Live in a horse lover’s $1.8 million dream home in Southwestern Hills

A rare opportunity for horse lovers to continue to nurture their passion within the city limits of Des Moines. The property is listed for $1.8 million in the Southwestern Hills neighborhood.

Realtor Sara Hopkins described the 2,405-square-foot home at 3110 Stanton Ave. in Des Moines as “the best of both worlds.” It’s a short drive to downtown and even quicker to Des Moines International Airport. At the same time, it’s an oasis for horse lovers on 9.5 acres of fenced land.

Renovations to the 1½-story home, which included work from the resurfaced clay tile roof to the brick foundation, were completed in 2012. The main-floor living room is now filled with light and offers views of the backyard through a large picture window, so “you really don’t feel like you’re in the city,” Hopkins said.

This $1.8 million home in Des Moines' Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here's a look at the kitchen. — This $1.8 million home in Des Moines’ Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here’s a look at the kitchen.

The kitchen features stainless steel appliances and lots of cabinetry. The main floor layout also includes a dining room with restored hardwood floors and a space currently used as a home office.

This $1.8 million home in Des Moines' Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here's the living room. — This $1.8 million home in Des Moines’ Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here’s the living room.

The home features three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, a laundry room and a partially finished basement that has been adapted for family games.

Outside, the spacious layout inspires gardeners to expand and cultivate the flower beds around the terrace.

This $1.8 million home in Des Moines' Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here's the exterior of the horse barn. — This $1.8 million home in Des Moines’ Southwestern Hills neighborhood includes a barn and stables designed to house four horses. Here’s the exterior of the horse barn.

The main attraction and unique selling point of the house is the barn and stables designed for four horses, combined with the large piece of land where the animals can do their daily exercise or graze under the watchful eye of the owners in the main house. A white horse named Doc is the most recent tenant of the barn.

Hopkins, who knows the area well, described the Southwestern Hills neighborhood as full of history and charm. It is one of the neighborhoods south of Racoon River that is often overlooked by home hunters.

“It’s full of established people who have lived there their whole lives. But there’s also a new generation of people coming in,” Hopkins said.

“With everything that’s going on with Water Works Park, Gray’s Lake and all the development, it’s just a really, really cool area of the city,” she added

The home is listed for $1.8 million through Sara Hopkins of RE/MAX Precision Urban Office. Contact Hopkins at 515-710-6030 for more information and a private viewing.