Full disclosure — 3121 Westcliff Road has not been an easy sell. On and off the market for the last two years, it is now priced at nearly 20 percent below the average selling price for the desirable Bellaire Addition, which is minutes from TCU. Located in a quiet cul-de-sac, the home is loaded with 1930s-era charm and appealing late Art Deco style.
So what’s the catch?
The interior design scheme is, to be kind, idiosyncratic. I’m convinced the same considerations kept the house I now occupy on and off the market for a couple of years. I guess it’s the decorator in me that eagerly leaps at the hidden potential here, and this house is chock-full of possibilities.
In fact, the lion’s share of the issues in this 2,600-square-foot, four-bedroom, two-bath house such as the heavy wall texture and sangre de toro wall color are simply cosmetic fixes.
A step down from the entry gives the large living area added interest. Floors on the ground floor are of wood parquet or Saltillo tile. Many of the downstairs rooms, including the dining room, overlook a delightful enclosed courtyard. The paired dining room Hacienda/French doors are attractive and should be the standard to replace some of the contemporary accretions.
The kitchen is spacious and features ‘to the ceiling’ upper cabinets and modern steel appliances with a full-size gas range. A semi-circular eating nook with a built-in banquette is one of several unexpected and endearing features of the residence.
The master suite is on the ground floor. The bathroom sports a new floating double sink with easy to maintain, in wall faucets, a full shower stall and spa tub.
Also on the first floor is a study with a gas fireplace which could serve as a second living area or even an additional bedroom. The smaller second floor contains two additional bedrooms and a second bath. Modern buyers might balk at a mere two bathrooms, and a powder bath ought to be carved out of available space, but this house could quite comfortably accommodate a family of four.
The hidden gem of the property is the private, near-maintenance-free, walled courtyard with a pool cleverly scaled to the exterior space. There is a ground-floor utility room that formerly housed a one-car garage, which could easily be reconverted to its original use. Off the “to do” list is the roof, which was completely replaced in 2014.
So why am I so smitten with this house?
Practically speaking, location is the strongest point in its favor. It is in the low key, swank Colonial Hills neighborhood with access to the 10/10 rated Tanglewood Elementary school. It has got tons of curb appeal with a deep set back on a street lined with mature trees.
Aesthetically, it is of real architectural interest, built about the same time as Dallas’ Fair Park and Will Rogers Coliseum, in a now rather rare uniquely Texas idiom, truly worthy of preservation. The near-lot-value price makes the endeavor seem a sensible investment.
Randall Garrett of Randall Garrett Real Estate, LLC has priced 3121 Westcliff Road at $675,000.
