Photo: Extreme Wow Suite, W Dallas Hotel Credit: W Hotels

I showed this CultureMap slideshow to a friend who lives in Seattle and she said (rather predictably):

“That’s in Dallas? That doesn’t look like Dallas at all!”

What is it with people having this internal stereotype of what looks “Dallas” and what doesn’t. Do these swanky and sexy rentals not have enough leather and cowhide for her taste? Seriously.

But I’m going to take it as a compliment, especially if I’m looking for an un-”Dallas” hotel to have a little staycation. Maybe the grandparents are taking the kids for a weekend. Maybe you’re too tired to drive or fly anywhere. Maybe you’ve come to realize that what you really want are fresh towels every day, an in-house masseuse, and a rooftop bar no matter the location.

Photo: Presidential Suite, Omni Hotel Dallas Credit: Omni Hotel

So save the dough you’d normally spend on your first-class ticket to Vail and head over to one of these outstanding hotels. Heck, if you like your stay, buy a sleek pied-à-terre at the Palomar, the Ritz, or even the W. And be sure to read Diana Oates’ full breakdown of what you get for the money on CultureMap.

Read more on Holly Kincaid, R.I.P….

Hey Candy, i was just wanting to know if you knew of any websites or books that are about Charles Dilbeck or have a list of the homes he designed. He is my favorite architect and i know he built a ton of houses in Dallas but i have also found homes in more random towns like Sherman, and Waxahachie. I would really appreciate the feedback because i have loved every single house that i have found that he built, because i want to see more of his amazing work. Thanks again.

The very best Dilbeck property, one of my tip-top faves in all of the world, is Paigebrook in Westlake. It is funny this house never seems to make the “most beautiful” lists of local shelter pubs because it is hidden in Westlake. PaigeBrooke is minutes from D/FW Airport and a brief jog from Westlake Academy. The rambling, half-timbered structure was designed by Charles Dilbeck in 1938, and is chock full of artisian handiwork and delightful surprises in almost every room — VERY Dilbeck,  who said each room in a home should have a surprise element. There are surprises, and Dallas history everywhere. The home was built originally for Ted Dealey, a publisher of the Dallas Morning News and member of a Dallas publishing family dynasty.

Dilbeck, of course, is the architect known for romantic Tudors and French country homes sprinkled in the Park Cities and a few in North Dallas: Harry Potter style before Harry was a Potter. His homes have a signature English farmhouse feel to them, and are built rambling, as if they have been added onto. Dilbeck, for example, always said that in authentic cottages you could always find the original log cabin that the home started from. (PaigeBrooke has one.) He also designed homes without hallways, so you have to go into one room to get to another, as if the house had been added on to randomly. It creates a very organic, cottage-y feel.

PaigeBrooke is classic Dilbeck, built with rustic brick, stone, tile and wood. There are those signature Dilbeck features such as rounded chimneys, overhanging balconies, cupolas and turrets — even a bell tower. Dilbeck was an eco-friendly architect before green was vogue. He favored salvaged and recycled materials. Hence, the pinkish stone throughout this house came from an old slaughterhouse in Fort Worth, and the handhewn beams were made from original Union Terminal timbers in Fort Worth.

You are correct: Dilbeck designed several country estates. PaigeBrooke’s owners, Scott and Kelly Bradley, remain close friends with his widow, Pat Dilbeck. She and her daughter Elaine Dilbeck MacIntire say Paigebrook is their favorite of Dilbeck’s houses, and it was his favorite, too. Let me get in touch with Kelly and Pat… Kelly Bradley tells me there is a Dilbeck class at SMU on

Well, I got to meet the people from Milieu last week as Houstonian Pamela Pierce and her entourage — Brooke Stuckey, Peter Vitale — descended upon Dallas and did up a party at Jan’s exquisite Greenway Parks home, that was as rich, bountiful and elegant as Pierce’s thickly-paged glossy shelter pub. (Or their five and a quarter by three inch thick business cards!) This event was notched right up there with my dear friend’s 50th birthday party in Kona, could have been one of her five pre-parties.

There were even cloth napkins.

Here’s the other refreshing thing about Milieu: the publisher is an interior designer, not a publisher/journalist with writers who don’t know the difference between Empire and Biedermeier.

