Description

There are very few places in Austin where you can have nearly four acres, extraordinary Hill Country and Lake Austin views, complete privacy and the comfort of knowing exactly who is coming and going from your neighborhood, all less than 20 minutes from downtown. That is what makes Rob Roy so special, and this may be one of its very best estates.

 For those who place a premium on privacy, security, and space, I believe Rob Roy stands alone among Westlake neighborhoods. Access is strictly controlled through 24-hour guarded gates, and once inside, large estate lots, mature trees, and quiet streets make it feel remarkably removed from the city around it.

This home sits at the end of what I consider the best street in Rob Roy. I grew up three doors away and have known this particular stretch of the neighborhood for most of my life. The street is perfectly flat, beautifully quiet, and has virtually no traffic. Kids ride their bikes. Neighbors walk their dogs. It is simply a wonderful place to live.

 The nearly four-acre lot was one of the first to be sold when Rob Roy was developed, largely because of its orientation. Looking west, the property enjoys sweeping Texas Hill Country and Lake Austin views with a horizon that seems to go forever. While many people place a premium on a city view, I have always preferred this one. A skyline stays relatively the same. Here, you get a different painting every night. You can watch the sunset, see thunderstorms rolling across the Hill Country and lightning illuminating the horizon from miles away. It is difficult to describe until you have experienced it yourself.

And then there is the house.

 Originally designed in 1987 by Shiflet Group Architects, it is a classic early Texas-style home with white limestone, a standing-seam metal roof and a welcoming front porch that immediately sets the tone. It is beautiful without being showy, substantial without being overwhelming, and has a warmth that is increasingly difficult to find.

 Perhaps the best thing about the house is how well it lives. Although generous in size, it was designed to function almost entirely as a one-story home.

The main level includes the primary suite, office, formal living and dining rooms, three additional bedroom suites and a three-car garage. At the center is a large kitchen, completely open to the breakfast and family rooms. Together they create one big, comfortable space that truly becomes the heart of the home.

The primary suite is privately positioned at one end of the house and enjoys what may be the best view on the property, along with an exceptionally large closet. At the opposite end are three oversized bedrooms, each with an en suite bath and generous closet. The size and scale of these rooms were well ahead of their time and are surprisingly hard to duplicate in homes being built today.

 Upstairs is an additional guest suite and one of my favorite features of the property, an enormous game room unlike almost anything I have seen in a private home. Previous owners have used portions of it as a gym, media room and billiards room, all at the same time. Whether your passion is movies, fitness, art, music, trains, ping pong, pool or simply having an incredible space where everyone can gather, there is room for it here. At the far end is another bedroom and full bath that has served as the ultimate bunk room for sleepovers and visiting friends.

 Outside, the house lives just as well. There is beautiful lawn in both the front and back, and the residence itself is privately gated from the street. Across the back of the home is another oversized porch with an outdoor fireplace looking across the negative-edge pool, manicured grounds and long Hill Country views. A sport court with its own covered seating area creates the perfect setting for basketball, pickleball and afternoons spent outside with family and friends.

The home underwent an extensive renovation in 2021, again led by Shiflet Group Architects, with construction by Burt Group Contractors and interiors by Rachel Mast. The current owners later brought in acclaimed designer Cami Wright for its most recent refresh. The result feels sophisticated and current while still respecting the warmth and character that have always made the house special.

 I have sold real estate in Austin for nearly 30 years and have been fortunate to see some extraordinary homes. This has always been one of my favorites. Not because it is the biggest, grandest or most expensive, but because it possesses something much harder to create.

It feels like home.

 It has a quiet elegance about it. It welcomes people rather than impressing them from a distance. It was built to raise a family, fill the kitchen with friends, spend afternoons by the pool, play basketball and pickleball, pile kids into the game room and finish the evening on the porch watching the sun disappear over Lake Austin.

It is a house built to be lived in and loved.

 All of this is within Eanes ISD, with children attending Bridge Point Elementary, Hill Country Middle School and Westlake High School. Downtown Austin is less than 20 minutes away, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport approximately 20 minutes, grocery shopping six minutes and Westlake High School nine minutes.

There are certainly bigger houses in Austin. There are newer houses and more expensive houses. But there are very few places I would rather call home.

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