Your Expert Guide

Vaquero: Westlake's luxurious, gated, private community and golf club

There are so many great places to live in North Texas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

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"I have been working in the neighborhood for the past 10 years," says real estate agent Jennifer Shindler, "and Vaquero is one of the most unique communities in all of Texas."

A gated neighborhood in Westlake that's close to Southlake Town Square and DFW International Airport, Vaquero is also home to Shindler's parents.

"I love the relaxed environment — as soon as you enter the gate, you feel like you are on vacation," Shindler says. "Vaquero is where the city ends and living begins."

Shindler offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Vaquero. Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
If you live in Vaquero, you are almost certainly a member of the Vaquero Club. Its clubhouse is perched atop a hill for the best views, and offers dining options that range from formal to casual to outdoors by the fire pit. And if you don't feel like dining out, the club restaurant will deliver food right to your door.

Where to play
"When you become a member of the club, you gain access to a lot of neighborhood amenities including golf, tennis, pickleball, group activities, swimming, the gym, and a stocked fishing pond," says Shindler.

"The clubhouse also has a kids club, which allows parents to have a date night at the club," she says. And, speaking of children: Those in the neighborhood have the opportunity to attend Westlake Academy, a nationally ranked K-12 charter school operating under the International Baccalaureate curriculum.

Shindler personally enjoys a round of golf and exploring the neighborhood's many trails and lakes.

Where to live
Vaquero has various custom homes, and the pair says there is a type of home for every architectural taste, including French, Santa Barbara-style, Texas Hill Country, Mediterranean, and contemporary.

Shindler has sold many homes in the neighborhood, but her most recent is a gorgeous example of Vaquero's high-quality building.

2211 Vaquero Estates Blvd. is a Santa Barbara-style home that was fully reimagined by David Stocker, AIA and principal of SHM Architects, with interiors by designer Barry Williams.

Before going on the market, it underwent a two-year renovation that included a showstopping kitchen with a butler's pantry and bar, a primary suite with two oversized closets, a Crestron whole-house AV system, Lutron lights, and floor-to-ceiling steel-and-glass back walls that offer views of the resort-style backyard.

A game room, home theater, elevator, and separate golf-cart garage complete the dream dwelling.

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Jennifer Shindler works and plays in Vaquero. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email jshindler@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-215-5181.

The pair recently sold 2211 Vaquero Estates Blvd.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

2211 Vaquero Estates Blvd. is a great example of the neighborhood.

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HAUTE PROPERTIES

Texas Hill Country ranch tied to George Strait lists for $19.5 million

Lone Woman Ranch, the Hill Country estate where country stars like George Strait, George Jones, and the Ace in the Hole Band rehearsed, is up for sale for $19.5 million.

Located on 675 acres in Hays County, just south of Austin, the secluded ranch once served as an artistic getaway for emerging Texas artists. The property, listed by Republic Ranches, is named after the nearby Lone Woman Mountain, and its elevation provides an incredible view of the county. On a clear day, you can see all the way to downtown Austin.

The land comes with two residences, both built near the entrance gate. The primary stone house has original hardwood floors, a recently remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a new HVAC system. The secondary residence was used as a rehearsal space. Both have had long-term residents who made improvements, and both have their own septic systems, wells, and electric meters.

The real appeal of Lone Woman Ranch, however, is the extensive woods, creeks, and natural setting. It is situated next to 6,000 acres of conservation land, including Storm Ranch.

Two fully stocked ponds — a 4-acre and a 1-acre — are located onsite. Runoff from the larger pond creates picturesque seasonal limestone waterfalls. The surrounding woods are full of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, turkeys, doves, and more, and the property is under wildlife exemption.

The entire mountain is included in the property, making it a veritable mini-kingdom for the owner, with unobstructed privacy on three sides. A network of ranch roads provides access throughout the property, including most of the way up Lone Woman Mountain, giving views around every corner.

It's little wonder the ranch was a muse to so many country musicians. But only Strait can tell you whether his 1996 hit "King of the Mountain" was inspired by the ranch.

Photo courtesy of Republic Ranches

Lone Woman Ranch has ties to country music stars.

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