‘True piece of paradise’: This eclectic Texas home on the market comes equipped with its own model train display, giant marble clock

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7 Cortez Ave, RANCHO VIEJO, TX 78575

Whatever the reason you’re here, whether you’re honest-to-goodness house hunting, you’re a bona fide train model train enthusiast, you’re searching for images to tack to your dream home vision board, or you just need something to gawk at to pass the time cooped up indoors, enjoy a virtual tour of this odd Texas home on the market.


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By the numbers: 7 Cortez Avenue, Rancho Viejo, TX 78575| $1,347,000 | 6,979 square feet | 8 bedrooms | 10 bathrooms | 1 massive model train display | 1 large marble clock


There’s nary a week that passes, when, in some corner of the Lone Star State, an abode best described as an “oddity” graces the market. Enter 7 Cortez Avenue, a perplexing South Texas property asking $1.35 million.

Described as a “true piece of paradise” offering “spectacular resaca views,” the 6,979-square-foot home boasts 10 bathrooms, eight bedrooms, a game room and an assemblage of rather eccentric amenities including a massive model train display, a large marble clock, and a miniature ski lift.

The home captured the attention and imagination of Zillow surfers and it was soon featured on popular Facebook page “Zillow Gone Wild,” an outlet where odd architecture enthusiasts share their wackiest internet finds.

“This home gets better and better as you go through the pics,” the poster wrote of the property.

Several people commented on the home’s somewhat eclectic interiors.

“Ok, who got drunk and sent their Sims house to their architect?” someone joked.

“How many decorators did they hire?” another commenter asked. “Was it a design battle and everyone lost? I am so confused by this house.”

Acknowledging the multitude of columns both inside and outside the home, one writer joked, “A few more columns and it would be perfect.”

RELATED: ‘A property unlike any other’: This Texas home on the market looks totally normal. It isn’t.

Another commenter noted that the home’s listing doesn’t mention any of its truly defining features and instead raves about the estate’s “outstanding” smart home thermostats, motorized blinds and in-ceiling surround system.

“Even the realtor, not wanting to even begin to try to describe this monstrosity as a whole, went with highlighting the truly great parts of this house. i.e. The nice thermostats and that “walkable attic with plywood flooring,” she wrote.

The home once belonged to the late Roberto Cantoral, a composer, singer and songwriter whose works include popular Spanish-language songs “El Triste”, “Al Final”, “La Barca” and “El Reloj, the Brownsville Herald reported. Cantoral had the large marble clock sculpture placed in his front yard to celebrate his biggest hit, “El Reloj,” which means “The Clock.”

The home sustained serious damage in a 2006 fire, the Brownsville Herald reported. Cantoral told the publication that the blaze destroyed most of his family’s belongings. The home required extensive renovations following the fire. Cantoral died August 7, 2010, at age 75.

The property is represented by listing agent Zaida Trevino. For more information on the listing, click here.

Not interested in relocating? You can still enjoy a tour through this interesting abode, courtesy of the internet.

Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to take a gander at this quirky Texas listing.

More:

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Not in a galaxy far, far away: Houston’s $4.3M ‘Darth Vader House’ is the eclectic estate you’re looking for

This Texas castle on the market has its own moat

Looking for more unique Texas properties? Go to our real estate page or subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, House 2 Home.


About the Author:

Briana Zamora-Nipper joined the KPRC 2 digital team in 2019. When she’s not hard at work in the KPRC 2 newsroom, you can find Bri drinking away her hard earned wages at JuiceLand, running around Hermann Park, listening to crime podcasts or ransacking the magazine stand at Barnes & Noble.