1313 Alameda Dr, Austin, TX 78704

DEADLINE FOR OFFERS IS NOON WED 6/17 This Peaceful Treehouse in the City in historic Travis Heights was designed & built by the seller, one of Austin’s 1st female builders. Limestone steps move through a lush landscape to an IPE deck & stairs to the 2nd floor entry & the heart of this home; a breathtaking, yet calming, main room with oak floors, soaring ceiling, full surround of windows, bookcase wall & 2-story limestone fireplace. A tree sheltered deck is perfect for morning coffee or evening dining. A quiet corner nook with exposed wood ceiling serves as library/office. Circle through to pass a utility/WD closet, full bath & to a functional kitchen with handcrafted cabinets, commercial range, & southern sun pouring through a bay window. Then head to the upper hall bathed in natural light, with blond pine floors & stone fireplace. The circular flow offers a primary bedroom with 3-sides windows, walk in closet, fireplace, high ceiling & balcony. The shared bath leads to a sunny 2nd bedroom. Downstairs, the south side’s 1st floor holds a hobby/office or 3rd bedroom, 2-car garage & 2nd home entry. The 1st floor front holds a 1BR/BA apt, W/D & huge windows looking out to the creek; providing a steady income stream or a comfortable, private space for guests/family. The multitude of spaces allows for an array of uses, which at every position in the home, envelops you in natural light, wood & limestone elements, & views out to lush greenery. Outside, walk a few steps to Blunn Creek, Little Stacy Park & meander through the greenbelt trail amidst an architecturally varied, walkable neighborhood a few blocks south to Big Stacy Pool fed by a natural geothermal well. A few blocks East you’re on South Congress & Northward you’re on the boardwalk hike/bike trail. The 1957sf main home & 425sf apartment sits on a double lot with plenty of expansion room. Just off Riverside betw. I-35 & Congress, it provides easy access to a full array offered by the heart of Austin.

The 2,382-square-foot home at 1313 Alameda Drive in Travis Heights was designed and built by one of Austin's first female builders, and it reads like a private retreat carved into the city's most sought natural landscape. This is where indoor and outdoor living dissolve entirely.

The heart of the home is a soaring main room with oak floors, vaulted ceilings, and a two-story limestone fireplace anchoring the space. Full-surround windows flood the room with light and frame views of the mature trees that define the property. A tree-sheltered IPE deck extends the living space outdoors, creating the feeling of floating in the canopy. This is the core circulation point for the entire home.

From there, the design unfolds in a circular flow. The kitchen features handcrafted cabinetry, a commercial gas range, and a bay window that pours southern sun across the workspace. A quiet library nook with exposed wood ceilings serves as a study or office. The primary bedroom occupies the upper level with three-sided windows, a walk-in closet, fireplace, and private balcony. A second bedroom and full bath complete the upper floor.

The lower level holds remarkable flexibility. There's a hobby room, home office, or third bedroom on the south side, alongside a two-car garage and a completely separate one-bedroom, one-bath apartment with its own entry. This 425-square-foot guest house or rental unit has full windows overlooking the landscape and stackable washer/dryer connections, functioning as both a revenue stream and a private retreat for guests or extended family.

Location matters here. The property sits on a double lot with a steep slope and mature trees exceeding 40 feet tall, bordered by Blunn Creek and direct access to the greenbelt trail system. Little Stacy Park is a few steps away. Big Stacy Pool, fed by a natural geothermal well, sits a few blocks south. South Congress is blocks to the east. Downtown Austin is minutes away via nearby public transit and roads. The Travis Heights neighborhood itself is walkable and architecturally varied, served by Austin ISD schools including Travis Heights Elementary, Lively Middle, and Travis High School.

Built in 1980 and extensively thoughtfully maintained, the home sits at $1.19 million on a 0.1905-acre lot. At this price point and location, the rare combination of private nature, functional design, and urban access makes this an uncommon find for someone seeking to live on permanent vacation without leaving the city.

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.