2308 Forest Ave, Austin, TX 78704

*A surprising sanctuary, just steps from SoCo* You're standing on the front lawn of an immaculate 1940s-style house, cradled by 5 giant live oaks in beautiful landscaping behind the privacy fence. It's a quiet street of homes with the same curb appeal, barely a trace of city noise. Leafy, suburban — and yet… And yet you're only steps from Austin's thriving SoCo district. A late set at C-Boy's or The Continental Club, gourmet coffee at Meteor or Teal House, great eats at June's, Vinaigrette, and the humble-but-awesome Primo's — and more of everything within easy walking. Just across the road: the new multi-story H-E-B and express buses across the city. The river and downtown are two miles away, or a $3 robotaxi ride. This is 78704 — "the oh-four" at its best! And the house? Not so humble after all. At 3,700 sq ft it's one of the largest in the area — modern and luxurious inside, laid out for a family with kids or a couple needing work and hobby space. You come into the original house — cozy, full of character and light — to a reception room with a wood-burning fireplace and a wing of two flex rooms (originally rooms) with a full bath. Past the formal dining room, you step into the heart of the home: a bright, modern two-story extension built in 2008. First the gourmet kitchen — oversized island with bar seating, Thermador range, Bosch refrigeration, Cove dishwasher, and counter space everywhere. Then the Big Room, with vaulted ceilings, a gas fireplace, and French doors onto the newly landscaped garden patio. Upstairs is for privacy: the primary suite and 2 more bedrooms, set apart from the social spaces below. Built-in storage is everywhere — bedrooms, dining room, mudroom, upstairs hall — and the original 1946 kitchen (just off the new one) is now a pantry and laundry with butcher block counters. Gigabit Google Fiber throughout. Modest outside, generous inside, 5 minutes from the best of the oh-four. Homes like this don't come up often in Bouldin Creek.

This 1946 home at 2308 Forest Ave in La Prelle Place sits beneath five mature oak trees, some nearly 200 years old, on a rare 0.217-acre lot that makes it one of the largest residences in this central Austin neighborhood. At 3,706 square feet across five bedrooms and three full baths, the property commands $1.95M, or $526 per square foot, reflecting both its substantial footprint and its deeply rooted character in the 78704 zip code.

The home's soul lives in its layered spaces. The original 1948 structure preserves wide oak floors and a front living room anchored by a wood-burning fireplace framed by French windows that open directly to the garden. A flexible front wing houses a bedroom, study, full bath, and dining nook with custom built-in storage, creating intimate retreats within the larger footprint. The kitchen sits at the home's functional core, built for both daily cooking and entertaining, with a Thermador range, Bosch refrigeration, Cove dishwasher, and substantial island workspace. Upstairs, the primary suite overlooks the garden with a soaking tub and dual-sink bath, while two additional bedrooms share a Jack & Jill bath. A newer addition introduces a sunken living room centered on a gas and wood-burning fireplace with surround sound wiring.

Outside defines the lifestyle here. The backyard anchors everything, with multiple patio areas, custom lighting casting soft evening warmth, ceiling fans and misters for year-round comfort, and pomegranate and mulberry trees adding seasonal color. A limestone side yard and custom shed complete the outdoor room. The heavy tree canopy, full gutters, and level lot create a private sanctuary steps from the street.

Location amplifies value. La Prelle Place sits minutes from South Congress and South First, where vintage shops, restaurants, and coffee roasters define Austin's creative culture. Downtown Austin is a short drive for work, while the nearby H-E-B on Oltorf Street handles daily needs. The Travis Heights elementary, Lively middle, and Travis high school serve the Austin ISD neighborhood, grounding families in one of the city's most established communities. This is a home with 78 years of history and enough land, trees, and patio space to write the next chapter.

Bouldin Creek has more James Beard Award nominees per block than any neighborhood in Texas. That is not an exaggeration you would find in a tourism brochure. It is a reflection of what happens when a formerly working-class neighborhood south of the river becomes the center of gravity for Austin's most ambitious restaurant talent while somehow keeping its tree-lined streets and quirky residential character intact.

The neighborhood occupies the triangle between South First Street, South Congress Avenue, and Oltorf Street in the 78704 zip code, with Lady Bird Lake forming its northern boundary. Downtown Austin is literally across the bridge. You can walk to the lake in five minutes, bike downtown in ten, and reach Austin-Bergstrom airport in about 20 minutes. Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool are immediately to the west. The South Congress shopping and dining corridor runs along the eastern edge, which means you live adjacent to one of Austin's biggest tourist draws without actually being in the middle of it.

The housing stock tells the story of the neighborhood's evolution. About 35 percent of the homes are original Austin bungalows and Craftsman cottages from the 1910s through 1940s, many of them lovingly maintained or thoughtfully updated. Another 30 percent are modern custom builds from 2010 forward, the kind with clean lines, rooftop decks, and walls of windows that signal serious architectural intent. Mid-century ranch homes account for 15 percent, and you will find a scattering of L-plan cottages, contemporary townhomes, and duplex conversions filling the remaining gaps. Lot sizes are modest by Austin standards, typically a tenth of an acre or less for the older homes. Prices range from around $600,000 for a smaller bungalow needing work to well over $2 million for a new-construction modern on a corner lot. The price per square foot is among the highest in South Austin because you are paying for location as much as the structure.

Bouldin Creek falls within Austin ISD. The neighborhood school is Becker Elementary, with Fulmore Middle School and Travis High School serving the older grades. Austin ISD has faced enrollment challenges citywide, and some families in Bouldin do opt for private or charter alternatives. That said, Becker has an engaged parent community and a strong neighborhood identity. The proximity to UT Austin also means access to university-affiliated programs and resources that benefit the broader area.

The lifestyle here is defined by walkability and the density of independent businesses within a few blocks of home. Mornings might start at Bouldin Creek Cafe, the longstanding vegetarian spot that has been a neighborhood anchor for decades, or Elizabeth Street Cafe for Vietnamese coffee and pastries. Lunch could be Home Slice Pizza on South Congress or a smoked brisket plate at Terry Black's. For dinner, you are choosing between Lenoir's hot-weather food concept, Odd Duck's ever-changing farm-to-table menu, or Perla's patio for oysters and people-watching. On weekends, Barton Springs Pool is the communal living room. The West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt provides a shaded walking loop, and Zilker Park hosts everything from kite festivals to trail running. The neighborhood still has a strong creative identity, with working artists, musicians, and small business owners living alongside tech professionals and young families.

Bouldin Creek sits at a unique intersection in Austin's market. It is more expensive than Travis Heights to the east and Galindo to the south, but it delivers walkability and dining access that neither can match. Compared to Zilker, the lots are smaller but the neighborhood feel is stronger. Compared to Clarksville north of the river, you get a similar village character at a slightly lower price point with better restaurant density. The key distinction is that Bouldin is genuinely walkable to both Lady Bird Lake and South Congress without requiring a car, which is rare in Austin.

Bouldin Creek makes the most sense for buyers who prioritize daily walkability over square footage. If eating at a different excellent restaurant every night of the week without starting your car sounds like the right way to live, this is your neighborhood. It works well for couples, professionals, and smaller families who want to be in the center of Austin's food and cultural scene while still having a quiet, residential street to come home to. Larger families who need significant yard space or top-tier public school ratings may want to look further south or west, but for everyone else, this is as close to urban village living as Austin gets.