Once upon a misty morning in Fort Worth, Texas, Gene DeBullet dreamed of building a castle — a place where pride for his heritage could shine.
Inspired by the grandeur of Buchanan Castle in Scotland, his ancestral home, DeBullet brought that vision to life on the shores of Eagle Mountain Lake by building "Facade Norde."
DeBullet, who died in January, left the castle to his children.
The 6,561-square-foot home with four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms sits on 3.5 acres. It is at 9888 Boat Club Road.
DeBullet’s daughter told Kristen Holle, one of the listing agents for the property with Keller Williams in Fort Worth, that building “Facade Norde was a dream that finally became a reality.”
“I was eight or nine when we were in Scotland looking for Buchanan Castle,” the daughter said in a text conversation with Kristen Holle. “I remember it being so foggy, just like you would see in a movie, driving through the countryside and unable to really see where you were going.”
She added that her father was very passionate about his family heritage.
“He was always more than excited to come across information, letters, history, heirlooms of both sides of his family,” she said.
Greg Holle, Kristen Holle’s husband and another listing agent for the estate, said there are a lot of elements to the property.
It’s kind of a storybook place, and everyone in the world wants to tour it, Greg Holle said. “Our priority right now is keeping it in its best possible condition.”
The home is on elevated ground, offering expansive, unobstructed views of the lake. The estate includes multiple structures: a main residence, an indoor pool, a carriage house, a guest house, and a boathouse that’s grandfathered in. People are no longer permitted to build directly on the lake.
The features are ‘grand and timeless’
One of the standout features is the entrance, which Kristen and Greg Holle described as “grand and timeless.” It features black-and-white checkered flooring and a red carpet on the stairs, which complements the overall theme of the castle.
Throughout the main house, there’s extensive woodwork and archways, along with high ceilings in the main living area, Greg Holle said. The lower level includes a four-car garage and a spiral staircase to the main floor, which houses the dining room, entryway, bar, kitchen and main living area — all with lake views.
The second level, accessible via two staircases or the elevator, offers three bedrooms, including the primary suite. Kristen Holle pointed out that the space features separate bathrooms.
The next floor features a flexible space that can serve as a bedroom or hangout area, complete with a pool table, a second bar, and a full bathroom. A spiral staircase leads up into the turret and out onto the roof, offering views of the lake and the surrounding area.
Kristen Holle said the estate, from concept to completion, took about 10 years, including three years of construction. It was completed by 1998.
“It's definitely been a little bit of a process,” Greg Holle said. “When you're dealing with a property of this magnitude, you want to make sure it presents itself in the right way.”
DeBullet had lived on Eagle Mountain Lake since 1974, and Kristen Holle said it was his favorite place on Earth.
His children have decided to sell the property because they don’t reside in Fort Worth.
“It’s a lot to maintain to keep it in its current state,” Greg Holle said.
There's a small buyer pool, but many possibilities
Greg Holle said people have responded well to the castle, though it seems to distract from the other elements of the estate.
“If you're showing up expecting to see the castle with the living quarters and the main area, you're missing a drastic piece considering you're sitting on three and a half acres,” Greg said.
Apart from the main castle, the property features various structures, including an indoor pool located on the upper level of the carriage house, which also provides space for vehicle storage.
The carriage house also has living quarters and an additional guest house is situated on the property, offering views of the lake.
Kristen and Greg Holle said the ideal buyer for this property may be people interested in making it their primary residence or turning it into an event venue.
“It really provides just an incredible amount of flexibility,” Greg Holle said.
He explained that the buyer pool is small for the castle due to the price and its uniqueness.
Family history makes the castle a home
Kristen Holle said it was the history of the DeBullet family that made this castle a home.
“Everything around there was heirlooms,” Kristen Holle said. “There were pictures of relatives way down the line and different things like that.”
DeBullet loved living on the lake, she said, and having the opportunity to build his dream home that paid homage to his family heritage made it a special place for him.