1109 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704

Nestled within the shady oak trees of the exclusive Travis Heights neighborhood, this magnificent 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home offers the best of all worlds, including a sanctuary-like setting located within a five-minute walk to downtown Austin. Originally built in 2001, the owner and his team spared no expense when designing this 3,165-square-foot, single-family dwelling. They continued along the “no-expense-spared” route when they completely remodeled the home last year. With its combination of indoor gathering spaces and dazzling alfresco areas, this home is primed for modern family living and entertaining at its finest. New European, white oak flooring—sought out for its beauty and durability—is paired with Carrera Silestone counters and soaring, 10-floor ceilings throughout the home. Updated interior finishes, including floor-to-ceiling tiles, backsplashes, and fireplace surrounds; high-end light fixtures and window treatments; and sleek, cable stair railings inside and out, modernize the interiors and help create a one-of-a-kind, and completely turnkey, custom home. But the piece de resistance of this home, is its location, which enjoys proximity to just about everything. The home is a five-minute walk across the Colorado River bridge will lead you into the most popular areas in South Austin. It's right in the heart of it. From the shopping and nightlife of the downtown area, where companies like Google, Oracle, and Tesla are all claiming space along the shoreline, to the bucolic biking, hiking, and running trails and green spaces scattered throughout the town. Whether you are hosting family and friends, enjoying cocktails and conversation on one of the decks, reading by the fireplaces, or simply watching the sunset over the Austin skyline, 1109 E. Riverside will provide you a lifetime worth of memories. It will be your own private oasis as well as their five-minute gateway to their cherished city’s center.

Travis Heights is home to Big Stacy Pool, a free, spring-fed swimming hole that most Austinites have never visited because they are too busy fighting for space at Barton Springs. That hidden quality defines the entire neighborhood. Travis Heights has been here since the 1920s, sitting on the bluffs above Lady Bird Lake, and it has managed to stay more residential and quiet than the buzzing corridors on every side. South Congress is one block west. Rainey Street is a short walk across the bridge. And yet the interior streets still feel like the Austin people romanticize.

The neighborhood occupies the high ground east of South Congress and south of Lady Bird Lake, running from the lake to Oltorf Street, with I-35 on the east. The streets climb and wind along bluffs, creating a layered landscape of old trees and homes with views toward downtown. The Congress Avenue Bridge bats are a five-minute walk. Downtown is across the bridge, ten minutes on foot. Perla's and June's All Day anchor South Congress to the west. Elizabeth Street Cafe serves Vietnamese-French pastries. Lenoir offers a farmhouse wine garden. Odd Duck does farm-to-table small plates. Otoko is one of the most exclusive reservations in the city. Emmer and Rye rounds out with inventive tasting menus.

Craftsman bungalows from the 1920s and 1930s make up the largest category, with wide porches and original wood siding. Tudor homes add steep gabled rooflines. Contemporary builds appear on teardown lots. Mid-Century homes fill blocks farther from the lake. A bungalow needing work starts around $700,000, while renovated or new construction with lake views can exceed $2.5 million. Lots are modest - a tenth to a quarter acre - but tree coverage and topographic variation make them feel larger.

Travis Heights Elementary carries a reputation for strong community involvement and a diverse student body. Students feed into Fulmore Middle School and Travis High School. The schools attract families who actively choose an urban public school experience: diverse populations and neighborhood identity. Parent engagement runs high. Private options are plentiful nearby, including Austin Montessori.

Blunn Creek Greenbelt runs through the interior, providing a shaded corridor for walking and nature play. Big Stacy Park has both the spring-fed pool and a neighborhood gathering point. Lady Bird Lake's boardwalk connects the south side to the east side. The Congress Avenue Bridge bats are part of the nightly routine March through October. Weekend mornings might start with coffee on a front porch, a walk to the South Congress farmers market, or a jog along the Butler Trail.

Travis Heights sits between South Congress's commercial energy and the quieter feel of Bouldin Creek. South Congress properties near the avenue carry a premium but sacrifice residential calm. Bouldin Creek offers similar vintage stock on flatter terrain with less lake proximity. East Austin has seen rapid appreciation but lacks the established canopy and topographic character. Travis Heights benefits from being close to everything without being consumed by it.

Travis Heights is for buyers who want the real, historic Austin experience with a ten-minute walk to downtown and South Congress. It fits families who value Craftsman bungalows and front-porch living, couples who want to walk to world-class restaurants, and anyone who believes the best neighborhoods are the ones that have been quietly getting it right for a hundred years.