Here’s what Pierce told the New York Times:

I wanted to bring a different perspective to editorial. And I wanted to search for designers who haven’t been published that much. It’s a little schizophrenic right now in the design world. It’s like people don’t know what direction to take. I love antiques and I think you need some in your home to bring the past in along with the future. I’m just seeing a lot of throwaway furniture in houses. I want to show people that you can mix the new with the old; you can still honor both.

The design world schizophrenic? How about bi-polar? I had the pleasure of traveling with one of Dallas’ finest interior designers a while back and we played truth or dare — laying bare our truest feelings on the design garbage that is sitting in so many places with a swelled ego.

Wish we could have played after three of those margaritas.

One of my favorite designers of all times, Dallas interior artist Dan Nelson, is featured in the white rose laden Winter 2014 edition, since he has been working on Jan’s home for the last 20 years.

Mileu cleverly has a digital edition that can be downloaded if you subscribe, which is all of $20 for the four stunning editions to get “Mileu’d”: the totality of surrounding conditions and circumstances affecting growth, development, ambiance, atmosphere, climate and what design is really all about: our environment, and our souls.

I was born here and grew up loving the classics — Keller’s Drive-In, the Dallas Arboretum, and DMA. My love for the area amplified as I started raising my own little family in East Dallas.

After studying Journalism and Child Development at Ouachita Baptist University, I began writing. My personal blog, The Junk Foodie, exposes the hidden gems of Dallas; the tucked away, amazing finds that make our city so unique. In 2008, I began producing restaurant reviews for Advocate Magazine because food is a passion of mine. From Barbec’s to Fearing’s Restaurant, I love it all.

I provided readers with a raw and honest approach to the quality of food and the experience surrounding it. The environment and décor in which food is presented greatly affects the experience. Take Acme in Highland Park for example. Their farmhouse industrial interior features lamps made of meat grinders, which makes it the best place to have chicken and dumplings in my opinion. In 2010, I created the website Know It All Housewives which is a small collection of SAHMs (stay at home moms, for those not in the business) with opinions on everything from SPANX to bubble making.

And now, after years of being food-obsessed, I have switched gears to real estate. My passion for historical homes landed me on Swiss Avenue. I am an avid estate sale shopper with interests in a home’s complete story, current and past residents, quirks, and decor. I religiously volunteer for the Swiss Avenue Home Tour, but spend most of my time chatting with the homeowners about paint colors and interior designers.

With two homes in Dallas and an East Texas lake house while in my 30s, I’d say I am real estate obsessed. Needless to say, after meeting Candace Evans and Jo England, I am ecstatic to be working with Candy’s Dirt sharing my “30-something’” perspective on real estate in the Big D.

Have tips on historic homes, estate sales, and home decor? Email me at candacetharp@hotmail.com.

I even buy my laundry detergent there.

Comes word from Mike Davis that Capital has won — yet again — ASID’s Best Appliances Award in the Designer’s Choice Awards. Details are forthcoming, but we are very excited… and also, kind of saying “we told you so!”

I’ve tried time and again to find tiny, cute apartments in Dallas. Let’s just say that our fair burg hasn’t jumped on the “living small” trend nearly as eagerly as Austin, where home prices and rents are sky high.

But young folks are finding a way to live close to downtown, and it’s tiny. Micro, even, according to this piece by KEYE TV Austin. It features an apartment renovated by Mary Lee, previously featured on Apartment Therapy. It’s a humble 300 square feet and is super stylish without being huge.

This is a fantastic example of a well-curated small living space that doesn’t feel small. There’s room to live, work, and even a bathtub. You really don’t sacrifice anything in this space, which has a gas range and a refrigerator, with tons of storage. The only thing the kitchen lacks is a dishwasher, but really, do you need  a dishwasher? You’ve got hands, right?

People who choose to live small ask themselves this question all the time. “Do I really need a dining table? Or does a breakfast bar work just fine?” “Do I really need a bed? Or will a cool futon or convertible couch do the job?”

Stay tuned for more features on living small in Dallas, including a tour of “A Bed Over My Head” blogger B.A. Norrgard’s tiny home on wheels!

(All photos: Mary Lee/Apartment Therapy)

If it appears that apartments are going up on every street corner in Dallas, well, they are. The Dallas-Fort Worth are is going to be the nation’s top apartment leasing market over the next three years, according to a new report by the folks at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Perhaps you, like me, see the cranes and scaffolding and think, gee we need them now but by the time they are completed…maybe there will be no more renters?

