Zilker is the neighborhood people picture when they picture Austin: Barton Springs a few blocks away, the Butler Trail and the greenbelt close enough to be a daily habit, South Lamar’s restaurants within walking distance. Empty lots here are nearly nonexistent, which makes a ground-up new build on Spring Creek Drive a genuine rarity. Rather than pushing the pool to the back fence, the plan wraps around it — living room, covered porch, and primary suite all facing the water, so the pool and spa function as the home’s centerpiece rather than an afterthought you visit. Sliding glass walls open the main living space directly onto a covered outdoor living area; a second covered gathering space anchors the far end of the pool. Vaulted ceilings run the length of the main living space, where the kitchen holds a full-slab quartz island, rich walnut cabinetry, brass hardware, and a butler’s pantry that keeps the coffee setup and small appliances out of sight. The double-height entry is its own architectural moment — a floating wood staircase set against two stories of glass, with clerestory windows pulling in the tree canopy overhead. The main-floor primary wing earns the word “suite”: a bedroom with direct pool access, a bathroom with a freestanding soaking tub and walk-in shower, an oversized closet, and — the detail guests will envy most — a private covered porch all its own, tucked at the quiet end of the pool. Two additional main-floor bedrooms round out the level; one sits just off the entry, positioned to work as a dedicated office, a guest room, or both across different seasons of life. Nearly everything you need daily lives on one floor. Upstairs, two more bedrooms and a light-filled loft give kids or guests their own quarter of the house. 5 bedrooms, 5 full baths, and a floor plan that treats Austin’s ten months of outdoor weather as the point rather than a bonus — two miles from downtown, in the neighborhood that never has enough houses to go around.