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.