builder rate buydown or closing-cost credit in writing. Also note the softening 78617 market, and check the specific lot for flight-path noise, drainage, and whether it is a townhome with a separate sub-HOA.

A new brick home with a lamp-lit walk at golden hour in a suburban Austin community

Master-Planned Community

Sun Chase

Southeast metro, Del Valle, Texas. An honest, buyer-side guide to the builders, amenities, schools, taxes, and tradeoffs.

The short answer

Sun Chase is an attainably priced master-planned community in Del Valle, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Austin near SH 130, Austin-Bergstrom airport, and the Tesla Gigafactory. The built section south of Pearce Lane, homes by Lennar and Brightland, is largely sold out and now mostly resale, while Starwood is restarting the larger unbuilt 1,400-acre north tract, rebranded Revelry, with first homesite deliveries in 2026 and phases running through about 2028. Homes are single-family and townhomes in Del Valle ISD.

Originally planned by Qualico CommunitiesDel Valle ISDHigh $200s to low $400s

Buyer-side notes by Luke Allen · Updated July 9, 2026· Figures approximate, verify current specifics

At a glance

The facts that actually matter

Developer: Originally planned by Qualico Communities (Winnipeg, Canada), which developed and built out the section south of Pearce Lane and sold the larger unbuilt north tract. Hines bought that 1,400-acre north tract in 2021 and rebranded it Mirador, then stalled. Starwood Land (part of Miami Beach-based Starwood Capital) acquired the north tract from Hines in early 2025 as part of an ~$800 million, 11-community Texas portfolio, renamed it Revelry, and, through its subsidiary Spur Mirador Land LP, is now the master developer restarting it (verified June 2026).
Location: Southeast metro, Del Valle 78617
School district: Del Valle ISD
Price range: As of July 2026, new and resale Sun Chase homes generally run from the high $200,000s to the low $400,000s, and DRB Homes' new Revelry phase advertises from the lower $300,000s. Contrary to the earlier data's up-10-percent read, the broader Del Valle / 78617 market has softened: Redfin shows a median sale price around $319,000 as of May 2026, down roughly 6 percent year over year, at about $184 per square foot, while Ownwell pegs the median home value near $281,000 (April 2026). Historic Brightland floor plans in the built section were priced roughly $289,990 to $399,990 for about 1,550 to 2,080 square feet; treat those as sold-out, resale-only benchmarks rather than current new-build pricing.
Commute: About 15 miles to downtown Austin; a realistic drive is roughly 20 to 30 minutes off-peak and 30 to 45 minutes in rush hour via SH 71 and US 183 or SH 130 (as of 2026). Austin-Bergstrom airport is only about 5 to 8 miles (roughly 10 to 20 minutes) and the Tesla Gigafactory under 10 miles (about 15 to 20 minutes) north up SH 130.
Scale: The north Starwood-controlled tract (Revelry, formerly Mirador, the portion Qualico sold) is about 1,400 acres total, and every reliable source treats 1,400 acres as the whole north community rather than part of a larger 2,000-plus-acre plan (the earlier "well over 2,000 acres combined" figure is not supported and has been removed). It is planned for roughly 2,300 single-family homes plus multifamily, with about 216 acres of multifamily, mixed-residential, and commercial parcels being marketed (Starwood listed roughly 230 acres for sale), and it is served by at least three Travis County MUDs. The current active Starwood phase is a 97-acre subdivision with 263 single-family lots (start September 2025, completion targeted September 2028, about $15.8 million filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation).

