964 Shadow Creek Blvd
964 Shadow Creek Blvd
Your new Dream Home in Buda, South Austin, in beautiful Texas Hill Country
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Is it still possible to purchase a $600,000+ home in South Austin for $450,000? YES!
The owner of this home, who purchased it new in 2006, has worked as a construction laborer/builder, handyman and real estate remodeler and investor for 35 years. He also owns an ultra-high-end auto restoration company, where attention to detail, the highest quality standards and world-class aesthetics and performance are the entire focus of the business. In both professions, employing the highest quality standards, finest materials, and creating beautiful, bespoke things is the sole objective and focus.
With his intimate knowledge of all aspects of home building remodeling, modernizing and repair, he fully remodeled every square inch of the interior, and much of the exterior of this home, to the same high standards.
Homes at this upgrade and quality level are unheard of in this price range, and he knew that he would never recover all of the capital invested when he sold it. Used to the Southern California market, where such homes sell for a minimum of 1.5 million, he performed this remodel at his “normal” high-end quality level anyway, because it is the only way that he knows how to work and build things.
You, as the buyer of this special property, will benefit from the attention to detail, quality of workmanship and quality of parts and materials employed for decades to come. That is why this special house can truly be said to offer a buyer the opportunity to buy a $600,000+ home for $450,000.
If one were to start with the same-sized, standard, “builder-grade” home in the neighborhood (prior to any upgrades), and perform all of the work, upgrades and improvements done to this house, it would cost at least 150,000 dollars at today’s prices in the Austin/Buda market (materials and labor) plus a year of your life (over a year in this case), lots of mess and lots of stress.
The vast majority of homes in the Shadow Creek neighborhood are still built using the original “builder grade” materials, finish, hardware and overall quality (which was very poor). Those homes that are upgraded, usually feature a partial kitchen remodel, some cheap/simple floor covering changes and a single-color interior spray-out (paint) to make them look clean and fresh. This is the cheap and fast way to get a home ready for sale that adds little to no long-term value to a home.
When starting this remodel, the owner wanted to replace every square inch of the interior with the quality of materials that he would normally use to build a home himself.
The remodel began with gutting the entire interior….all lighting fixtures, all switches/outlets, all doors, the door handles, hinges and door hardware, all countertops, all sinks, all toilets, all flooring, all baseboards, etc were removed.
REPAIR AND LEVELING OF ALL SURFACES
The first stage of the year-long rebuild began with basic sheetrock work, seam taping, joint compound and block sanding to smooth and level much of the poorly made walls and ceilings in various parts of the house. Leveling and repair work also had to be done to the floor, so that quality, durable, hard flooring could be installed (vinyl and carpet are flexible and cover up all the defects, unevenness and irregular surfaces of poorly made floors).
DOORS AND HARDWARE
Beautiful 6 panel doors were custom cut and routered to properly fit, seal, open and close smoothly and hang level (unlike the ultra-cheap pressboard flat panel doors originally installed) throughout the house, and all new high-quality hardware (hinges, door stops, door handles, locks, striker plates) was installed. The highest quality stain blocking and easily cleanable Behr Premier Ultra paint was used to fully coat and preserve them.
WALLS AND PAINT
After all walls were corrected, properly seam sealed and taped/sanded and repaired, long lasting, long warranty, highest quality (between $30-$40/gallon) Behr paint was used throughout the interior….in a custom, ultra-bespoke 21 color refined paint scheme! The practice of using complimentary but slightly different colors in rooms and larger areas throughout a home helps to not only refine the appearance, adding beauty and making a home look highly customized and high-end, but it also breaks up monotone large areas, adds depth and allows the creation of definition and design contrast in single rooms. This technique was used throughout the house.
HIGH QUALITY, SUPER-DURABLE CUSTOM FLOORING
The first floor, all bathrooms, the kitchen and the laundry room received the highest quality scratch-and-chip resistant scratched-hardwood-look mahogany tile for the ultimate in durability, longevity, easy cleaning and stunning beauty. This is the best wood-look tile flooring the owner has used and is so tough that if you try to scratch it by violently stabbing at the tile with a screwdriver, the metal of the screwdriver will throw sparks and the steel corners of the screwdriver will be worn off, while usually leaving absolutely no mark on the tile! That’s how the owner originally tested this tile. As mentioned above, before this large-format tile could be installed on the floors, especially the upstairs bathrooms and laundry room, the floor foundation had to be repaired/replaced and leveled.
