Protective dad builds ultimate desert villa
Mountaintop mansion in Arizona comes with a story and plenty of privacy
Once upon a mountain, a securityconscious king built a magnificent castle where his five beautiful daughters could live in peace and privacy.
He even gave each princess a bedroom with no access to the terrace, to thwart secret suitors.
That’s the story — slightly tweaked — of a secluded estate in the upper Sonoran Desert, according to listing agent Preston Westmoreland of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The original owner, a rare coin and gold dealer who built the house in 2005, was indeed a protective father of five girls whose rooms only had interior doors. The master bedroom, on the other hand, spanned the top of the mountain to deliver 360-degree views and provide access to a private patio where the parents could enjoy the sunset, and maybe watch for visitors.
So who will be the future homeowner of the 22-hectare gated oasis set in what National Geographiccalls the most beautiful desert in the world?
“It will take a special person who really wants privacy and to get away from paparazzi,” Westmoreland says. “You will own the entire mountain for maximum privacy.”
The small town of Cave Creek, where the villa is located, began as a western outpost on a stagecoach road in the 1800s. It’s a “very storied area” that’s popular with Canadians, as well as retired CEOs, Hollywood types and royalty, according to Westmoreland.
What really impresses him is the quiet. “There’s nothing making a sound. It’s so peaceful, it’s like you’re in a whole other world.”
Yet at night, the panorama of town lights below reveals civilization is not far away — about a 30-minute drive to Scottsdale and less than an hour to drive to Phoenix.
The property on which the Tuscan mansion sits is the largest in the area, Westmoreland says. It also has one of the biggest collections of saguaro cacti in the country — more than 1,000 of the spiny columns that grow at the rate of an inch a year.
“They’re just magnificent,” he marvels, adding the unspoiled desert setting features a nature trail, herds of deer and abundant wildlife.
The house, no longer owned by the father of five, “has a lot of charm with its European flavour,” he says. Its creator wanted to replicate the interior of a Venetian country house and spared no expense with ornate embellishments, such as the old-world custom cabinetry in the kitchen.
Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the well-equipped room also contains a huge granite island with two sinks.
Unique features are found both underfoot and overhead. Innovative architectural touches, such as skylights and curved ceilings through the hallways, connect the wings of the home, while reclaimed hardwood from a 150-year-old warehouse covers the floors throughout.
Comforts and conveniences include an elevator, media room, fitness centre, large wine cellar and fully equipped downstairs bar.
Outdoor amenities range from pa- tios at every compass point to a recreational space with pool, spa, waterfall and slide.
There’s no shortage of water in this otherwise dry setting, according to Westmoreland.
A diviner located a main aquifer where a powerful well was drilled that puts out 65 gallons a minute, about 10 times the output of other local wells, he says.
But one of home’s bestselling features is its affordability, relatively speaking. On the market for nearly $7 million (U.S.), the property would be listed for $30 million in California, Westmoreland says. “Arizona real estate is still a super deal.”
But if this property doesn’t sell, it’s going to auction on May 5.