Sprawling Austin lake estate asks a commanding $15M

Mansion home of life-sized, ‘Harry Potter’ chessboard lists for $8M less than last year

By Cindy Widner@CurbedAustin May 31, 2017, 3:21pm CDT

British-style white stone mansion — 4521 Commanders Point Drive

Due in part to the fact that it has a “Harry Potter” chessboard (i.e., one with human-sized pieces) on the grounds, last year a sprawling Lake Austin estate on the market for $23 million received quite a bit of attention.

Now the impressive estate is back, this time being offered for $15 million by well-known Texas philanthropists Philip and Donna Berber (who started A Glimmer of Hope, among other nonprofit foundations).

While the 30-acre grounds and stunning lakefront views and access are some of its obvious selling points, the 9,642-square-foot-home is no slouch of a mansion—or, if you are in the United Kingdom, we suppose, great country house, which it very much resembles.

The main home has four bedrooms and seven bathrooms, along with several living spaces designed to emphasize lake views with such features as the arched floor-to-ceiling windows in the main living area. Such views are available throughout the home.

The sizable gourmet kitchen features commercial-grade appliances, custom cabinetry, center island, and a breakfast area cove.

A multi-level library with catwalk has beamed, hardwood ceilings.

The grounds feature towering mature oak trees and lush pastures. The area around the home includes extensive stone work and clean, manicured lawns. A wider exploration reveals gardens and hidden pathways surrounding estate on all sides, with koi ponds, streams, and serene outdoor living areas (and that chessboard!).

In addition to offering such recreation opportunities as full-sized basketball courts, tennis courts, and hiking trails, the property is also a fully equipped equestrian estate, with trails, a riding arena and trails, a 2,025-square-foot equestrian barn, a 1,647-square-foot foreman’s home, and a hay barn.and two barns.

In addition to the main home, there is a 2,932-square-foot guest house with its own lake views.

The back exterior of the home boasts a sprawling outdoor living area, along with a pool and spa with more views, set along approximately 650 feet of deep Lake Travis waterfront, all on deep water Lake Travis. There’s a boat lift with a sizable boat dock with two slips and a deck for entertaining.