The rest of the home received a very durable hickory wood laminate flooring that is absolutely beautiful and harmonizes wonderfully with the paint scheme.
HARDWOOD STAIRS AND BANISTER
The cheap particle board and plywood, carpet covered stairs were replaced with real, solid-oak hardwood stairs that were custom stained and urethane sealed. The ugly, warped pressboard banister was likewise replaced with a solid oak banister finished in the same fashion and attached with highest grade hardware. The staircase in this home is a visual focal point and hugely enhances the beauty and durability of the home.
BASEBOARDS
Over the entire flooring, all-new, real-wood (not the press-board, which is like high-density paper or cardboard, used by the builder) large, 6” shaped baseboard was custom cut and installed throughout the home. It was fully painted prior to installation with the highest grade of stain blocking, easy cleaning Behr Ultra Paint. After installation, all baseboards were sealed with urethane or silicone sealant at the upper edge where it meets the sheetrock and, in any areas where water (or mopping) is likely to occur, all along the lower edge of the baseboards, so that water cannot penetrate under or behind the baseboards (warping and destroying them) and so that water cannot get under the flooring or behind the sheetrock to swell and damage it. This may not seem important, but is integral to ensuring protection from the water and moisture damage that occurs in homes that are in high humidity and heavy rainfall parts of the country. Also thoroughly sealed were the bases of all toilets, cabinets and around all bathroom fixtures, to prevent water penetration. Lots of extra time and labor, but very valuable to you as the buyer.
SWITCHES/ OUTLETS/ COVER PLATES
Next switches and outlets were replaced, with many switches in the home being LED dimmers, allowing you to customize exactly the brightness and level of light you want in every room. All bedrooms, the living rooms, the bathrooms and the recreation room have dimmable switches. These switches have the dimmer separate from the switch that turns the light on, so once you set the light level you like, it will be the same every time you turn on the lights. Unlike most dimmers, the installed switches will work with any modern, ultra-low-energy LED.
In the garage, in the entry and in the bathrooms, occupancy-sensing automatic light systems have been installed. These turn on the lights when you enter the area/room and turn them off after human occupancy is no longer sensed.
All of the cheap, ugly plastic cover plates were replaced with stunning chromed metal cover plates for the ultimate in durability, modern appearance and easy cleaning/hygiene.
A couple of high quality GFCI circuit breakers were added for safety and electrical circuit protection as well.
LIGHTS/ LIGHTING
Any custom home builder will tell you that quality, custom lighting is one of the most important upgrades to make to any high-end home. Light alters and improves the appearance of everything.
To that end, every light in the house was replaced…..and there are 23 different styles of custom light fixtures installed, each of which compliments and enhances the room or area that it illuminates.
3 stunning crystal chandeliers with long-lasting and low energy LED lights (fully dimmable) were installed, including the gorgeous 7-foot-long spiral chandelier over the entry that can be seen from outside the home through the long showcase window. The crystal creates the most spectacular light show of reflected, multi colored light during the early and late light hours of each day.
The formal living room and dining area also have super-high-end, fully dimmable crystal chandeliers for a very refined appearance.
Each bedroom has beautiful, complimentary, dimmable and warm lighting, as do the kitchen, all other rooms, hallways and interior areas.
Each bathroom has its own unique, bespoke glass, mirror and crystal modern light fixtures that perfectly harmonize with the rest of the interior.
The master bath has a stunning full length 1500 dollar integrated “halo” light mirror that is dimmable and can be switched on automatically or manually. This mirror style is the ultimate for makeup application, personal grooming and self-inspection. The light is diffuse, but focused on the person standing in front of it….so shadows and dim lighting are not an issue. The downstairs guest bathroom and the second upstairs full bathroom also have smaller version of these beautiful mirrors.
The fully finished (sheetrocked, taped, joint compounded, sanded and sealed) garage received a high-output LED light panel to add to the garage door opener integrated lighting.
All exterior lighting is also new, featuring LED lighting in all locations, at the perfect color temperature that’s easy on the eyes and enhances the house (no harsh, blue/green light sources).
