Homes We Love: Villa Serena, a Private Listing on Lake Austin from Sotheby's

The Home | Pricing Upon Request

Lake Austin, Austin, Texas

Tucked behind private gates and reached by a tree-canopied drive, Villa Serena commands more than 300 feet of Lake Austin waterfront — the kind of frontage that rarely comes to market. The two-story estate takes its cues from European lakeside architecture, and it was built around a simple idea: give nearly every room a reason to face the water. The home wraps a quiet private cove, and the layout follows that view rather than fighting it.

The kitchen is a genuine showpiece, outfitted with Gaggenau appliances and opening onto a bright breakfast nook that looks straight out over the lake — the kind of spot that turns an ordinary morning into something worth lingering over. From there, the home unfolds into serious entertaining space: a custom theater with fully integrated audio-visual, a under-stair bar, and formal living areas designed to host, not just to look good.

Wellness gets its own wing here, not an afterthought — a full suite with sauna, cold plunge, and steam room. Two primary suites anchor the home, each with its own water view, a generous walk-in closet, and a private balcony; the main-level suite adds a large walk-in safe, and both spa-style bathrooms include radiant heated floors. Five additional suites, each with a private bath, give the home real capacity for family or guests without anyone feeling like an afterthought.

Outside, the lake takes center stage. A saltwater pool sits alongside a fully equipped boathouse with a boat lift and dual jet ski lifts, plus its own bath facilities and outdoor rinse stations — genuinely built for a life on the water, not just a view of it. A separate guest cottage offers real independence via its own spiral-stair entrance, and a water-view office makes remote work or extended-stay guests easy to accommodate. Integrated outdoor audio carries the atmosphere across the manicured grounds and outdoor cabana, which comes with its own full kitchen and deck space for alfresco entertaining.

What Makes This Home Stand Out

Over 300 feet of private waterfront.

Frontage at this scale on Lake Austin is genuinely rare, and it's what gives every room its view.

A boathouse built for real use, not decoration.

Boat lift, dual jet ski lifts, and dedicated bath and rinse facilities mean the water is a daily amenity, not a backdrop.

Two primary suites, each a retreat of its own.

Rare in a single-family home, and a real advantage for multigenerational living or hosting guests who want their own space.

A genuine wellness wing.

Sauna, cold plunge, and steam room in one dedicated suite is the kind of feature usually reserved for a resort, not a private home.

A guest cottage with true independence.

Separate spiral-stair access means visiting family or staff have real privacy, not just a spare room.

Why Lake Austin

This is really where the home makes its case beyond the walls themselves. Lake Austin is a roughly 20-mile stretch of the Colorado River that runs through the western edge of the city, and it's long been considered one of Austin's most exclusive addresses — close enough to downtown for an easy commute, but with a quiet, almost rural feel once you're behind the gates. Unlike some of the area's larger reservoirs, Lake Austin maintains a constant water level year-round, which is part of what makes waterfront living here so genuinely usable — boating, swimming, and lake life aren't seasonal here the way they can be elsewhere.

The setting also plays into everything we love about Austin itself. Days here might start with coffee on the water before a quick drive into downtown, continue with a hike along the Green Belt or a round at one of the area's well-regarded golf clubs, and wind down with dinner in one of Austin's celebrated restaurants — all without ever feeling far from home. It's a rare combination: genuine natural seclusion paired with a short drive to one of the country's most dynamic cities, strong schools, and a tech-driven economy that continues to draw new residents and new energy to the region.

If you're still exploring what a move to Texas could look like, our full guide on moving to Texas, with a closer look at Austin, covers the market, the lifestyle, and what to know before you start searching.

Interested in Villa Serena or other properties like it on Lake Austin? BEGIN HERE!

^{*Listing courteously provided by our Sotheby's International Realty Partner}