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.
---
"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.
---
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 Santa Barbara-style home has a resort-like backyard.