The backyard features a high powered LED carriage light as a porch light and also features 4 solar powered, automatic (dusk to dawn) gas lamp simulating lanterns that look as if you have a mantel-style Gaslamp illuminating the yard. It’s beautiful to look at and offers wonderful, soft illumination. All this lighting enhances the appearance and useability of the yard, while being automated and employing 100% super low-cost LED lighting. Also present are warm led light strings along both backyard fence lengths to light up the entire backyard with the perfect amount of soft, evenly distributed light, creating a wonderful, peaceful ambiance after dark. o.
The driveway and walkway have high quality, metal, solar-powered, dusk-to-dawn path lights to beautify the front yard.
Finally, the kitchen has stunning, customizable over and under counter full-length LED illumination that really modernizes and beautifies the kitchen. Color and light intensity (brightness) are customizable. These lights can even be set to respond to music (pulse to the beat of the song you are listening to). These features are all controllable with the supplied remote control (with several spares).
FRONT DOOR/ GARAGE DOOR
The most visible and important two doors of the house are custom finished in multiple layers to exactly resemble real, solid wood mahogany doors. This time consuming and expensive process really elevates the look of the entire home and is immediately perceived by every visitor.
The front door has gorgeous iron hardware, including iron knocker, speakeasy sightglass cover, and iron assembly head nails which truly refine the door.
The garage door has been likewise finished and has had the old ugly hardware removed and new black iron-look carriage door straps and handles installed.
EXTERIOR: FULL HIGH QUALITY REPAINT/ HARDIPLANK SIDING/ FACIA/ TRIM
The whole house was just repainted in a warm, welcoming, bright 2-tone color scheme using the longest-warranty, mildew/stain-blocking Behr Ultra paint. Prior to painting, all of the seams between the Hardiplank siding that were never sealed from the builder have been caulked/sealed and waterproofed for long-term protection. Wood trim seams were also caulked for the same reason. Then, everything was repainted with 2-3 coats of highest quality paint. Unlike fast/cheap paint spraying (usually in a single color), paint was applied with stiff bristle brushes and paint rollers to make it possible to work the paint into the wood, caulk and seams for much better long-term protection (and better adhesion).
The ugly utility boxes and fixtures were also painted to match.
The rear porch foundation was concrete sealed and stained.
FENCE AND GATE
The dilapidated and poor quality original fence was replaced with solid cedar, new galvanized steel posts sunk in concrete foundations (vs the original builder grade pine wood 2x4s and 4x4s, only some of which had a small cement foundation and snapped/rotten in several locations.
Both for appearance and longevity, the fence received a top cap in full cedar that prevents water/rain from soaking between boards as readily and protects the sun exposed upper edge (where paint quickly fails) from water penetration. It also serves as a cap for the galvanized steel posts. The fence was then painted with the highest quality exterior Behr Ultra Paint, again using brushes to work the paint into the wood and make sure all difficult to reach areas are covered.
Homes in the neighborhood also had access gates from the front to the rear yards. These were extremely poorly built all-wood gates and the original gate was rotten, was sagging and was coming apart. To permanently fix the issue, widen the access from front to rear for something as large as even a riding mower and to match the quality of the rest of the new fence, a custom steel gate frame was welded and installed. With heavy duty commercial hinges and latch, this new gate is nicely balanced, easy to operate, is beautiful and will stand the test of time.
DRIVEWAY/ WALKWAY/ FLOWERBED/ PLANTERS
Three of the large driveway slabs and the walkway that had initially been poured by the builders, were of very poor quality and did not have the necessary rebar and anchor reinforcement. The slabs sank, cracked and broke and the walkway separated from the house slab, tilted towards the outside and also sank and broke into pieces. These effects were seen at many homes throughout the neighborhood and is typical of “builder-grade” construction. An experienced, highly skilled concrete company was brought in to evaluate the concrete work. Their evaluation of the foundation and the rear patio slab was good. However, besides the necessary full replacement of the walkway and the 3 large driveway slab sections, they recommended repair to the cement at the front of the garage and the front door entry slab. All these areas were properly repaired. An all-new walkway was framed and poured after 9 or 10 large, strong anchors/steel rebar “dowels” were set into the foundation to properly attach and secure the walkway to the foundation of the house to prevent the same sinking, breaking and separation that had happened previously.
