The Peninsula sits behind rustic gates and stone walls on Lake LBJ, and it’s one of the most exclusive addresses in Horseshoe Bay, fewer than a dozen waterfront estates, genuinely scarce rather than just marketed that way. It’s also got real history behind it: the land was originally home to one of Horseshoe Bay’s own founders, before it was ever developed into the gated enclave it is today.
I’m Robbie English, a REALTOR and Broker at Uncommon Horseshoe Bay here in the Highland Lakes.
The Peninsula at a Glance
- Fewer than a dozen waterfront estates behind rustic gates and stone walls, one of the most exclusive addresses on Lake LBJ.
- The land was originally the residence of one of the cousins who founded Horseshoe Bay in the early 1970s, before it became the gated enclave it is today.
- Homes are custom builds designed around unobstructed lake views, not a repeated floor plan.
- Because so few lots exist, listings often move privately before they’re ever widely marketed.
- Full access to Horseshoe Bay Resort’s golf courses, yacht club, and dining comes with the address, so you’re not trading amenities for exclusivity here.
What You’ll Find on The Peninsula
Homes here are custom builds, nearly all designed around unobstructed lake views rather than a standard floor plan repeated down the street. Because the section is limited to well under a dozen lots, whatever’s actually on the market at a given moment is genuinely scarce, listings here often move before they’re ever widely marketed, which is part of why buyers who are serious about this neighborhood usually need someone watching for something before it’s publicly listed, not after.
As part of Horseshoe Bay, residents get the privacy of a small gated section along with access to the resort’s golf courses, yacht club, and dining, you’re not trading the amenities for the exclusivity, you get both. For groceries, healthcare, and everyday errands, most Peninsula residents head into Marble Falls, a short drive away.
The Founder’s Land
Horseshoe Bay got its start around 1972, when cousins Wayne and Norman Hurd began developing what had been the Coke Ranch into a lakefront resort community built around golf and the water. The Peninsula was where one of them actually lived, before it was carved into the gated enclave of custom estates it is today. As the story goes, Wayne Hurd found a horseshoe in the exposed lakebed during a period when the water level had dropped, and that’s reportedly where the whole community’s name came from. It’s a nice piece of local history to know if you’re buying here, this isn’t a manufactured resort theme, it’s the ground the place was actually built on.
What Homes Here Tend to Cost
Because so few Peninsula properties ever change hands, there’s rarely enough current activity to point to a tight, reliable price range for the neighborhood specifically. What I can tell you is where it sits relative to the broader Horseshoe Bay waterfront market: active waterfront listings across Horseshoe Bay have run from roughly $530,000 for entry-level water access up to nearly $13 million for the largest estate properties, with waterfront generally commanding a real premium over the town’s overall average. Peninsula estates, given the scarcity and the founder’s-land history, typically sit toward the upper end of that range rather than the middle. If pricing is your main question going in, I’d rather walk you through what’s realistically comparable than quote a number that won’t hold up once we’re looking at an actual property.
What Buyers Get Wrong About The Peninsula
The biggest misconception is treating The Peninsula like a normal listing search, where you wait for something to hit the market and then schedule a showing. With well under a dozen lots total, that approach usually means finding out about a sale after it’s already under contract. If you’re serious about this neighborhood, the more useful approach is telling your agent you want to know the moment an owner is even thinking about selling, not waiting for a sign in the yard.
Buyers also sometimes assume that this level of exclusivity means giving something up on the amenity side, trading a country club for a quiet, private street. That’s not how it works here. Peninsula residents have the same access to Horseshoe Bay Resort’s golf courses, marina, and dining as anyone else in the resort’s gated sections. The privacy is additional, not a substitute.
Touring a Home on The Peninsula
Getting in to see a property here isn’t a matter of driving up and knocking. Access runs through the same gated entry as the rest of Horseshoe Bay’s private sections, and given how few homes exist, sellers here are typically more selective about who gets a showing and when. It usually works best to have a real, pre-qualified buying position lined up before a tour gets scheduled rather than treating it as a casual look. If you’re relocating from out of state or buying a second home, plan for that upfront rather than after you’ve found a property you like, since financing questions can slow things down at exactly the moment speed matters most on a scarce listing.
Ask about the HOA structure and any dock or shoreline permitting specific to the lot as well. On a peninsula, more of the perimeter touches water than on a typical interior lot, which usually means more shoreline to maintain and more to ask about before you close.
If Nothing Is Available Right Now
Because The Peninsula turns over so rarely, it’s worth having a real plan for what happens if nothing fits when you’re ready to buy. Ask to be notified the moment an owner starts thinking about selling rather than waiting for a public listing, and set a realistic timeline expectation. It’s not unusual to watch this neighborhood for a year or more before the right property comes open. In the meantime, decide what you’d actually do with a comparable waterfront estate elsewhere in Horseshoe Bay so you’re not stuck choosing between an indefinite wait and settling for something that doesn’t fit.
Other Horseshoe Bay Neighborhoods
If The Peninsula’s scarcity means there’s nothing available when you’re ready to look, I also show buyers Matern Island and The Cape for a similar waterfront feel with more regular inventory, Applehead Island for a gated island setting, or Summit Rock if golf-course frontage matters more to you than direct lake access. My full Horseshoe Bay community guide covers every neighborhood in the area side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homes are actually on The Peninsula?
Fewer than a dozen waterfront estates. It’s one of the smallest and most exclusive sections in Horseshoe Bay, which is why listings here are genuinely rare rather than just marketed that way.
Does living on The Peninsula include Horseshoe Bay Resort amenities?
Yes. Residents have the same access to the resort’s golf courses, marina, and dining as other gated sections of Horseshoe Bay. The privacy of the smaller enclave is in addition to those amenities, not a trade-off against them.
Why is it called The Peninsula, and what’s the history?
The land was originally the residence of one of the cousins, Wayne and Norman Hurd, who began developing Horseshoe Bay out of the old Coke Ranch around 1972. As the story goes, Wayne Hurd found a horseshoe in the lakebed during a low-water period, which is reportedly where the resort’s name came from.
How do I find out when a home becomes available on The Peninsula?
Given how few lots exist, the best approach is asking your agent to watch for an owner considering a sale rather than waiting for a public listing. A number of Peninsula sales happen before a property is ever widely marketed.
What other Horseshoe Bay neighborhoods are similar?
Matern Island and The Cape offer a comparable waterfront feel with more regular inventory, and Applehead Island offers a gated island setting if you want a similar level of privacy.
Let’s connect if you want to know when something comes available on The Peninsula, or want to compare it against the other waterfront neighborhoods nearby.
Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker at Uncommon Horseshoe Bay.
