Luxury changes hands at auction

In the world of luxury homes, sometimes it’s hard to stand out, even in Kansas City. At the time of this writing there are 217 homes in the metro area for sale in Heartland Multiple Listing Service priced at $1 million or more. A brief read through of the descriptions reveals a lot of similarities. After all, there are only so many ways to describe a dream home.

With only about half that many homes selling above $1 million in a given year in the Kansas City area (also according to MLS), buyers of upper-end homes certainly have plenty to choose from. And they also have plenty of time. MLS reveals that the homes selling in this price range over the last three years were on the market for an average of nine months with many sitting for years before selling.

Against this backdrop, one spectacular home does manage to stand out, for a variety of reasons that come together to form a truly unique opportunity for qualified buyers, according to Chad Bender, business development specialist with Cates Auction & Realty Company.

“Like some of Kansas City’s finest homes, it sits on a golf course,” Bender said. “But in this case it’s a beautiful Tom Watson signature course and the home is perched high at the end of a private cul-de-sac overlooking uninterrupted views of manicured fairways and greens, forests and even a lake.”

The home’s architect, Scott Bickford, designed curved walls of windows, multiple porches, patios and outdoor living spaces to take full advantage of the unique setting.

Like other of the area’s grand residences, this home has custom finishes and unique touches throughout. However, Bender believes that in this case, it’s more accurate to think of the home as a gallery of integrated fine art. The full remodel, completed in 2010, re-imagined the interior to incorporate original hand-blown glass works and lighting by Dierk Van Keppell, forged metals by Zahner Fabrication, custom leaded glass by Stew Langer and signature lighting by Louis Poulsen.

Cates vice president Greg Duncan notes that the owners made the wise decision (and substantial investment) to ensure the same top-notch level of treatment is found throughout the entire home, not just in the primary rooms. As examples, he points to the jaw-dropping kitchen by Kleweno which is equally equipped and matched in style by the full butler’s kitchen, also by Kleweno.

Duncan noted parenthetically, “The full outdoor kitchen by Alfresco Open-Air Culinary Systems is a culinary adventure in its own right.”

According to Duncan, bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways, even the garage entrance are all visual treats of the finest materials and tasteful fine art embellishments.

Unwilling to settle for the easily attainable, the owners sought out rare “Dali’s Dream” Brazilian granite for the master bath counters, a folding glass door system by NanaWall that makes an entire wall of the sunroom disappear, and a stone Palazzo bathtub originated in Italy and imported from South Africa. They eschewed the typical home theater for a full professional theater experience including a dedicated kitchen and bathroom.

Bender summarized, “The result is a truly remarkable home that delights, and even surprises, at every turn.”

One more significant fact unequivocally sets this signature residence apart from all others in the region. It is to be sold to the highest acceptable bidder at public auction on Thursday, October 30 at 10 a.m. Having enjoyed the home but finding themselves spending increasingly more time at their country ranch, the owners decided to expedite the sale by contracting with North Kansas City-based Cates Auction & Realty Co. Inc.

Prior to conducting the auction, Cates is orchestrating an extensive customized accelerated auction marketing campaign to introduce buyers to this unique ownership opportunity.

The home is located at 6541 Ridge Road, Parkville, in The National, an upscale resort-style community with two 18-hole golf courses, three pools, fitness/wellness center, tennis, trails, a beautiful sailing/fishing lake, fine and casual dining, plus the signature clubhouse.

Cates Auction is hosting open house events at the home on Sunday afternoons, Oct. 19 and 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. Photo galleries, auction information and other resources are available at CatesAuction.com/RidgeRoad or by calling 816-781-1134.

This story was originally published October 17, 2014 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Luxury changes hands at auction."