The new concrete work is much stronger and more durable than anything the builder installed, providing the security of knowing that the external concrete is now done correctly. At the same time the walkway was built, a planter enclosure foundation was poured and then built up with real sandstone bricks, creating a beautiful flowerbed along the walkway to enhance the front of the home. 3 very nice stone planter enclosures were also built for the two mature trees and the showcase red Acadia bush in the front yard. All of this ended up being a very expensive repair and upgrade, but was necessary to ensure that these areas of the home would now stand the test of time and match the quality and beauty of the rest of the home.
MAJOR MECHANICAL: A/C; WATER HEATER; WATER SOFTENER; WASHER AND DRIER; APPLIANCES
Besides structural repairs and full remodeling, one of the biggest costs new homeowners face is that of having to buy, or of replacing and repairing a home’s HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), Water Heater, Water Softener and major appliances. This home has just had the entire Air Conditioning system replaced (with the exception of the housing and condenser (which don’t wear out) and the air conditioning system fully evacuated, serviced and recharged for many years of efficient and reliable service (critical in high heat/high humidity Austin). The compressor, condenser fan, receiver/drier, filter and various electrical components are all new ($2500 at owner’s discounted cost).
The poor quality builder water heater was replaced with Rheem’s top of the line 12 year warranty, large 50-gallon capacity Platinum natural gas Water Heater. During replacement, the water heater closet was rebuilt, fully refinished and enclosed (see photos).
Although the owner had a “soft water loop” added by the builder, no water softening system was ever installed. A new top quality, high capacity GE Water Softener has now been installed in an ideal location in the garage which does not obstruct vehicle movement or passenger ingress and exit from vehicles. This new water softening system will protect and preserve all of the home’s plumbing, water fixtures (faucets, showers, etc) from corrosion and damage caused by the hard water in Buda. It will also save the new owner lots of time in cleaning the hard water rings and calcium/lime stains from faucets, toilets, sinks, dishwasher, shower enclosures, dishes, silverware and glassware. A true timesaver that’s hard to appreciate until you have one
A stunning, top-of-the-line, advanced, direct-drive, “True Steam” LG Gas Drier and Washing machine, complete with elevated storage pedestal drawers (for easiest and most comfortable access) has been installed in the home and is included with the sale. These impressive machines feature extra-large capacity, full steaming functionality, and a full array of specialty cycles and functions that should meet every homeowner’s needs, now and in the future. A new, sealed emergency overflow pan and drain port was also installed to protect the home and floor from any future failure or leak in the washing machine.
The home also features a top quality, stainless steel (inside) Bosch dishwasher and black designer natural gas stove/oven, large over-stove, ventilating microwave and large, side-by-side refrigerator.
The garage has a quiet, powerful Chamberlain Whisper Drive garage opener installed (with smarthome integration that allows your smartphone to function as your garage door opener)
HVAC VENTS/ GRILLS/ INTAKES
Poor quality builder-installed air vents and grills were replaced. Due to the high humidity found in the Austin/Buda area, those air ceiling vents prone to rust/corrosion were replaced with superior rust-proof vents that also featured superior air control and adjustment.
PORCH/ BACKYARD
Besides the new fences, new fence paint and new custom steel gate there are many other beautiful upgrades that were made to the back yard.
First, the home features one of the largest useable back yards in the community. Since the home is a two level, there is more lot square footage for yard space. And, since it is a nicely rectangular lot, the yard has ideal dimensions as well.
One thing folks often overlook when buying a home is its location in a given neighborhood and in relationship to the homes around it. The owner specifically purchased this home because it only had 2 adjoining neighbors (instead of 5), offering a much higher degree of privacy and open space. Since the majority of windows face towards the front, or towards the rear of the house, your never feel surrounded by homes, spied on by neighbors or closed in. All of the views out of the back of the house (master bedroom, second upstairs bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen give a beautiful unobstructed view of the yard and the green space beyond. The neighbor home to the right has a mature, dense bamboo wall separating their yard from this home’s yard, offering complete privacy. The very nice neighbor on the other side also has mature trees that function as “buffer” between the yards. If you drive around Shadow Creek you will quickly realize that there are only a small number of homes with this degree of privacy. In the photo below, you’ll see that there’s about twice as much space between this home (second from the left right above the rec area) and the two neighbors than between other homes in the neighborhood (especially the later phases, which were built only about 10 feet apart!).
