Family of Six Chooses to Sell 180-Acre Riverbend Ranch With Log Estate Through Auction

DUBUQUE, IA--(Marketwired - Aug 14, 2013) - The Riverbend Ranch, a six-bedroom Alpine log estate in Dubuque, Iowa will sell at a real estate auction on August 29 at an event conducted by J. P. King Auction Company. The ranch includes the home and 180 acres atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.

When Steve and Natalee Herrig began planning to build their Riverbend Ranch estate six years ago, Mrs. Herrig began keeping a binder, asking their four children what they wanted in a home.

"They wanted a family place that's cozy and warm and close to the rest of our family," she said. "When we moved in four years ago, we got that and so much more."

With six bedrooms, six bathrooms and four half bathrooms, the sizable estate was crafted with hand-carved woodwork throughout, Montana stone and views of either the river or the property's hills from most any room in the house. The Herrigs hired Alpine Log Homes out of Montana to bring in the logs and build the home from sustainably harvested logs, with special attention to detailed chinking and using whole logs.

"We built this as a legacy home," Mrs. Herrig said. "We've hosted Thanksgivings and Christmases and Easters here, with 40 or more people, and it was still comfortable and cozy."

The property's gourmet kitchen includes Durasupreme custom cabinetry, Sub Zero refrigerators, two dishwashers, a six-burner Wolf stove and an adjoining breakfast room. Attached to the kitchen is a climate controlled wine room and a walk-in pantry with a stainless sink and freezer.

"It's my favorite room in the house," Mrs. Herrig said of the kitchen. "There's a fireplace and in-floor heating, and it's where my daughters and I especially spent most of our time. All of our greatest conversations happened around that table."

The estate itself also includes a master suite with a private balcony and views of the Mississippi River along with a bathroom that features a waterfall modeled after one on the property. A game room, custom theater with a hand-carved bar, steam room, sauna and a mirrored exercise room, along with the home's sixth bedroom, are located downstairs. Radiant heat, a wired smart home system with audio controls reach throughout the home, and a diesel generator, along with a heated six-car garage and an upstairs apartment are just outside.

"The big bluffs on this property aren't really characteristic of Iowa," Mrs. Herrig said. "It's beautiful and hilly, and I find the winters here even more peaceful than the summer. We'll have people come over and say how beautiful the home is when they walk inside, but as soon as you see the views, you forget about the house. We built this as a complement to the natural beauty around it."

The 180 acres surrounding the home include a fully stocked pond with a dock providing access to the Mississippi River. While much of the acreage is natural wooded areas with hiking trails, 50 acres are dedicated to farmland that currently contains hay, soybean and wheat. A silo and two outbuildings provide storage space.

Located in the town of Dubuque, Iowa, the home's location was recently named by Forbes.com as the Best City to Raise a Family, and Herrig agrees that it's a tightly knit community with a family focus.

"This is a wonderful family place in a gorgeous setting. I hope somebody can enjoy it as much as we have," she said.

The auction will take place on Thursday, August 29 at 11 a.m. at the home, which is located at 23276 Kress Lane in Dubuque. Property tours are available by appointment only from August 20 to August 28. For additional information, individuals may contact J. P. King at 800.558.5464 or visit the company's website at www.jpking.com.

About J. P. King: J. P. King Auction Company specializes in high-value properties such as luxury homes, condominiums, land and ranches. The company has marketed properties in all 50 states and six countries with recent sales in Colorado, Wyoming, Georgia, Florida and Washington.