Home sales in North Texas broke a record last month, with more than 10,500 sold in June, shattering the previous record by 1,000 houses. East Dallas is faring particularly well, with sales up 10 percent from last year, according to the latest sales figures from the MetroTex Association of Realtors.
Today’s Tuesday Two Hundred takes us to a property East of White Rock Lake that helps us understand why homes in the area are selling in 22 days on average. (I’ll bet this one goes under contract even faster than that.)
The Old Lake Highlands midcentury at 703 Kirkwood Dr. is newly listed and sits on a heavily treed corner lot, walking distance from White Rock Lake. It’s a 3-2 with 1,632 square feet, built in 1955 and listed by Jan Chavoya at Ebby Halliday Realtors Frisco for $299,700. (The owners recently updated the electrical panel and security system, too.)
MetroTex reports that the average price now for an East Dallas house is $399,230 (a 19 percent increase over last year), so this is a find at under $300K. Let’s look at the updates and features that make this midcentury house a gem.
Old Lake Highlands was established in 1946 and now includes about 1,700 homes located within the triangular area bounded by Northwest Highway, Buckner Boulevard, and Lake Highlands Drive. It’s an established Dallas neighborhood with a strong sense of community and is almost completely surrounded by greenbelt, sitting atop some of the highest elevation in the city. The neighborhood also includes many parks along the creeks that feed into White Rock Lake.
This house is zoned for the highly rated Hexter Elementary School, scored a 9 out of 10 by GreatSchools.org.
The curb appeal is wonderful, with well-maintained landscaping, a large covered front porch with stone accents, and new wooden columns.
Inside, you’re greeted by beautiful hardwood floors that start in the entryway and extend throughout all of the house, except the kitchen and bathrooms. There’s also decorative crown molding and neutral paint throughout this space, and it’s move-in ready.
The front living room feels like such a pleasant area, with big windows and plantation shutters. The owners have staged this house perfectly to both look appealing (and uncluttered!) and show potential use of space.
The large kitchen just received lots of updates, and feels ready for some excellent dinner parties. Its features include newly refinished black cabinets, stainless steel appliances (with dual ovens), ceiling fan, smooth cooktop, Spanish tile floor, and ample counter and cabinet space. The breakfast bar with a seating area and contemporary pendant lighting is a lovely gathering place for friends and family.
One notable aspect of this house is its open floorplan: the kitchen, dining, and living rooms flow together, and are spacious enough to accommodate large furnishings.
The master suite offers a larger-then-expected closet and plantation shutters, with views of the backyard. The full bath has vintage charm with built-in cabinets and a large vanity.
The second and third bedrooms and painted Kelly green and slate blue. The green room has a private ensuite bathroom and the blue room, being used as an office, has custom built-ins.
Now to the backyard, a peaceful outdoor living area with lots of landscaping, a large shade tree, sprinkler system, wood-and-iron fence, and an open deck and patio area with built-in seating. There is also plenty of backyard grass for children and pets to play. The attached two-car garage offers a carport, as well.
East Dallas currently has a 1.8 month inventory of housing (three months inventory is considered a healthy market), according to MetroTex, so houses are flying off the market at an unprecedented rate. I bet this one will sell quickly with its curb appeal, amenities, and price.
