According to Lee Arenberg, “Renovating a home is like building a character. You start with the foundation, work with the lines, then there’s the costume fitting. It’s the same with remodeling and staging.”
In his downtime from acting in mega-hits like Pirates of the Caribbean, Seinfeld, and Once Upon a Time, Arenberg parlays his movie dollars into selling imported rugs from Morocco and remodeling homes in top markets with his designer wife Katie, who was in Dallas in the early 2000s when the pair met. “She opened my eyes to the Dallas market,” he says.
The couple lived in the three-bedroom, two-bathroom craftsman at 5840 Belmont Avenue when Arenberg was filming Pirates of the Caribbean – it’s currently up for grabs with an ask of just $549,900. After the film wrapped, they entertained a few pirates in that huge backyard, as well as local Dallas friends and producers.
In my frank discussion with Arenberg, it’s clear he is no cushy, Hollywood diva. His voice sounds like Mike Moffitt from Seinfeld. It brings a smile to my face. Arenberg pours blood, sweat, and tears into the homes he purchases, working alongside his talented wife and brother-in-law, too, a successful contractor out of San Diego. The real twist is that his wife’s business partner is none other than acclaimed interior designer and HGTV host Tracy Hutson, who became a household name to millions of American’s from her 10-plus years on ABC’s hit series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. “We’re a traveling road show,” Arenberg jokes.
Kyle Baugh of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty just listed the gorgeous California-inspired modern and tells us, “The updates have transformed this Lower Greenville craftsman into a hip, light-filled charmer. The collaborative design by owner and actor Lee Arenberg and HGTV host Tracy Hutson has designer lighting, custom cabinets, floating shelves, floor-to-ceiling tile, white quartz, and butcher-block countertops. Ample windows throughout flood the home with natural light. Charming original touches include a claw-foot tub, original/operating windows, and 10-foot ceilings on a large, 200-foot lot.”
The result? California cool meets livable Craftsman charm, coupled by an effortless design aesthetic that screams “take my picture!”
“This is really an opportunity for a family to grow,” Arenberg says. “The lot is incredible. You can entertain in the huge backyard, maybe add a pool. Right now it’s completely turnkey with designs that will last you the next 5 to 7 years. For an investor, a little remodeling and putting a couple hundred thousand into it, could easily turn this into a $1.2 million dollar investment.”
Listing agent Baugh adds, “Everywhere you turn you feel you are looking at an Instagram home blogger page, Pinterest board, or Houzz picture. On top of that, it sits one-and-a-half blocks from Lower Greenville, giving it some of the best walkability in the city. Young professionals and empty nesters alike would fall in love with this home.”
Those in the market for a piece of the pirate’s bounty are advised to make strong offers now. Arenberg says “time is his greatest ally” but it won’t be for buyers looking to scoop up this renovated Dallas gem. Ready to stake your claim on this one-of-a-kind treasure? Kyle Baugh awaits your call at 214-980-3933.
