Today’s Tuesday Two Hundred takes us just north of White Rock Lake in Lakewood to 7325 Rutgers Drive. This fantastic East Dallas neighborhood is full of other handsome midcentury houses like this one, but few are priced as competitively: With a recent price reduction, it is now listed for $299,900, or $185 per square foot. Nearby comps have been averaging almost $200 per square foot.
Built in 1960 and recently updated, this brick house is a 3-2 with 1,617 square feet sitting on 0.178 acres with lovely, mature trees. Located within walking distance of the new playground and splash park at Ridgewood-Belcher Rec Center, this University Terrace property is in the Lakewood Elementary, Long Middle, and Woodrow Wilson High School zones. Nearby private schools include Zion Lutheran, St. Thomas Aquinas Elementary, and Dallas Academy. The neighborhood has a Fourth of July parade and a Halloween party for local kids. Needless to say, the area draws many families.
Inside, hardwoods run throughout and look gorgeous. It’s a comfortable floor plan, with two living areas and a dining area. In the front room, pictured above, and all the house, sizable windows and natural light are plentiful. The house is listed by Karen Estes at Dave Perry-Miller InTown.
The second living area, pictured above, has a wood-burning brick fireplace with gas starter.
The adjacent galley-style kitchen is long and skinny, typical for midcentury houses, but it still has quite a bit of cabinet space, and the current owner has added to that with a hutch. (For the renovation-minded buyer, I’ve seen owners in similar houses extend the kitchen into the breakfast area—where the hutch is now—and remove the wall dividing the kitchen from the living area, building instead a breakfast counter or island and creating an open-concept space.) The original character of the cabinets is still evident, but made modern with brushed silver drawer pulls, as well as fresh paint. The light colors and natural light make it feel bright and airy.
The kitchen has new stainless steel appliances, including a gas stovetop. Updates include granite countertops, new ceramic tile on the floor, and a ceramic tile backsplash.
Also included with the house is a washer and dryer, just off the kitchen, near a door that leads to the attached, two-car garage with built-in storage and a workbench.
The master bedroom measures 16-by-11 feet and has a custom closet system with pull-out shoe racks. The master bathroom is original to the house and on the small side, though, with little counter space, which is the only bummer about this property, in my opinion.
The other two bedrooms, measuring 12-by-11 and 15-by-11, share a three-piece hallway bathroom, pictured above. It’s been recently updated with granite countertops, fresh paint, a new toilet, and fixtures.
The modest backyard is landscaped, and includes the herb garden pictured above, a wood deck, and built-in sprinkler system. Recently completed foundation work has a lifetime guarantee, and there’s a new HVAC and attic fan. A new radiant barrier roof will reduce summer heat gain in the attic and keep cooling costs down, a major plus in Texas.
Because this house is tucked away in North Lakewood, there’s not any through-traffic, like in neighborhoods further south, and children playing in the front yards is a common sight. The University Terrace midcentury houses each have their own personality and charm, and this one’s “Cape Cod” feel, with the cobalt front door and shutters, and shingled gable, does not disappoint.
