Remember that song from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Won’t you be, won’t you be, won’t you be my neighbor? Well go ahead, swoop up this place at 11323 East Ricks Circle and you WILL be my neighbor. Be forewarned: I will be knocking on your door 24/7 expecting champagne, wine, and fun. Because this house is like being at Summer Camp 24/7, 365 days of the year.
But it would be the classiest summer camp you have ever seen. If you want everything in your home all on one floor, shop no more. 11323 East Ricks Circle was built in 1963, and is thus a perfect specimen of (later) mid century design upgraded to 2014 standards.
Wait, you know, don’t you, that homes from the 60’s are very hot right now. Agents tell me they cannot keep them in inventory.
Oh and talk about the neighbors, why yes, let’s talk about the neighbors: Amy and Darren Kozelsky’s white, light and bright Lionel Morrison contemporary that was listed for $9.75 million. I kid you not. Plus the Kozelsky’s are some of the nicest peeps you could ever meet: Darren came up to me and said howdy at Celebrity Waiter last year, the one where I twerked with Ron Corning, and got in “trouble”. Elvis Andrus is just around the corner, in Diane and Darryl Johnston’s old place, and let’s see, who else?
And you know what my mom used to say: never buy the most expensive home on the block. Leave that to the neighbors RIGHT NEXT DOOR!
11323 East Ricks has been more than well cared for by the original family that built her, and subsequent buyers remodeled with a near bottomless budget: designer name-dropping kitchen, master bath with the most spacious custom his and her master closet I have seen, plus private patio. The renovations were done quite skillfully, retaining the original modernist lines and terrazzo floors. There are wood casement windows on the back face that take full advantage of the spacious property: 1.53 plus acres, on a corner. So you get a really solid, updated 5528 square foot, one-story delight with four bedrooms, four and a half baths, formals, family room and game room. A few steps down here and there for fun, but this is a house that will save your knees and house as many kids as you care to have and then a few more.
The entry gets you into the swinging 60’s immediately with vaulted ceilings, beautiful hardwoods and a direct sight-line to the grounds. Dining is on the left with views of the front landscaped yard. The main living area opens to a gourmet kitchen decked out with premium appliances including a 6-burner Wolf range and stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer. Breakfast room has views of the back yard (and kids in pool). Adjacent to the breakfast room is another large living area that can be used as a game room, den or media area. On this same side of the house is a guest suite with attached bath, a Downtown Abbey-sized butler’s pantry, utility room and access to the three garage bays. There is parking for two more cars in a carport.
You will entertain like a pro in this home: opposite of the kitchen is another large living space with sliding glass doors that lead to a spacious covered terrace. A full wet bar and powder bath complement the indoor and outdoor spaces. A hallway leads to three hefty bedrooms, all with en suite baths and walk-in closets.
Then the master suite begins! There is a sitting area that can be closed off, providing a wonderful office, retreat or even nursery. The master bedroom features a vaulted ceiling with three barrel rolls adding to the interest of the original architecture. A private, enclosed patio off the master offers another wonderful area to retreat. The master bath is to-die for: his and her vanities, an air bath, large shower with electronic rain and body sprays (Joan Crawford, just roll in your grave, baby) and custom his and her walk-in closets.
That’s the house. Now for the camp-like setting.
Golf? You’ve got a chipping green just like the one over at Lee Travino’s house, maybe better.
Pool? This one has a spa and water slide without the controversy!
Tennis? The home has your very own lighted regulation court, which is great because I want to take up tennis again and will be your frequent guest for this activity, too! Also, as I discovered in our old home at 5511 Park Lane, R.I.P., a regulation-sized court holds 25 Ducky Bob round tables easily with room for a band and dance floors! You will have every St. Mark’s Spirit party here, and there’s plenty of parking. Hec, I may even let you use my driveway. Speaking of St. Mark’s, this home is accessible to all the private schools, and is in the Hillcrest High School DISD district.
And GO FISH! There is a nearby pond where all the neighborhood kids go drop a pole come summer time. That’s the same pond where the DPD was fishing for a 1983 murder weapon in 2010.
Man cave! Clubhouse! Office! There is a spacious guest/club house not even within shouting distance of the house, with full pool access. Ladies, this means your man can freaking FALL ASLEEP out there if you play your cards right, get my drift? Personally, I’d ask them to throw the beer fridge in with the house. Keep that sucker!
To call this area Preston Hollow is a stretch, but then, show me a Realtor (or journalist!) who doesn’t stretch occasionally. The area is technically Hillcrest Estates, just east and slightly north of Preston Hollow, on a secured private cul de sac with fishing lakes. This is one of the best-kept secret neighborhoods in Dallas and I know it well. Homes fly off the shelves, and the one acre lots are being snapped up and covered with beautiful, stunning homes by builders such as Joe Kain, Tatum Brown/Mark Danuser, Mark Molthan Platinum Series Homes who built a home for the most darling young professional couple, Mickey Munir/Shariff Munir, and Susan Newell who built the ArtHouse that recently sold. Rumor has it some Google exec is on the street, so we do have great internet access. One acre lots, pure dirt mind you, are now fetching upwards of about $1.3 per acre. The neighborhood-run security patrol is one of the best in the city, if not THEE best. And it costs less than $1000 per year.
This home is listed at $2,395,000. It’s the only listing on Ricks currently, the only corner lot, and they are not making any more of this vast green stuff. There are three special areas in Dallas where you can get acreage: Old Preston Hollow, Bluffview, and Strait Lane. I include Mayflower Estates in with Preston Hollow. Then there’s Ricks Circle, where you are getting a great value and, I think, even more exclusivity a little off the beaten path. Everyone is always outside here, running, walking, bicycling. It’s Preston Hollow ambiance with a laid-back Lakewood attitude.
Listen with Dave Perry-Miller and Ryan Streiff for $2,395,000.
