I was on my way to drop my son off at preschool when all the sudden I saw Kevin Caskey’s face at Mockingbird and Abrams. His kiosk ad, a slick, minimalist magazine cover is one of several Dallas City Center’s top agents are rolling out. After seeing the kiosk ad, it reminded me that I needed to check in with him about what listings DCC has in the wings.
As it turns out, I did exactly what Caskey’s ad was supposed to make me do.
“When you’re driving by, it has to capture your attention. What we want to do is use the kiosk ads as a way of, not necessarily building a brand, but to stay top-of-mind,” Caskey said.
When I called Caskey today we had a great chat about advertising, their fabulous new agents, and this L-Streets charmer at 10030 Lanshire that is as rare as a unicorn these days.
“It’s been a hot property because there’s nothing in this price range in Lake Highlands,” Caskey said. “Under $300,000 is so hard to find in this area. It’s unheard of!”
So no wonder this cutie, only on the market for 11 days, is already under option contract. It’s one of Caskey’s own listings, and the three-bedroom, two-bath 1960 traditional has more than 1,500 square feet and a fantastic location near Ferndale, just east of Audelia. It’s inside the Lake Highlands Elementary attendance area, and has expansive lawns, fresh paint, and a fantastic kitchen. It’s priced at $255,000 — a complete steal for this neighborhood!
My favorite thing about this home is the master bathroom, which has the original two-tone tile in a wonderful green and white color scheme! With the wall-mounted sink and the cute medicine cabinet, it gives this otherwise updated home a little retro love. Caskey was also thrilled that the sellers hadn’t touched the bathroom, putting in the same-old travertine and frameless glass you see everywhere else. This gives the home some definite charm!
Now Caskey, who oversees a huge pool of agents at Dallas City Center, said that when it comes to marketing properties like this, it’s not at all uncommon for potential buyers to call or email him directly, as word spreads fast through social media. Caskey says he posts every property on Facebook and other networks, which definitely builds interest.
“A lot of people, a lot of buyers, are calling me about a property and they already have an agent,” Caskey said. “They find the property before their agent does sometimes.”
Of course, they wouldn’t get near the amount of interest without great photos, Caskey said. It’s crucial to stage properties and get a professional photographer, which can help show off the flow of a home, and provide more visual interest than washed-out snaps with too much flash.
For example, one of Caskey’s listings had been on the market with a different agent for more than 60 days. The previous agent, who was more of the traditional sort, had brought in some fluffy pillows and taken photos without a professional camera.
“They finally got an offer after I came in and pulled some stuff out and arranged things,” Caskey said. It’s that kind of attention to detail and perspective that makes a real estate agent valuable, even in a hot market like ours.
It’s what gets offers in 11 days, as opposed to two months. That, and two perfectly placed Adirondack chairs in a perfect backyard.
