Homes like this 1926 Vickery Place Craftsman on Goodwin Avenue hold a special place in my heart. When I left college and arrived in Dallas looking for a job, I stayed with my best pal on Goodwin. That street cemented my impression of Dallas forever. It was filled with beautiful Craftsman and Tudor homes and friendly neighbors.
I’m happy to report nothing much has changed.
In 2008, Julie Abdinoor moved to this historic Vickery Place Craftsman. The location was great, and the neighbors were still friendly, but the deal-sealer was the cottage in the backyard. Abdinoor’s son had just left for college, and she thought it would be the perfect place for his return visits. Her partner had parents living in Europe that came for several weeks, twice a year, so having a guest cottage was a huge draw.
As I scrolled through the Dallas Morning News archives, I found that guest cottage has always been an attraction.
Over the decades, it’s been not only a guest cottage and a rental property but also a shop. In the 1940s, it was the home of Mr. J.M. Sherman, a home builder responsible for many of the homes in Vickery Place. He used the guest cottage for his shop, building kitchen cabinets, and repairing neighbors’ windows and doors until he was 95.
The archives indicate this Vickery Place Craftsman was always a social spot, and there were always guests or renters in the cottage.
So, it’s not surprising that Abdinoor continued that legacy.
“We’d sit on the front porch, and neighbors would stop by constantly,” she said. “It became a very social house. We’d even throw block parties.”
Abdinoor realized quickly her son was not leaving Paris to come home and that only having family guests a couple of times a year left a lovely guest cottage empty. It seemed a waste, so she looked into a company called Hostelworld. Remember, this was 2008. Short term rental companies like Airbnb were only in the incubator phase. Vrbo was around but geared toward high-end vacation properties. Hostelworld launched in 1999, and there were no hostels in Dallas so, it seemed like it was worth a shot.
“I had the most amazing people come to stay,” Abdinoor said. “It was an amazing experience.”
It was through a Hostelworld guest that she learned a new concept called Airbnb was launching. As a professional marketer, she was intrigued, listed her cottage, and has had nothing but great experiences.
“I wanted to be a host for several reasons. I didn’t want the back house sitting there, empty. I also wanted to provide a service for my neighbors and for people thinking of moving to Dallas,” she said. “Most of the people were either related to my neighbors or thinking of moving to Dallas. They wanted to try out the neighborhood. I had many business professionals and professors here for work, but so many people just wanted to experience Dallas like a native. That’s when I realized it was a necessary business and helped our neighborhood restaurants and stores. I put local menus in the guest house, suggested places to go on certain nights of the week. I had a lot of local information, and when anyone came in, I directed them to local businesses, and everyone appreciated it. So many people said staying at the guest house changed their perception of Dallas in a positive way.”
The cottage essentially allowed Abdinoor to continue the home’s social legacy because she invited neighbors to meet her guests.
“The neighbors have loved the fact I had a guest cottage their relatives could use. You have to care about your neighbors to be an Airbnb host and keep a firm eye on it,” she said. “I’ve never had a complaint. If one of them had complained, I’d have stopped hosting.”
Along with that social vibe, much of the home’s 1920s charm has been returned, along with excellent updates.
“My neighbors knew the original owners, and it turned out the present color is the original color,” Abdinoor said. “It was very dark when we purchased it, with olive, tan, and burgundy paint. One of the first things we did was paint it white and yellow without knowing those were the original colors!”
There have only been a handful of owners of this 1,849-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom historic Vickery Place Craftsman.
“It’s been a very loved house,” Abdinoor said. “It’s a great spot, surrounded by great neighbors, with a very happy vibe. I miss it a lot!”
If a Ph.D. had not come calling, Abdinoor would still be here. So, now you have a brilliant opportunity to live in a happy historic home with a great guest cottage you can monetize or turn into an art or music studio, or maybe you’ll start a shop like Mr. Sherman!
Peace Montgomery with Stellar Real Estate has this historic Vickery Place Craftsman at 5417 Goodwin Avenue listed for $549,000.
