When you have a line down the driveway with more than people hoping to get a peek at a home, you know it must be a Ju-Nel.
For our California newcomers, Ju-Nel is our hometown version of Joseph Eichler. But Eichler built over 11,000 homes in Northern California, so the odds of actually owning one are a lot better than those of owning a Ju-Nel. There are only about 50 of these architecturally significant homes in East Dallas, and when they hit the market, they sell immediately, regardless of how hot the market is.
If you want one, you’d better have a Realtor pal that is always on the lookout for you and has insider information.
What is a Ju-Nel Home?
We are particularly fond of Ju-Nel homes at Daltxrealestate.com, and have written about them extensively.
To give you a quick primer, in case you have not read our previous Ju-Nel posts, Lyle Rowley and Jack Wilson were the design-build brains behind these Midcentury Modern homes.
The company was founded in 1958 and named after the gentlemen’s wives, June and Nelda. They were heavily influenced by their former employer, architect Howard Meyer and, of course, like most architects of the time, by Frank Lloyd Wright.
What really set them apart was their choice of lots. They preferred challenging topography. Give these gentlemen the side of a hill, a difficult creek lot, or one with a plethora of old-growth trees, and they were in their element.
“Because they always opted for the more challenging environment, their homes ended up having more interesting designs,” Coldwell Banker listing agent Ed Murchison said.
A Stellar Example
Murchison has completed four transactions on this Ju-Nel, so his knowledge of the home is unparalleled.
“The original elements have all been maintained through the years,” Murchison said. “I think one of the coolest features in this home is the sliding louvered screen that closes up the third bedroom. Today we see a lot of homes built with flex spaces. To have that feature in a house from 1964 was very forward-thinking. That room is currently set up as a lounge, but it could be a home office or an additional bedroom.”
Most Ju-Nel homes show a definite Asian influence, as those louvered doors indicate. Note also the exposed beams that echo a Japanese teahouse.
The kitchen was sympathetically updated with cabinetry to match the original Ju-Nel design, which is a testament to the fact owners of these homes put an incredible amount of thought into how and where they update and with what materials.
“The other thing to note is the principal bedroom is elevated, like a treehouse,” Murchison said. “So, you have great separation, which makes this house very effective for our present work-from-home environment.”
Drawing a Crowd
This Ju-Nel is an absolute Midcentury Modern gem with incredible outdoor living space. Murchison said he’d tried to space people out at 45-minute intervals last weekend, but it became impossible as the line was quite literally down the block.
“Potential buyers said that seeing this number of people on the property showed what it would be like to have a big party,” he said. “You can have a lot of people in the house and still have separation.”
This Ju-Nel at 11540 Rockcraft Street has 2,306 square feet, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. It was listed at $625,000 and received four offers immediately. After four days on the market, there is an active option contract.
If you slept on this one, get on Murchison’s radar so he can keep an eye out for your own Ju-Nel!