Furthermore, the very large Shadow Creek community only has one Recreation Center/Playground/Pool/Basketball, Soccer Field and Tennis Court area…..and the water fountain and pool section is directly behind the home with a beautiful green space (grass lawn) separating the house’s yard/fence and the rec area fence (so there’s about 25-30 feet of space between the fence of the rec area and the rear fence of the property). With this home you don’t need to take on the massive expenses (both to purchase/install and to maintain) of your own pool. If you like, you could install a lockable gate in the rear fence and simply walk out of the back of the house, through the gate and to the pool area! In anticipation that the new owner may feel inclined to do this, a gate kit is also included in the sale of the home.
The recreational area is far enough divided that it’s never obtrusive or loud, but it is nice to sit on the back porch at sunset, on the wrought iron bench, with the soft “gaslight” lanterns and rope lights illuminating the yard, listening to the distant sounds of children playing. That was one of the favorite things of the original owner to do. Very uplifting, beautiful and peaceful.
The cement slab for the porch was chemically etched and stained/sealed. Then a stunningly beautiful 100% oiled teak deck was installed over the slab. This real teakwood doesn’t just look beautiful, refined and unique, it also smells wonderful and feels wonderful underfoot (if barefoot or in socks). It allows you to walk on the back porch without sandals or shoes without burning your feet on the hottest days. It is made to be in permanently wet environments like the steam rooms and showers of high end spas, so it’s ideal for the high humidity and high rainfall Austin/Buda weather.
A solid cedar planter is installed on the left side of the porch, filled with flowering plants that add color and fragrance.
A 4 section tinted awning has been installed above the porch, rear door and kitchen window to shield them from direct sun and rain (one can actually sit on the bench on the rear porch during the rain and stay completely dry and comfortable, enjoying the smell of new rain), and to protect the rear door and lower windows from water/storm damage.
A 6 year old peach tree was planted in front of the center of the back fence, with a beautiful flowering Acacia on either side. 4 flickering, dusk-to-dawn “gaslight” LED lanterns plus two long chains of soft-light LED rope lights cast a warm, golden glow over the entire yard after dark.
It’s a wonderful setting to just sit on the teak porch with a cool drink and enjoy the sunrise or sunset, but also excellent for entertaining due to it’s ample size and beauty.
AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION
Since flowers require daily watering in the spring/summer, the front walkway flowerbeds, the showcase planter ring in the front yard and the flowers in the cedar planter on the back porch all have built in/integrated drip irrigation on automatic timers. There are also 2 automated watering circuits for the backyard. Yay! No constant watering and wasting dozens of hours per month standing in the yard with a hose in your hand.
GARAGE
When built, these homes had very sub-par garages. Most were unfinished and the garage of this home was unfinished and only had taped sheetrock installed on the ceiling and walls. The cement poured for the garage was of very low quality and beset by a rough/ugly finish that was difficult to keep clean, looked terrible and was very prone to cracks.
Being a stickler for quality and aesthetics, and a high-end collector car nut, the owner decided to undergo the significant expense of completely refinishing the garage. First, the walls and ceiling were straightened and original sheet rock defects were corrected. Then the walls were retaped and received joint compound (including the ceiling) for smoother, more seamless finish, without cheap looking and dust/dirt-catching blown “texture”. The same time-consuming process was completed on the ceiling. Finally the garage was custom painted in the most popular, striking color scheme of grey and racing red.
A modern, high output LED light panel was installed on an occupancy sensor (automatic). A Chamberlain Whisper Drive garage door opener was installed with smartphone control (more to follow). As mentioned above, the closet for the new water heater was also sheet rocked and painted. A custom painted door with new hardware was installed. The breaker panel cover was custom painted. New designer light switches, outlets and cover plates were installed (including a GFCI circuit).
The cement floor was chemically etched and abrasion cleaned. Cracks were filed with high grade epoxy. Then the entire floor received three coats of the finest 2-part, catalyzed epoxy flooring for an incredibly durable, super easy-to-clean, light reflective/enhancing, and stunningly beautiful floor that further enhances the home and makes the garage as beautiful and impressive as the rest of the house.
KITCHEN
The kitchen was fully remodeled to reflect the high-end standards seen in the rest of the house.