Who builds here

Builders

Lennar (Cottage, Watermill, and Crosswell Collections in the built south section, largely sold out)
Brightland Homes, formerly Gehan Homes and Gray Point Homes (built south section, largely sold out; also announced for the north Revelry tract)
DRB Homes, a D.R. Horton brand (new construction in the north Revelry tract, from the lower $300s, listed as coming soon as of 2026)
D.R. Horton (community page live for the north Revelry tract)
Qualico Communities (original land developer of the south section)
Starwood Land / Spur Mirador Land LP (master developer of the unbuilt north Revelry tract)

Home types

Single-family detached homes, 3 to 5 bedrooms
Townhomes
Multigenerational floor plans in some sections
Planned multifamily and apartments in later north-tract (Revelry) phases

Lifestyle

Amenities

Community swimming pools and splash pads
Multiple HOA parks, pocket parks, and playgrounds (three HOA parks cited in the master plan)
Pavilions and a planned amenity and community center
Basketball courts and athletic fields
Pickleball and tennis courts in some sections
Internal sidewalks and hike-and-bike trails, up to about 10 miles at full master-plan buildout
A 62-acre lake and roughly 600 acres of greenbelt and open space in the full Sun Chase and Revelry marketing vision
Community garden

Read this before the base price

Taxes

Sun Chase and the surrounding Revelry tract sit inside Travis County Municipal Utility Districts (the north tract is served by at least three MUDs, including MUD 2 and MUD 4, whose bonds repay roads, water, and sewer). That MUD levy stacks on top of Del Valle ISD, Travis County, Central Health, and Austin Community College, so the combined property tax rate is well above the 78617 area median effective rate of about 1.71 percent (Ownwell, 2026). Individual listings suggest a combined rate in the high 2s to low 3s percent, but this specific figure is not independently confirmed. Verify the exact MUD and current combined rate on the Travis Central Appraisal District record for the specific lot, and budget from the full rate rather than a discounted first-year figure.

How MUD and PID taxes work →

Monthly cost

HOA and dues

HOA dues are modest. Lennar's Sun Chase carries about $57.50 per month (roughly $690 per year) as of 2026, covering pools, parks, and trails, consistent with the $50 to $58 range. Confirm the exact current amount for the specific section and whether townhomes carry a separate sub-association fee before contract.

Honest tradeoffs

The pros and the cons, both

No community is perfect. Here is the case for and against, the way I would give it to a client.

The case for

Genuinely attainable pricing, often the lowest entry point for new construction within 15 miles of downtown Austin
Strong location for airport and Tesla workers: Austin-Bergstrom is roughly 5 to 8 miles (about 10 to 20 minutes) and the Tesla Gigafactory under 10 miles (about 15 to 20 minutes) up SH 130
Direct access to SH 130 toll and SH 71 makes eastside and airport commutes easy while avoiding I-35
Amenity-rich master plan (pools, parks, trails) at a lower price than comparable Buda, Kyle, or Manor communities
Close to Circuit of the Americas, McKinney Falls State Park, and Southside Market barbecue

The case against

MUD-inflated tax rate (listings point to the high 2s to low 3s percent) meaningfully raises the monthly payment above what the sticker price suggests; confirm the exact rate on TCAD
Del Valle ISD schools generally carry low GreatSchools ratings, which can weigh on resale demand (verify current ratings, as they change)
Long stop-start history: Qualico sold the north tract, Hines stalled it as Mirador, and Starwood is the third owner now marketing it as Revelry, so the full amenity vision is not guaranteed on any timeline
Much of the marketed master-plan amenity package (62-acre lake, 10 miles of trails, most open space) is tied to the unbuilt north tract and remains future and unproven
Del Valle 78617 prices have softened, with the median sale price down roughly 6 percent year over year as of mid-2026, so near-term appreciation is not a given
Area still feels semi-rural and car-dependent, with limited walkable retail and some nearby industrial, landfill, and airport flight-path influences
Daily use of SH 130 and SH 45 toll roads adds ongoing commuting cost

On your side of the table

What a buyer’s agent watches for in Sun Chase

+Pull the actual Travis Central Appraisal District tax record for the specific lot to see the true combined rate and MUD, not the builder's rounded estimate, and model the payment at the full assessed value rather than the discounted first-year rate
+Confirm current school assignment directly with Del Valle ISD: elementary and middle rezoning takes effect Fall 2027, and North Del Valle High School has been pushed to Fall 2028 (Whisper Valley road-infrastructure delays), when new high school zones apply, so today's campus may change
+Distinguish the built, stable section south of Pearce Lane from the north Starwood/Revelry tract, since a north-tract contract carries developer-execution and timeline risk
+On new builds, get any incentive in writing, note that it usually requires the builder's affiliated lender, and compare a bought-down rate against the higher note rate or a price concession you could negotiate instead
+Check the specific lot for airport noise and flight path, nearby industrial or landfill uses, and floodplain or drainage issues
+Verify whether a home is fee-simple single-family or a townhome with a separate sub-HOA and maintenance obligations

