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The most expensive home for sale in Texas comes with multiple waterfalls, an entertainment pavilion and more. (Realtor.com)
Lake Travis' most luxe home for sale is also the most expensive on the Texas market, according to Realtor.com. With a $45 million asking price, the Austin mansion has been on the market for just a few weeks and showcases some of the best the Hill Country has to offer.
The home, aptly named "Villa Del Lago," offers a 15,400-square foot main house nestled on the hilly south shore of Lake Travis.
The home includes outdoor space and a pool that overlooks the south shore of Lake Austin. (Realtor.com)
Those who dare to make a bid won't be short on amenities—the home comes with seven bedrooms, 10 baths, five fireplaces and other rooms including a media room, theater, library, game room, gym and bar.
The home was built in 2004 and comes with a library, gym, theater and more. (Realtor.com)
Once outside, homeowners are met with immaculate native Texan landscaping, including cascading hillside waterfalls, a summer kitchen and a fish pond.
The 25-acre property also hosts multiple waterfalls. (Realtor.com)
Stone staircases and bridges lead to a gated two-story "entertainment pavilion" with a commercial catering kitchen and valet area.
The private entertainment pavilion has hosted weddings and other events in the past. (Realtor.com)
The home draws on Classical architecture but was built in the early aughts with a modern lifestyle in mind. Extra perks include three ovens, an elevator, a secret stairwell and safe room, a half basketball court and a massage room.
The home's luxe kitchen comes with three ovens and ornate cabinetry. (Realtor.com)
Looking for your next dream home? Villa Del Lago is within your reach—if you can shoulder around $236,700 each year for the next 30 years (plus a $10.8 million down payment).
Those enchanted with the property may still be able to catch a glimpse of luxury Lake Austin life, however. The entertainment pavilion is closed for now, but former property owners rented the European-inspired villa for weddings and other events with packages starting at around $7,500.
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Historic preservationists, for their part, overwhelmingly support historic zoning, which would preserve the buildings in perpetuity. The Historic Landmark Commission unanimously voted to initiate historic zoning in July, citing architectural significance, landscape features and association to historic figures. City staffers recommend historic zoning, calling both structures one-of-a-kind examples of vernacular architecture.
Tarrytown neighbors have also banded together to stop the demolition. Many have written letters, and a few spoke at the meeting. “How could anyone buy this property with the intent of destroying it?” Ila Falvey said. “I think it’s an architectural treasure.”
Michael Whellan, an attorney representing the property owner, said that the claims made by preservationists are shaky. The buildings are run down, he said, and have had substantial renovations. A structural engineer hired by the owner said any attempt at preservation would involve tearing down and rebuilding – an undertaking Whellan said would likely cost millions.
Whellan also argued that any historical significance derived from the property’s association with Delisle and longtime owner C.H. Slator is dubious. “These men are not noted for any civic, philanthropic or historic impact,” he said.
What’s more, according to Whellan, Slator likely participated in segregation as the owner of the Tavern on North Lamar Boulevard between 1953 and 1960.
A city staffer, however, said she found no evidence to support the claim. “We would never landmark a property where a segregationist lived, or there was a racist person,” Kimberly Collins with the Historic Preservation Office said.
Commissioner Awais Azhar couldn’t support historic zoning in part due to lingering uncertainty about Slator. “Focusing on that factor is not here to disparage an individual or family. It is not about playing the race card. This is an important assertion for us to consider as Planning commissioners,” Azhar said.
Commissioner Carmen Llanes Pulido said that allegations of racism should come as no surprise. “We’re talking about white male property owners in the 1950s, in Austin, on the west side – and of course they were racist,” she said. But she argued that allowing the house to be demolished based on these grounds does nothing to help people of color who have been harmed by racism and segregation.
The question of tax breaks was also controversial. Michael Gaudini, representing the property owner, said that the tax breaks associated with historic zoning would exacerbate inequality by shifting property tax burdens to less affluent communities. City staffers estimate that the property, appraised at $3.5 million, would get either a $8,500 or $16,107 property tax break annually, depending on whether a homestead exemption is applied.
Commissioner Grayson Cox preferred the commission focus not on tax breaks but on whether the structures merit preservation. “To me, nothing in the historic preservation criteria lists, is this person deserving of a tax break or not?”
Azhar, on the other hand, said he plans to propose a code amendment getting rid of city property tax breaks for historic properties.
The commission fell one vote short of recommending historic zoning, with six commissioners in support and three opposed. Azhar and commissioners Claire Hempel and Greg Anderson voted against.
The odds of City Council zoning over an owner’s wishes are slim. Nine out of 11 members must vote in favor, and there have only been a handful of such cases over the past several decades.