Besides the flooring and lighting, mentioned previously, the ugly/cheap countertop was replaced by an ultra-durable specialty surface that wears exceptionally well, is very easy to clean and does not require the precautions and maintenance/sealing of marble and granite. It looks great and is fool-proof in care.
The ugly/cheap original cabinets were fully disassembled, sanded and refinished and received wood doors and all new high-end nickel hardware throughout.
A new dual-basin high-end stainless steel sink was installed, along with a pull out, multi-function high-rise faucet.
And a gorgeous micro tile backsplash was installed on the wall above the sink counter, in colors the match and compliment the rest of the kitchen.
Behind the stove, a 16-gauge, commercial grade Stainless Steel backsplash was installed.
In the rest of the over counter area, stainless steel tiles were installed for a sophisticated, sleek and durable look.
The newest, modern LED under counter and over counter lighting was installed. It is custom programmable as to color and brightness. It even has a music sensor option you can turn on that allows it to pulse in time with music during parties and events. But mostly it just looks stunningly sophisticated in low light and at night.
A chrome and glass over/sink light fixture with dimmable LED was installed over the sink, along with a large, bright, dimmable LED kitchen light on the ceiling. The light bulbs are exchangeable if you prefer warmer or cooler light in the kitchen and in any of the fixtures.
The disposal was also recently replaced and the under-sink pipes/plumbing were redone.
The edges of counters, cabinets and other surfaces were sealed to prevent water intrusion/damage and to keep everything looking brand new.
The large kitchen food pantry had nice, clean vinyl-coated shelving installed to maximize storage space and organization.
A new, large, matching-depth stainless steel step can (with removable insert and liners) is also supplied.
BATHROOMS
Talk to anyone that has ever built or remodeled a home, and they will tell you that the bathrooms are the most expensive and time consuming to remodel (along with the kitchen).
All bathrooms were completely gutted and every single thing was replaced with the exception of the fiberglass shower enclosures, which are of good quality and were in perfect, like-new condition.
First the vinyl floor was removed and the floor was leveled and prepared for matching high-grade tile.
The cabinets were completely disassembled, sanded, refinished and wood doors were installed with all new nickel hardware.
The Formica countertops were replaced with real, solid marble and backsplashes.
The cheap dual-stem faucets were replaced with high-end nickel, single lever, ceramic disc German faucets. And the sinks were replaced with high quality, designer rectangular sinks with matching nickel drains.
The cheap lights were replaced with bespoke, matching crystal, chrome and glass fixtures, featuring high efficiency, super-long-lasting LED lighting.
All bath and shower fixtures were replaced with high quality components, including, spigots, trim rings, overflows, levers, wall extension pipes, shower heads and multi-function hand-helds.
High quality, strong, shower rods were installed in matching materials. Even brand new custom matching shower curtains have just been hung.
All toilets are brand new and are of the owner/builder’s favorite design….chair height, high efficiency, elongated lid, deep basin toilets. One doesn’t often think of toilets, but once you use these deep basin toilets you will know why they are special. Their extremely deep basin (from the toilet rim to the water level), and their steep angle sidewall greatly reduce or eliminate the “splashing” you experience with other toilets. It’s much easier for the boys and men in the family to keep things neat and tidy! Soft close lids (no more loud toilet lid slamming to wake you up) are also a nice feature.
Just like in the kitchen and laundry area, all seams and mating areas are sealed against water intrusion and moisture penetration, including all around the toilet base, the base of the bath tub enclosures, the lower and upper edges of the baseboards (sealing the floor to wall area), counter to backsplash seams, etc.
High grade, matching nickel toilet paper holders, towel bars and back-of-door towel hangers, plus designer Decora rocker switches and outlets, framed by solid metal chrome cover plates, make the gorgeous bathrooms complete.
Finally, the three full bathrooms all received stunning, modern, highly functional “halo light” mirrors that optimally illuminate the person standing in front of them and look truly striking. Imagine a seven-foot-long make-up mirror in the master bath (and smaller versions in the other two full baths).
SMART HOME AUTOMATION and FEATURES
To modernize the home, provide automation and efficiency and to give the new owner the highest degree of control and monitoring of key functions, several valuable Smarthome Features were installed.
NEST SMART THERMOSTATS
Both the upper and lower thermostats/HVAC controls were replaced with highly desirable NEST thermostats. These allow for all kinds of programming, timers, energy savings and efficiency enhancement. They allow smartphone control of their functions and let you track your energy usage and system runtime throughout each month.