Current incentives

As of mid-2026, entry-level Austin builders including Lennar, Brightland, and DRB Homes continue to lean heavily on incentives to move Del Valle inventory in a softening market. Expect interest-rate buydowns (temporary and sometimes permanent), lender-paid closing costs, and occasional price cuts on standing inventory, generally contingent on using the builder's affiliated mortgage company. Resale sellers in the built sections have shown flexibility too, including occasionally advertised assumable loans. Incentives change monthly, so get the current offer in writing.

Dated mid-2026 · Verify the current, written offer on a specific home

Good to know

Sun Chase questions, answered

Where exactly is Sun Chase and how far is downtown Austin?: Sun Chase sits along Pearce Lane in Del Valle, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Austin near SH 130 and SH 71. An honest drive to downtown is roughly 20 to 30 minutes off-peak and 30 to 45 minutes in rush hour. Austin-Bergstrom airport is only about 5 to 8 miles, roughly 10 to 20 minutes away.
Who is building in Sun Chase right now?: The built section south of Pearce Lane was developed by Lennar and Brightland Homes (formerly Gehan and Gray Point) and is largely sold out, so most near-term homes there are resale. New-construction phases are restarting on the larger 1,400-acre north tract now controlled by Starwood and rebranded Revelry, where DRB Homes (a D.R. Horton brand, from the lower $300s) and others are coming online, with lots and homes delivering through about 2028.
Why are the property taxes so high?: Sun Chase and the Revelry tract sit inside Travis County Municipal Utility Districts that repay the bonds funding roads and water and sewer. That MUD levy stacks on top of Del Valle ISD, Travis County, Central Health, and ACC, pushing the combined rate well above the 78617 area median effective rate of about 1.71 percent. Listings suggest a combined rate in the high 2s to low 3s percent, but confirm the exact figure on the Travis Central Appraisal District record and always budget from the full rate.
What schools serve Sun Chase?: The community is zoned to Del Valle ISD. Depending on the section, campuses have included Hornsby-Dunlap, Popham, Hillcrest, or Del Valle Elementary; Ojeda, Del Valle, or Dailey Middle; and Del Valle High School. Elementary and middle rezoning takes effect Fall 2027, and North Del Valle High School has been delayed to Fall 2028, when new high school zones apply, so confirm the current assignment with Del Valle ISD before you buy. District GreatSchools ratings are generally low.
Is Sun Chase a good fit for Tesla or airport workers?: Yes, that is arguably its strongest case. The Tesla Gigafactory is under 10 miles (roughly 15 to 20 minutes) north up SH 130 and Austin-Bergstrom airport is only about 5 to 8 miles, making Sun Chase one of the most affordable new-home options within an easy drive of both.
What amenities does Sun Chase offer?: The built neighborhood has swimming pools, splash pads, several parks and playgrounds, pavilions, basketball courts, and trails, with HOA dues around $57.50 a month for Lennar sections. The larger master plan advertises about 10 miles of trails, roughly 600 acres of open space, and a 62-acre lake, but much of that is tied to the unbuilt north (Revelry) tract and has not yet been delivered.
What should I watch out for as a buyer here?: Model the payment at the full MUD-inflated tax rate, confirm the school zone given the Fall 2027 elementary/middle and Fall 2028 high school rezoning, separate the stable built section from the higher-risk north Revelry tract, and get any builder rate buydown or closing-cost credit in writing. Also note the softening 78617 market, and check the specific lot for flight-path noise, drainage, and whether it is a townhome with a separate sub-HOA.

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Luke Allen

Licensed Texas REALTOR, TREC #788149

Austin Marketing + Development Group

Call 254-718-2567 Text Luke