Speaking of former sports stars and coaches, I failed to tell you that former Texas Legends coach and current scout for the Dallas Mavericks Eduardo Najera sold his Kings Gate villa on August 5 to a major Dallas-based Subway franchise owner, Jawed Saya, and his wife. Saya is CEO and President of G.I.S. Corporation. Eat fresh, buy for less: they paid $2,300,000 for the Plano estate.
The 10,850-square-foot Mediterranean mansion had been on the market for $2,499,000. They were represented by someone you will be hearing more of, Mathew Puthoor, an aggressive young Realtor with Dallas-based Rupani & Mathew Group.
“It was a one-of-a-kind property in Plano, and Mr. Najera had done a lot of upgrades to the home,” said Puthoor. “They looked on line for their dream home, and found this one. It worked — after 15 minutes in the home they said, this one is so different, let’s get it!”
They were especially pleased to buy the home for under $2.5, and convinced it would take at least $3.5 to re-create it. They also love being in the Toyota-Legacy Corridor (the couple currently lives in a Las Colinas gated community).
While Puthoor represented the home buyers, Ebby’s Cindy O’Gorman was the listing agent. Kind of heavy on the marble, Corinthian columns and faux finishes, but I am GAGA over that concrete fireplace in the family room and how the bar/wine cellar overlooks the dining room, one wall encased in glass!
The mansion sits on a hefty .8-acre lot in the exclusive Kings Gate subdivision. The home has 10,852 square feet, six bedrooms, two masters, seven baths and two half baths, a media room with theater lighting, study with a spiral staircase leading to an upper tier, a mammoth master bedroom with a fireplace and coffee bar, a fireplace in the master bath with center tub, a bonus room with a sauna, a wine cellar and guest quarters. Oh and of course, the resort-style pool in the big back yard with complete outdoor kitchen and room.
Finish-out was pretty snazzy, with ceilings tall enough for a basketball player. There are hand-scraped hardwoods, granite and tile, some carpet, and arches, arches everywhere.
If you like Subway sandwiches, you’ve probably eaten in a restaurant owned by the Sayas. They own a number of Subway-franchises throughout North Texas.
Najera, of course, spent 12 years in the NBA playing for five teams, including the Mavericks and the Houston Rockets. . Najera played for the Mavericks from 2000 to 2004, and then again in the 2009-10 season.
Apparently Najera is on the hunt for new digs, leasing a until he finds his next permanent home.
He is looking to downsize from his 10,000 square foot home to something slightly smaller, be it a downtown high rise or a home in Plano. Agents: let me know if he lands in one of YOUR listings!