A simple, intuitive App interface only requires you to hold and slide the temperature range adjuster to set your desired temperature range. The app color changes from neutral to blue when cooling (A/C on) and to orange when heating.
One of the most useful features is that the NEST app allows you to carefully track your energy usage over time, so that you can see how making adjustments to temperature ranges affect your monthly electricity and gas bill.
FRONT DOOR SMART LOCK
The front door received a high-end Yale touchscreen Smartlock system that also integrates with the NEST smartphone app. This awesome door lock allows you to gain entry in 4 ways: with conventional keys, using the touchscreen keypad, using an RFID card or using your smartphone. You can provide door access to family, friends, contractors or vendors when you are not home on a one-time, time-limited or permanent basis (using their smartphone). You can retract these “digital keys” at any time. The system has optional audio confirmations….and looks very cool.
The Yale lock application (App) is integrated with NEST, for easier, centralized control:
To prevent accidental locks and unlocks through the smartphone app, the system requires you to hold down the center of the lock/unlock button for a couple of seconds as the wheel spins. Once completed, the lock will update its status to tell you if, indeed, the door is now unlocked or locked.
You can issue “guest” and temporary “keys” to family members, guests, contractors, cleaning people, etc., that can be cancelled/revoked at any time from your smartphone.
GARAGE DOOR SMARTLOCK/ Smartphone REMOTE CONTROL
The garage door opening system allows you to turn any smartphone into a garage door remote (so you don’t need a remote for every car, or can eliminate them altogether).
The App shows allows simple, one button activation (just like a remote) and shows when the door is in motion, fully opened and fully closed. You can also monitor and search records for opening events (an activity log) and send “keys” to family members, friends that stay with you or contractors that need to get into the garage (but that you don’t want to give access to your house to).
Here is the simple Garage Mate smartphone App interface:
HIGH RESOLUTION VIDEO AND AUDIO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
A simple high resolution, smartphone monitored/controlled surveillance system has also been installed. This system allows you to check on kids, pets or guests remotely and gives you the peace of mind of knowing your home is OK when travelling, away or at work. It features both video and audio monitoring.
Here are a couple of photos of the surveillance camera smartphone App. It allows two way communication, zoom, audio monitoring/recording, video recording, motion sensing recording and smartphone notification, and the ability to view the cameras in real time in full screen (landscape) mode:
AUTOMATIC LIGHT SWITCHES
As mentioned previously, critical lighting has been automated with occupancy sensing light switches to come on automatically when you enter a room or area, such as bathrooms, the entry area and the garage. This is a very practical feature that you won’t want to do without after having it for some time.
RING VIDEO DOORBELL
Finally, a RING doorbell system has been installed that sends you push notifications on your smartphone when people come to your door. It allows two-way communication with visitors even when you are not home (or simply indisposed in the bath/shower or getting dressed, for instance). It records every event of someone approaching your door, using a sophisticated motion detection algorithm and a motion detection area that you can program yourself (meaning you won’t get any false triggers). It saves all such events for your review.
Here are a few screenshots of the RING App:
And, of course, any of the described smart home functions can be customized or individually disabled if you like.
BONUS: MATCHING EXTRA PAINT AND MATERIALS
From 30 years of experience, the original owner knows what a new homeowner needs to maintain a high-end home and keep it in like-new condition for decades. Therefore, he wanted to supply the new owner of this magnificent home the supplies, materials and tools to do so, at no additional cost and included with the home.
To store all of these supplies, tools and materials completely out of the way and out of the living space, a series of storage platforms were installed in the easily accessible attic space (which is illuminated).
The materials that are supplied include:
- plenty of extra paint, as much as a full gallon, for each color tone is supplied (since the house features such a stunning array of colors and finishes). This paint should be more than adequate for all required touchups throughout your ownership of the home.
- extra matching materials like grout, spackle, stain, sealant, fasteners, etc.
- plenty of extra flooring (for both floor types)
- an extra solid hardwood stair
- thresholds for future repairs.
- matching extra door, kitchen and interior hardware
- a full box of extra solid-teak porch flooring and a box of both types of deck floor ends
- extra kitchen over- and under-counter LED strips, controllers and remote controls
- miscellaneous extras include: switch cover plates, multiple sizes of air vents, light fixture, matching led lightbulbs for the specialty chandeliers, etc.
