Get ready for the bargain of the century. The Grady Vaughn house at 5350 South Dentwood, nestled deep in the heart of Preston Hollow and right across the street from former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, started on the market at $6.9 million back in 2017. The home is on one of the most lush lots in Dallas — huge trees, a serene swimming pool that is ageless, even a private pond and rock creek. The home is a whopping 9,500 square feet built when square footage like that was a rarity.
This home is in an estate. It has only been occupied by two families, the Vaughn family that commissioned it to be designed and built, and the Allan Zidell family. In 1951, when Dallas was just beginning to embrace the midcentury modern design movement, oilman Grady Vaughn, Jr. commissioned architect Robert Goodwin of Goodwin & Cavitt to design his waterfront dream home in what we now know as the honeypot of Preston Hollow. This neighborhood commands the most expensive dirt prices in Texas, and the neighbors are a veritable Who’s Who. 5350 South Dentwood has been designated an endangered home by Preservation Dallas. The home has six bedrooms, seven and a half baths, several living areas on one of the most heavily treed lots in this majestic part of town. The acreage is unbelievable: 1.36 acres.
On February 20th, next month, this home will go to auction with a starting bid of $2.9 million!
Now before you let the wild horses run off, that does not mean the sellers will SELL the house for $2.9 million. There is an undisclosed reserve, a basic price they want, as does every Seller. But this is a court-ordered sale, and in the excitement and frenzy of an auction, anything is possible.
I want to remind you that this estate was once priced at $6.9 million!
Reduced to $5.5 million, 5350 South Dentwood was designed to serpentine throughout the lush property, meandering alongside the pond on the Straight Branch tributary, weaving through and around original trees. Buildings developed for their sites have an inherent connection, and you feel it intensely walking around the Vaughn House setting.
“The family has had their time to make peace with the house,” says Alan Press of United Real Estate, who is marketing the home for sale. “It was their family home and like any beloved space, they had to say their goodbyes. We are looking at all and every offer, even now pre-auction!”
The home has been meticulously maintained and was commercially built with timeless materials such as Terrazzo floors, roman brick exterior, solid maple studs, custom made moldings, and original brass hardware. The storage in the master bathroom alone is a sight to behold: only an oil or hedge fund baron’s spouse could fill the many drawers and cabinets. The design is reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright, but in many ways, even better.
Take a look, and take a breath. We will be writing about this home several times over the next few weeks. And we will have a Daltxrealestate.com StaffParty February 15, so you can see it for yourself!
