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

A rare opportunity for equestrian enthusiasts to sustain their passion within the Des Moines city limits is listed for sale at $1.8 million in the Southwestern Hills neighborhood.

Described by Realtor Sara Hopkins as the “best of both worlds,” the 2,405-square-foot home at 3110 Stanton Ave. in Des Moines sits a short commute from downtown and an even quicker drive to Des Moines International Airport while also creating a horse lover’s oasis on 3.6 acres of fenced property.

Renovations on the 1½-story home included work from the refinished clay tile roof and down to the brick foundation were completed in 2012. The ground-floor living room is now filled with light, and picture window views of the back yard acreage, so “you truly don't feel like you're in the city,” Hopkins said.

The kitchen includes stainless steel appliances and plenty of cabinets. The ground-floor layout also features a dining room with restored hardwood floors and a space currently used as a home office.

The house adds three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, a laundry area and a partially finished basement that has been adapted for enjoying games with the family.

Outside, the large footprint is ready to inspire gardeners to expand and cultivate the flower beds surrounding the outdoor patio.

The home’s prime attraction and unique selling point is the barn and stalls designed for four horses, combined with the large block of land for the animals to conduct their daily exercises, or graze under the watchful eye of the owners back in the main house. A white horse named Doc has been the barn’s most recent tenant.

Hopkins, who is familiar with the neighborhood, described the Southwestern Hills community as full of history and charm and one of the pockets of residential homes south of Racoon River that are frequently overlooked by house hunters.

“It's full of established people who have lived there for their whole lives. But then also we have a new generation of people moving in,” Hopkins said.

“With all that's happening with Water Works Park, Gray’s Lake and all of the developments, it's just a really, really cool area of town,” she added

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

Where: 3110 Stanton Ave., Des Moines

Asking price: $1.8 million

Year built: 1931

Square footage: 2,405 square feet

Lot size: 3.6 acres

Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com.