Everything you need so that if something gets damaged or needs to be replaced, you will quickly and easily have the correct, exact-matching component to make a flawless repair (even years or decades after that material or part is discontinued)
BONUS: TOOLS
The seller knows that most first time homeowners don't have the most important home maintenance tools and supplies. Being a long-time home owner and remodeler, the seller wanted to supply you with the correct, high-quality versions of the most important tools, maintenance supplies and materials, so that you have what you need when you need it.
This includes:
- a fantastic, super high-quality, multi-configurable, lightweight, long-reach (can access the roof) Little Giant ladder. These are the best, most useful and most configurable homeowner ladders available and can be used for any inside/outside job, light replacement, touch up painting, etc.
- a perfect sized stepladder
- a high quality stainless steel wet/dry shop vacuum
- a full array of new and used paint tools and equipment, such as rollers, pads, trays, sponges, sanding blocks, sandpaper, seam tape, spackle, compound, brushes, etc., along with a wide array of hand tools is also included so that you will have anything you need to keep your new home looking brand new and fabulous
All of these useful tools, with easily accessible, designated storage space in the attic, come with the sale of the home.
Photos of the supplied extra materials, parts and tools can be sent to you, if you are interested, prior to a sale, and will be supplied to the buyer.
Documentation and Notes
Documents and notes pertaining to the remodel of the home will be supplied to the buyer. Included are important data like the names and models of the materials that were used, including things like paint and color codes, flooring info, appliance info, etc.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are two important factors when evaluating whether to buy something, and whether something is a good deal or not. One is price (simply the number of dollars you pay). The other is value (what you get for your money, what the item you are buying is truly worth, how long that item will last, the "quality" of the item and what it will be worth in the future). Clearly VALUE is the most important consideration to any intelligent, wise person. And this home epitomizes the ultimate in value.
This home represents an extremely rare and unique opportunity.
At a fantastic price and value, it provides both the benefits of what is basically a brand new house (everything new , pristine, upgraded and modern) but in a well established, wonderful neighborhood with stable neighbors, stable/established schools and infrastructure, and fully grown-in landscaping. And actually, in many ways, the home is better-than-new, since no tract home builder at anywhere near these price levels, uses the quality of materials and quality of workmanship that this home offers.
The entire Buda/Kyle/Manchaca area is already well established with lots of local employers, great schools and all of the services, stores and amenities you want and need.
This home is one of the only houses that is right next to the only community recreation area in the entire, huge Shadow Creek community. The location offers super-easy and quick access to the wonderful pool, soccer field, basketball court, community center, picnic/bbq area and children's playground...while still being far enough away (and safely segregated from) the rec area, for the perfect balance of convenience and privacy. The peaceful sound of the running water fountain feature that you hear in the backyard at the end of the day is just a nice, tranquility-inducing bonus.
The home has a larger, more useable yard than most other homes and also has among the greatest distance/separation from the only 2 adjoining neighbor houses of any home in the development. Most other homes, especially the later stages, are built much closer together with far less privacy and separation.
But most importantly, everything that was done to remodel, upgrade and improve this home was done to the highest quality standards and with care and love. The seller did not "turn" this home or make it "sale ready" by doing things as quickly and cheaply as possible to make the biggest return on his investment. In contrast, he knew when doing it that he will never get his money back for the beautiful work that was completed. But he is very happy to know that a wonderful new owner/family will appreciate and benefit from all of the hard work and investment for decades to come.
The detail and time/effort to build this dedicated website is just another reflection of the kind of care, effort, perfectionism and attention to detail that went into every aspect of this spectacular home.
In an overheated "seller's market" like the one in Austin/Buda, which is forecast to continue its high price appreciation for many years, due to all of the new out of state residents moving to the area, the population growth in TX and the massive present and future increase in companies moving to and expanding in the Austin area, it's a very rare thing to be able to buy an incredible home at a very steep discount (to not only the market, but what it would cost to build).
The seller wishes the new owner many years/decades of enjoyment and wonderful, unforgettable memories in this fabulous custom Shadow Creek home.
Please fill out the contact form below and allow me to provide you with more details about the home, set up a showing, or answer your questions about submitting an offer to buy this incredible property.
Sales Agent: Dylan Haines, Realty Austin
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