Remember when the word “spec” meant speculative? Not anymore, and certainly not in luxury construction. Today, smart builders who work closely with Realtors are putting an entirely new product on the market. Compass Realtor Gianna Cerullo’s latest listing with Pearl Developments is a great example of how the right Realtor can help a developer take a home from “speculative” to “spectacular.”
“All good builders need an agent to bounce ideas off of and advise them about what buyers want,” Cerullo said. No one would imagine this University Park luxury transitional was built as a spec home. It looks like a custom home, and that’s what we mean about changing the game.
Buyers Are Changing The Luxury Spec Home Game
As the Dallas luxury buyer base grew increasingly national over the last few years, expectations changed. It was a wake-up call for developers who had often followed the white box, neutral template. Sophisticated buyers were weary of those. They wanted to walk into a home that looked as if a notable interior designer had just walked out. They were seeking homes with thoughtful design, meticulous craftsmanship, custom detailing, designer tiles, and cutting-edge wallpapers.
“Spec homes have to look like someone lives here,” Cerullo said.
Cerullo has been working with and advising Pearl Developments since they began in Dallas. Their most recent project in University Park just hit the market, and it’s extraordinary. This luxurious home spans three floors with 6,838 square feet and has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a media room, a game room, and formals.
Luxury + Logic
Thoughtful design combines luxury and logic. A house must be beautiful, but each floor must also make sense for family living and entertaining. I’m thrilled to see a return to the primary suite, which is off the public floor and offers true privacy. There is a reason this design concept has worked for generations, and with a convenient coffee bar in this principal suite, there’s no reason to leave the second floor for your morning cuppa.
The children’s bedrooms are also on this floor, as well as a utility room. Having the advantage of a third floor to house the gym, media room, and fifth bedroom creates that added flexibility buyers want today and is also something you find in custom homes rather than spec homes.
A Landscape as Custom as The Home
The other big change you will find exemplified in this luxury transitional is the custom landscape. Most developers don’t bother, and that’s a hard pass for many luxury buyers. Not only is curb appeal essential but as I mentioned, buyer expectations far exceed what we’ve seen in the past. Marlin Landscape transformed the outdoor areas, creating an appealing drive-up and enhancing the covered patio and outdoor kitchen in the backyard.
This University Park luxury transitional offers a spectacular opportunity for sophisticated living and is setting the bar at an entirely new level for luxury construction.
Cerullo has 3220 Colgate Ave. listed for $6.925 million.
