Resting at the end of a heated driveway, a $3.99M mansion for sale in Urbandale combines expected luxury living with thoughtful design choices and opulent upgrades.
Listed by Sean Manning, broker and owner at Simply Better Realty, he described the ‘Oak Brook Estate’ as not only a showcase for the surrounding residential Deer Creek community, but also for the city of Urbandale.
“There are very nice, unique homes in that area, but this one certainly stands out, especially with the size and its features,” Manning said. “How wooded it is. How private. Having a pond that’s visible from the patio in the back. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Conceived by Denton Homes and the original owner, a subtle multi-level front façade masks a ranch-style interior and creates an immediate statement inside the foyer.
To the left, an illuminated staircase winds down to the three-bedroom, finished basement, and in a surprising twist, a relaxing, two-story tall waterfall flows down the wall.
“Every area of this home offers something very unique and special, and that’s just something that’s a little extraordinary when you first walk into the home,” Manning explained.
The 4,367-square-foot main level is enhanced by tall ceilings, European-inspired architectural finishes, and attractive views of the woodland behind the house.
The open-plan kitchen features two islands and two walk-in pantries, and options for casual dining or formal entertaining under chandelier lighting.
A clever design move has added an all-season sunroom to a corner section of the main floor. Featuring its own fireplace, accordion doors can separate the room from the interior of the house, enabling residents to step inside, open all the windows, and enjoy the back garden scenery. “The functionality throughout the home is very sophisticated,” Manning said.
A primary bedroom and bathroom with a soaking tub, a walk-in closet, and a laundry room are all located on the western wing of the property.
Downstairs, the basement occupies 4,950 square feet, extending the entire finished footprint to almost 10,000 square feet of practical space, and provides opportunities for a games area, family spaces, and access to a marble-countertop wet bar.
Infused with as many innovative ideas as the upper floor, the lower level’s affluent assets include an indoor sauna, an exercise room, and a stone-clad wine cellar, furnished with walls of wine racks behind an arched metal doorway.
Reached by a scene-setting hallway displaying favorite movie posters, the home theater’s lavish appearance includes beams on the ceiling, ornamental accents on the walls, cabinets to store snacks, space for a dozen guests, and a projector included in the sale price.
Addressing the dilemma of separating work from home life, two lower-level office spaces and a connected boardroom are directly accessible from the outdoors, avoiding a trip through the upstairs front entrance.
And included as a luxury finish but convenient for multi-generational families, an elevator glides up and down between the floors. “It’s a nice functional feature,” Manning said.
Built on more than three acres, the outdoor land includes a paved patio with a wood-burning fireplace, a pathway with a bridge into the mature woodland, and views of a pond stocked with thousands of koi fish.
Close to public and private schools and less than a mile from Hickman Road, it is rare for non-resident vehicles to venture through Oak Brook Drive’s quiet neighborhood.
“It’s extremely difficult to replicate a property like this,” Manning added. “Between the land acquisition, construction costs, site work, cost of finishes, building a home with a scale and quality would require a tremendous investment. And it’s something that can’t be replicated with the lot that it’s on, with the privacy and the views.”
The home is listed at $3,999,000 by Sean Manning and Krisanne Colby at Simply Better Realty. Contact him at 515-639-9998 for more information and a private showing.
Richard Lane is a freelance writer based in Des Moines.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How this $3.99M Urbandale estate hides a waterfall, theater, koi pond
Reporting by Richard Lane, Special to the Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Richard Lane, Special to the Register | USA TODAY Network
