5 luxury home open houses to see this weekend

Welcome to the Curbed Austin’s weekly Open House Tour, because who doesn’t love a little real estate gawking?

Open houses can be a cheap source of entertainment as well as information—for most who partake, it’s usually a combination of both. Inspired by the venerable tradition of historic, architectural, and similarly themed neighborhood home tours, our Open House Tours will focus on five homes in particular areas of town or other traits in common from week to week. This week, we’re going upscale, with a tour through some of Austin’s highest-end homes.

While most of these luxury homes are, unsurprisingly, located in areas such as West Lake Hills, gated lakeside communities north and west of town, Old West Austin, Tarrytown, and central South Austin, you’ll see a variety of styles and designs in the pricey places below.

Which homes would you like to see? Let us know in the comments!

↑ Four photos don’t do justice to this West Lake estate, so a tour of definitely in order. It’s listed as a single family home, but Las Casitas House & Garden consists of two casitas, a studio, and five a acres of trails, gardens, art, and ponds. It also has a pavilion with a natural, amphitheater and stage and a 90,000 galloon natural pool. Total square footage is listed at as 2,500 with three bedrooms and five bathrooms. It’s asking $3.5 million. 1103 Ridgecrest Drive. Open house Saturday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

↑ Another sort of compound, this one in Travis Heights, features two separate homes—one contemporary and one built in 1940—on adjoining lots in a setup that seems meant for a home plus short-term (or long-term) rental. The contemporary home has two bedrooms and two and half bathrooms, and the vintage house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Square footage totals 3,977 square feet, and it’s on the market for $2.199 million. 909/907 Post Oak Street. Open house Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

↑ No luxury home tour would be complete without at least one Mediterranean-style, villa-like manse. This one is in Spillman Ranch, a Hill Country golf course community, and has the requisite views as well many luxury features. The two-story, 6,204-square-foot house has five bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. It’s asking $1.14 million. 14400 Piper Glen Drive. Open house Sunday, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

↑ Another South Austin home, this on in Zilker, showcases the ultra-contemporary side of luxury home design to nice effect. A new build designed by Dick Clark + Associates design and built by Vinson Radke, it has covered patios, floating stairs, a limestone wall, and other interior and exterior details that landed it in Architectural Digest. The two-story, 2,767-square-foot house has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. It’s asking $2.15 million. 1818 Margaret Street. Open house Sunday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

↑ Clarksville is a good central neighborhood for luxury-home hunting, especially if one is looking for something upscale but offbeat. This 1920s home has been expanded and remodeled in a style that retains its farmhouse-style roots and fashions them into a long, contemporary space. The 2,270-square-foot home now has three bedrooms and four bedrooms. It’s asking $1.48 million. 1100 Toyath Street. Open house Saturday, 11 a.m. p.m. to 1 p.m.