p. 1 of 3 for
20615 Highland
Lake Loop
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Stan Barron Properties
is a licensed Texas real estate broker
512.345-8585
IT
is hard to know which is
more fascinating--the home or its iconic owner--a Houston
tycoon. He started the kind of company steeped in Texas
lore--he did something previously thought impossible. He
built elevators that could withstand extreme conditions--for
example, refinery lifts that could operate in the event of
an explosion. And remember the story of the female
doctor who needed an operation but was stranded at an
outpost in the Antarctic? His company constructed a key
element of that rescue effort--an elevator that would
operate in frozen conditions.
A few years later this businessman sold the company with every intention of moving to this house and retiring. But "Type A" personalities have a hard time sitting still, and when the opportunity came up to start another company, he jumped in with both feet and has already moved back to Houston. People like this are decisive--good for you because the seller has established a price intended to get the attention of a ready-to-act buyer.
About The Architecture
The address is 20615 Highland Lake Loop in Lago Vista,
Texas. Originally designed in 1993 by noted architect John
Fitzpatrick, the home scores a perfect "10" for how it is
positioned to take full advantage of the scenery.
Study the photograph above. The
stretched out view falls out in stages--your eye moves
across the manicured, estate-like grounds dotted with oak
tress, then to the curved shoreline, out to a
horizon-filling vista of the lake, and finishing against a
backdrop of rolling terrain. The far off hills are
mesmerizing at night because the lights from those hillside
homes twinkle like stardust in the distance.
When you open the front door and take a few steps in you
realize the house has been aligned in the exact path of
these natural elements--it is on the precise projection
point for maximum view of the land, water, hills and sky.
Can you say s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g?
There is another benefit to a big
piece of land--it allowed for the design of a wide house.
The added width yields ribbon walls of glass. The final
payoff is that from almost every room there is an amazing
view of the lake. From this perspective you can watch
thunderstorms spark, snarl and rumble as they march their
way across the western quadrant of Travis County.
Over 4,500 sq. ft. and Main Livings Areas On One
Level
The entry level alone has about 4,500 square feet (per
TCAD), and it contains the kitchen and dining areas, large
office, two living areas, the master retreat, two guest
suites, and the utility room.
The lower level (also the pool level) is made for entertainment and fun. It includes a huge game room (for pool and poker tables) living area, kitchenette and one very large bedroom. All of these spaces spill out to the pool and lower terraces. This lower level is ideal if you have children or grand kids. Why? Because they can go down there to roughhouse with their friends and make as much noise as they want with music and video games without driving you totally nuts.
Speaking of the need for a relaxing hideaway, the master bedroom here is the epitome of a retreat. It takes up the entire right wing of the house (see floorplan p. 2), and it is actually a series of three connected spaces--main sleeping area (with fireplace), dressing lounge, and an interesting glass-lined sitting room that is perfect as a reading room, or exercise and yoga area.
If you have looked at other waterfront homes, your excitement often turns to disappointment when you realize how steep some of the lots are. Many are on sheer cliffs, and then it occurs to you: Your parents, other family elders and some of your friends will not be able to make the hard climb down to the water or dock. But not so here. You may never find another house that has this gentle of a slope down to the lake. The grounds are designed so that if you had to, you could put your aging mom in a golf cart and drive her right down to the dock.
Some Things To Look Forward
To
If you are in a position to afford this house, it may be due
to all of your hard work. But there is a price to pay for
working at a hectic pace. Do you find yourself, even on
weekends and evenings, being reachable by cell phone, email
and text messages? Taking a trip even has the hassle of
booking arrangements and getting on a plane. If you yearn
for the idea of simplifying your life, then owning this home
has the potential to make you feel like you are staying at
your own private resort. Say you have had one of those
tension-filled weeks at the office. Imagine this scenario as
a way to offset that kind of pace. You knock off early
Friday afternoon so you get to the house in time to take in
a colorful sunset by sitting outside with your sweetie while
you sip a glass of wine. As the sun fades, the crimson
horizon is replaced with a star-filled sky and moon beams
reflecting off the water. You begin to notice the rhythm of
gentle breezes rolling off of the lake. Romantic music is
wafting from the outdoor speakers. Right about now may be
the perfect time to remind you of this home's privacy,
including the pool. Dear husbands, let's be honest. The
outline of your body in the moonlight might appear to an
Inuit with a harpoon as a Walrus that would feed the family
for an entire season, but your wife still thinks you are
sexy, so tell her you love her and get that twinkle in your
eye as you dive into the pool. When you manage to right
yourself in the water you can invite her for a swim under
the stars.
That was just Friday. On Saturday, you can invite friends over. Use some yard torches to light the path down to the dock, and when everyone gets hungry, you can go to dinner by boat.
If there are young children in your immediate or extended family, a memorable event awaits them. You can make a big deal of taking them fishing for the first time. Do you have any idea how excited they get with this kind of adventure. Before you walk down from the house, you can pack up a canteen, some snacks, a tot-sized fishing rod and a walkie-talkie. This way, when they haul in their first catch, they can radio back to mom at Base Camp Alpha these words, "Mom, I caught one, I caught one!" (Fishing is easy from the dock because the current owners keep a feed bin under water for catfish and perch).
Built in 1993, you may want to update some of the colors, but the basics of the home, and the design, are still impressive. Most importantly, you can snag this home in a buyer's market. This is one of the only waterfront homes with an asking price adjusted for the current market. It is a beautiful architect-inspired home with four bedrooms, two fireplaces, a dock, 4-car garage, negative edge pool and one of the biggest lots ever for a home on Lake Travis.
Please, serious inquiries only.
The price is $1,650,000. To see, call your agent. The seller
is represented by Stan Barron Properties at
512.345-8585.
Click
here
to see a floorplan, site plan, map and more
photos