An English manor-style home and red horse barn set on more than five acres in unincorporated Naperville fetched $1.4 million at a recent auction.
Sandra and William Barclay opted to sell their 7S460 Donwood Drive West estate with the assistance of Interluxe Auctions in cooperation with Heather Bejda of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices instead of going the traditional route of putting the house on the market and waiting for offers.
The auction starting price was $750,000. Bidders were required put down a $40,000 credit card hold or wire transfer to show their legitimate interest in the buying property, money that was returned if their bid did not win.
When it was on the market previously, the asking price for the house, barn and land had been $2.5 million.
The retired couple moved to Florida so they could spend more time riding and showing their horses.
Stacy Kirk, director of client development with Interluxe, said the closing is scheduled within 30 days and the buyer is eager to to do some updating and remodeling “to make the house a home for him and his family.”
The buyer identity was not disclosed.
After a weekend of open houses so potential buyers could view the property, bidding started June 5 and took a little more than a week to complete.
Prior to the sale, Sandra Barclay said she and her husband liked the idea of an auction because the process brought their unique property to the attention of a wide group of potential buyers at once and it meant there was a fixed time table for the sale.
The 6,294-square-foot house features three bedrooms and three full and two half baths.
The red barn custom-built by Barn Pros has concrete floors, a center loft, European stall fronts, rubberized pavers, a wash rack and a tack room.
