After not mentioning the Claremont neighborhood for a while, we’re suddenly seeing gem after gem go on the market there. It’s one of my favorite residential areas in East Dallas, with Midcentury personality, mature trees, and memorable style.
The 1962 ranch-style house at 8526 Sweetwood Drive just came on the market Oct. 31 after an extensive renovation, and it’s got loads of charm packed into its 1,773 square feet. Marketed by Ben Fluno of Chris Arnold Premier Realty for $242,500 (it dropped $2,500 today), I’m actually surprised it’s still on the market. Take a look and I think you’ll agree.
There aren’t too many comps to back up the price, said Fluno, noting one other house on nearby El Cerrito Drive, also in the Claremont Park subdivision, which sold in October for a little more, but that property backs up to a creek. So he started the price a little high, and the $2,500 price drop today is the second reduction. This property on Sweetwood is 0.194 acres, near Ferguson Road and Lakeland Drive, next to Lakeland Hill Park.
As far as curb appeal goes, I adore the front porch’s tangerine door (which is also energy efficient/double paned) and cedar wood columns with modern metal house numbers. They turn what could be a ho-hum concrete slab into a space with architectural interest. The rest of the landscaping is minimalist and perfect for Texas—evergreen shrubs and other low-water plants, like sage, native grasses, and yucca. They look classic and don’t take attention away from that wonderful, textural gray brick.
Inside, original solid oak hardwoods sanded and stained a rich brown span the living room and three bedrooms, with new hardwoods blended to match in the den, breakfast area, and pantry. The renovation created an open-concept living plan for the house, which used to have a wall separating the living and den areas, making it dark. With that wall removed, the front rooms feel spacious.
The living room flows into the den, which has an original brick fireplace with a gas log (this could easily be converted back for any fireplace purists out there). Throughout the house, there is new recessed lighting and sleek hardware, as well as a new electrical panel and low-energy, double-hung windows that are easy to clean (and have a lifetime warranty).
The kitchen is the real showstopper: most homes of this era have small, closed off cooking areas. But the renovation created a huge space with Shaker-style cabinets in a warm gray-taupe, which is the current “it” color for kitchens, if my Pinterest feed is to be believed. So much counter, pantry, and cabinet space.
The counters are three-centimeter Santa Cecilia white granite, with flecks of color that match the cabinets and backsplash, three-by-nine-inch smooth marble tiles laid in a brick pattern.
The appliances are black and stainless steel, including the faucet, vent-a-hood, and a gas cooktop.
If the kitchen is the showstopper, the next best thing is the bathrooms. Both the hallway and master baths were taken down to the studs for a complete gut, including new plumbing. The hallway bath has 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles on the floor and bathtub wall, and a modern vanity with double vessel sinks and chrome fixtures. Although it’s not a large space, the renovation made the most of it by removing hanging lights and putting in recessed lights. In keeping with the “green” theme, the toilet is low-flow and dual flush.
The master bath didn’t have room for a double sink, but that’s the only mark against it I can find. The 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles on the floor and shower wall have marble accents in the soapbox, and the frameless glass shower, a high-end feature, gives a luxury spa feel. Again, it’s not huge, but the way they’ve renovated it makes the room feel big. As in the hallway bath, the toilet is low-flow and dual flush.
The three bedrooms have those original hardwoods and new ceiling fans, although the closets are a bit small (typical for a home of this era). The new windows let in ample light.
The backyard has a new, eight-foot cedar privacy fence, but other than that, it’s pretty much a blank slate. Buyers with a green thumb will appreciate the ability to make the space into their own: I think it needs a big patio, myself, and a garden. Look at those mature trees: lovely.
Fluno said they’ve had a couple of open houses with a potential buyer at each one, and lots of traffic overall, but no actual buyer yet. The market might be cooling a little since the red-hot summer days, but with a second price drop, this move-in-ready beauty in Claremont won’t last much longer.
