Listing agent Juli Black of Allie Beth Allman and Associates can tell you everything about this home at 5330 Meadow Crest Drive in Inwood Road Estates. She has a comprehensive updates list that covers everything literally from floor to ceiling of this down-to-the-studs renovated home. But she’s also thought about this home and what makes it special — and it’s her critical thinking about this listing that makes it stand out beyond anything you can bullet point on a list.
Yes, she’s got the practical list of essential upgrades like a new roof, new windows, and new plumbing above and below ground. She can mention the new electrical system that’s been upgraded to 320 amp with two panels, the new insulation upgraded to R22 standards, and the new SEER 16 HVAC system with all-new ducting and two panels that’ll do battle with these 104-degree days. All those things that’ll appeal to the left-brained, analytical buyer for this five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath home with 4,183 square feet.
Then she’s got the fun, more right-brained bullet points, like the architecturally coved ceilings, the striking cedar ceiling beams, the designer lighting and plumbing fixtures, and the pristine quartz and marble countertops. She can point out the gorgeous new fireplace, new dry bar, and extensive new custom cabinetry throughout the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry that’ll justify many, many trips to the Container Store. This is the stuff that lights up the reward centers of your brain and gets you thinking of the possibilities for this two-story home that has dual masters and a backyard large enough to put a pool in. Right. this. minute.
“This home is full of upgrades galore that make it turnkey and move-in ready,” Black says. “That’s important for buyers.”
Juli is full of thoughtful information about this North Dallas home, and I think that’s what makes her such a good Realtor. So for the sake of incessant repetition in my writing here, I should quit saying “Juli pointed out…” Just assume she did.
The home is located on a deep-set lot in the middle of the block on Meadow Crest Drive, between the Dallas North Tollway and Inwood. No, you don’t hear the Tollway. Juli checked.
In fact, the only commuting you’ll hear is any friendly neighbor saying hello as they shuffle to Northaven Trail, a commuter and recreational trail that backs to this home. The trail system is popular with serious cyclists and novice weekend bike-riders alike, as well as runners, skaters and walkers. The new Northaven pedestrian bridge over 75 will soon connect Northaven to White Rock Creek Trail, a backbone for the city’s network of commuter trails including the Cottonwood Trail, the Sante Fe trail, and even a recent connection to the ever-popular Katy Trail.
As you step through the front door, you’ll be warmly welcomed by the inviting ambiance, featuring gleaming hardwood floors, fresh paint, and the naturally-lit interior. When the home was taken down to the studs for a renovation just a few years ago, they smartly kept a formal living and formal dining room for more intimate settings, and created an open floorplan great room for casual living.
The centerpiece of the home is the gorgeous kitchen with its center island with seating, two tones of custom cabinetry, and stainless steel Kitchen Aide appliances including a dual range, commercial hood vent, and a refrigerator that conveys to the next owner. A laundry room, a mud or craft room, and a bedroom that’ll flex to become an office or nursery round out the first floor.
“One of the secondary bedrooms is tucked away in an ideal location near the primary suite, away from other bedrooms and living areas, so it’s perfect for a gym, office, or nursery,” Black says. “This home has wonderful flexibility to create and designate spaces like these that work for you as a homeowner.”
Retreating to the downstairs primary suite, you’ll find plentiful space with beamed and coved ceilings that add a touch of sophistication, and the luxurious ensuite bath that offers a standalone shower, soaking tub, and ample custom closet space. The deep gray inset of color that contrasts the lighting fixtures and round mirrors on the bathroom wall is the designer cherry on top.
Rounding out the home, there’s another primary suite located on the other side of the home that offers a spa bath with an equally enviable closet space. Upstairs, there are two more bedrooms and a second living area or game room with plenty of storage space, too. The kiddos will love having their own space to hang out!
This home offers a prime location in the private school corridor — with Hockaday, Jesuit, St. Mark’s, Ursuline, and Episcopal School of Dallas all within 10 minutes. And Juli points out that ESD begins school in mid-August, so we’re in a 30-day window.
“You could be in this house — closed and moved in — before school starts,” she says thoughtfully.
After speaking to Juli about this home’s features and appeal for a while, she offers her final thoughts with a request to open a map.
“One of my favorite things about this home is its proximity to Inwood Parkway,” Juli says, asking if I see Inwood Parkway on the map. “Inwood Parkway runs parallel to Inwood Road but serves a distinct purpose as a special lane for the local residents. Residents have local street access to the neighborhood and it helps keep Inwood traffic from driving through.”
It’s clear that Juli has done her homework and asked the right questions to arrive at this very insider tip to have about the neighborhood. It’s not something you’d typically find on a bullet-pointed list of home amenities, but it should be.
