Dawn Ameling was sitting in her Illinois kitchen around six years ago when her daughter sent her a Facebook post about a castle-like home for sale.

"I assumed it was some $20 million estate in California," Dawn said. "Then I looked closer and thought, 'Oh my gosh, this thing is in Iowa!'"

After visiting the roughly 80-acre property, Dawn and her husband, John Ameling, fell in love with the grounds' stately feel and the home's architectural style, which they described as a blend of several European influences. It helped that the Toddville estate also had a 15-acre lake, a pond, a pool and miles of undeveloped woods.

In April 2020, the Amelings bought the five-bedroom house, built in 2001, for around $2.7 million. Now, after spending more than what they paid for on a yearslong renovation, the couple are listing the property back on the market for $10.2 million. If it sells near that sum, it would make it the most expensive home sale in Iowa, according to listing agent Holly Lovell of Lovell & Co. Real Luxury.

The Amelings are retired. Dawn, 66, worked in home-building, interior design and real estate, and John, 76, an entrepreneur in the trucking business. Though both Iowa natives, they didn't own property in the state at the time, but frequently visited family there-including the daughter who sent the listing, which turned out to be in the perfect location.

"It is an hour and 15 to Dubuque where my family is, an hour and 15 to his family up north, and an hour and 15 to my daughter in Muscatine," Dawn said. "We kind of considered it like a hub."

The facade is made of fossilized stone that the original owner found in Oklahoma, the Amelings said. Their home came with several of her other travel finds, including a marble mantel and a mahogany bar.

The pair spent around $400,000 updating the landscaping from a classic English estate style to an Italian villa look. They installed outdoor lighting around all four sides of the house.

The Amelings said they are selling the property because they want to buy closer to family in Dubuque.

Toddville is a small rural community just northeast of Cedar Rapids. The record price point reflects the size of the property along with its lake, pond and extensive home updates, Lovell said. The home-sale record in Iowa is currently held by a property in Spirit Lake that sold for $9.5 million in 2024, she said.