Can you feel it? There is a palpable, real estate shift going on.
The out-of-state buyers aren’t just arriving with a lot of money. They’re also bringing a different taste level and falling in love with our existing homes. This contemporary estate is indicative of what I’m seeing hit the market lately, and it’s a gem.
You know the original owners must have had an affection for Midcentury Modern design with that facade and the fabulous patterned driveway.
Our new buyer base, especially those from the West Coast, is looking for homes with a distinct character. Architect Michael Malone of MMD Architects designed this spectacular contemporary estate and I think it’s precisely what defines a hot home right now. Far more buyers now want an exciting house with character. Architectural significance is a big bonus.
Several years ago, we reached a point where it was becoming wiser and more economical to remodel a worthy home than to tear it down. Now that lumber costs off the charts, reinventing an existing home has become even more critical.
Malone did a full cosmetic remodel of this contemporary estate in 2017. His involvement is an essential factor in the success of this project, because who knows a home better than the original architect?
This contemporary estate was originally built in 2004 for Dot, Brandt, former wife of Gil Brandt. Let’s how deep your Dallas Dallas Cowboy knowledge runs.
If you’re a true fan, you’ll remember Brandt was the vice president of personnel for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988. Without him, the Cowboys would never have experienced the talents of Randy White, Tony Dorsett, and Ed “Too Tall” Jones. Brandt is the 22nd member of the Cowboy’s Ring of Honor. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Malone did some ingenious things with this 4,771-square-foot home, and keeping materials to a minimum is one of them.
“There are only a few elements to the house,” Compass Real Estate agent Tom Hughes said. “Malone used commercial-grade windows, Austin stone, drywall, and cement for the floors. It’s a consistent and cool look.”
While the vast majority of this two-bedroom, two-bath house is at ground level, there’s a beautiful room at the top of the house with four walls of windows, a balcony, and a powder bath. It also features leather floors, which are not only soft under your bare feet, they also act as a sound barrier to the first floor. Dot is a noted artist and this was originally designed as her art studio.
Lance Dickinson, the principal landscape architect of DDLA Design Landscape Architecture, transformed almost half an acre into a tranquil escape. The gardens were designed to offer a view from every one of those dramatic commercial-grade windows. That’s sod, not turf, and there’s substantial yard space perfect for your kiddo to practice lacrosse when they are not in that magnificent swimming pool. Montana basalt stones rise from the pool’s center, and you can imagine how complex an installation that was, but oh, so worth it!
Hughes has this striking contemporary estate at 9191 Manchester Drive listed for $2.795 million. I think this is an extraordinary find in any market, but especially in our present one.
