1115 Holly St, Austin, TX 78702

Custom-built, modern stunner in East Austin — plus income potential! Designed by a local architect who calls his work “practical modernist,” this artistic property features two angular and light-filled homes that offer amazing views of downtown Austin. The 3BR/2.5BA main home is 1673 sf and the 2BR/1BA ADU is 550 sf — perfect for a rental or in-laws. Built with eco-friendly principles top of mind, the home features two types of siding: cypress and cementation stucco installed on a rainscreen. Stunning, custom-made windows—some with lovely colored film—and angular roof lines on both homes make for stunning curb appeal. Inside the energy-efficient main home, find beautiful concrete floors and an open floor plan. The kitchen features sleek charcoal concrete countertops, minimalist open shelving, stainless appliances and a large island. Sunlight pours in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, which features soaring ceilings with an elegant, modern ceiling fan. Some of the windows have solar screens for energy savings and there are casement windows as well. There’s plenty of space for dining, and up the stunning floating staircase, you’ll find two secondary bedrooms. Primary bedroom is located on the main floor. Beautiful landscaping surrounds the property, which is just blocks from Lady Bird Lake and the many parks and activities located there. You’ll also be a short walk or ride to Cesar Chavez, East 6th streets, Saltillo Plaza, and the historic Rainey Street District where you’ll find dozens of restaurants and a dynamic nightlife. Minutes from Downtown and within walking distance to Sanchez Elementary School. Schedule a showing today!

East Austin is the only neighborhood in the city where you can walk from a James Beard Award-winning restaurant to a converted warehouse gallery to a live music venue to a craft cocktail bar without ever getting in your car. That walkability, combined with a building boom that has reshaped the housing stock over the past decade, makes East Austin the most dynamic real estate market in Central Texas.

East Austin stretches from I-35 on the west to Highway 183 on the east, with Lady Bird Lake forming the southern boundary and roughly MLK Boulevard marking the northern edge of the 78702 core. The 78722 zip extends the identity further north and east. Downtown is immediately across I-35 - five minutes by car, 15 by bicycle. East Cesar Chavez, East 6th, and East 7th serve as commercial corridors, each with its own personality. East Cesar Chavez leans toward taquerias and family shops, East 6th trends cocktail bars and restaurants, East 7th mixes galleries with newer retail.

Modern townhomes and duplexes make up about 35% of sales activity, concentrated on infill lots. Original shotgun bungalows and Craftsman homes account for 25%, mostly on quieter streets east of Chicon - typically 800 to 1,200 square feet on generous lots with ADU potential. Contemporary custom homes represent 15%, with architects like Bercy Chen and Alterstudio producing some of the most interesting residential design in Texas. Unrenovated bungalows start in the mid-$400s. Renovated historic homes with ADUs land between $700,000 and $1 million. New townhomes cluster around $600,000 to $900,000. Custom builds cross $1.5 million.

East Austin falls within Austin ISD. Zavala Elementary and Blackshear Elementary handle early grades. Martin and Kealing Middle Schools are the primary options, with Kealing's magnet program drawing students districtwide. Eastside Memorial High School serves the area, though many families opt for LASA, private schools, or open-enrollment options. The school landscape is more complex than in neighborhoods with a single feeder pattern, and specific addresses matter.

The lifestyle is what people picture when they think of modern Austin. Morning starts at Cenote or Fleet Coffee. Franklin Barbecue's line forms early, but locals order ahead. The dining concentration is remarkable. Suerte does modern Mexican with in-house nixtamal. Nixta Taqueria won a James Beard Award. Launderette turns a converted laundromat into one of Austin's best brunch spots. Canje brings Caribbean cooking to Holly Street. Kemuri Tatsu-Ya fuses izakaya with smokehouse. Via 313 has been making Detroit-style pizza since before the current boom. The Butler Trail, Boggy Creek Greenbelt, Roy Guerrero Park, and Mueller Lake Park provide outdoor options.

East Austin offers urban density and walkability unmatched outside downtown, at prices that undercut the west side significantly. Compared to South Congress, it provides more housing variety and better value per square foot. Compared to Mueller, it trades master-planned orderliness for more character. The main concerns are the pace of change and the east-west infrastructure divide, which has narrowed but still shows in some areas.

East Austin is for buyers who want to live in Austin's cultural energy rather than commute to it. It fits people who eat out frequently, bike to work, and value diversity of experience. It works for investors who see ADU potential in the generous lots. If you need a large lot, a quiet cul-de-sac, or a top suburban school, look elsewhere. But if you want to walk out your front door and feel the pulse of what makes Austin different from every other Texas city, there is no better address.