You see, as Steve Brown pointed out today,

“D-FW, Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix are ranked as the top net leasing markets for apartments through 2017, in the new report.”

It’s all about job growth, which spurs household growth, the guys at JLL told Steve. But they also said that this may be a shocker to the tech-heavy regions — that more jobs and people to lease all these units may be headed our way than to, say, the Bay area.

I was just in San Francisco this weekend, and have never seen such a dearth of apartment housing. Though construction is in progress, it will never keep up with demand. In Palo Alto, Stanford University owns mega land and housing. Young people are desperately looking for affordable apartments, but they are getting $3096 average rents in San Francisco, and a whopping $2128 in Santa Clara County, San Jose, the mecca of high-tech jobs with Google, Paypal, and hundreds of start-ups. Many kids live in group houses, or reverse-commute to San Francisco. Compare that to $862, the average rent for Dallas Fort Worth. But many higher-end and luxury apartments in Dallas are charging closer to the $2000 mark, and getting it!

Steve says about 25,000 apartments are under construction in North Texas – more than any other U.S. metropolitan area. We are a leader in job growth, like Houston and Austin. So I guess those cranes and scaffolds are here to stay.

In Steve’s report, he also said Jones Lang LaSalle has christened the D-FW area as one of the country’s top apartment investment markets: $5.6 billion in sales last year. Guess who saw more apartment sales volume than us: New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Guess that explains why the new CEO of Belks, Salem Boohaker, wants to lease in Uptown. That place is so hot if it had a river, I swear they’d find some landfill, fill it, and just keep on building.

This is a Robert Johnson Perry-design with warm interior colors, windows everywhere, and long corridors that draw the eye to the beautiful interior and exterior spaces he carved. A master of space utilization, made a 4,000-square-foot home seem like it is much larger, more airy. He was designing high ceilings before they were de rigeur. Thriving on his Asian influences, Perry created dozens of Dallas homes in the 1950′s and 1960′s, many of which have spawned a quest for wide overhanging eaves to block sun, wooden sunscreens and grids, and beautiful Mexican bricks inside and out. Designer extraordinaire Emily Summers lives in one of Perry’s most well known creations, Touchstone House at 3911 Shenandoah Street in Highland Park.

Now there is an opportunity to own a Robert Johnson Perry home suitable for as much distinction as Touchstone House. Or, perhaps, more!

It is 4316 Arcady, one of Highland Park’s most elegant streets, and listed for $2,999,999 — under three million dollars in the heart of Highland Park. This 1965-era Modernist has been sensitively updated, retaining Perry’s original design and not touching his structure. It is surrounded by mature Live Oaks and Japanese Maples framing a traditional ‘H’ home design.

You could say Tom Ford meets Donald Draper.

This home breathes quite comfortably on the lot!

Walk in through double doors made chic in the ’60′s, to a foyer and free-standing staircase that serves as a work of art. Your view is immediately drawn to the exterior courtyard garden, unless you are as sidetracked as I was by the exquisite gold wallpaper, original to the house (and in perfect condition).

Or the brass hardware — BTW brass is back, designer Barry Williams tells me, and bigtime. The flooring is solid brick. To one side is the living area, a study in white with more built-ins than I have seen in many a McMansion, some with hidden doors. There is what I call a “closet bar” — my mother had one, and I christened it such when she shut it off for visiting teetotalers. There is also an elevator to the second floor which was installed by the original owner, a prominent Dallas lawyer and arts supporter. I immediately noticed that every site-view from the home was perfection, no matter where I was standing.

The opposite wing is for dining, the laundry, family room and a powder bath with Sherle Wagner fixtures. There is a rear carport with space for quarters above. There is also a thoughtful port-cochere entrance to the kitchen so groceries may be dropped off.

Upstairs are four bedrooms, including a master with a bath that has undergone significant renovation with a huge shower. The white Caesarstone is everywhere. With two bedrooms on each wing, it would not take much to pull two bedrooms into one huge master unit — you would still have two guest rooms across the landing, with a large Jack and Jill bath in-between.

Up here, too, is storage galore — cedar closets, linen closets, and easy access to mechanics. To quote one of my favorite Dallas agents, this home is “built like a fortress!” — metal galvanized box ductwork, not flex.

Here’s the best news of all: Current owners, Clay and Brenda Cockerell, who live in the neighborhood, bought the home from the original owners to preserve it. They even have the original plans. Experts estimate that it would cost upwards of $300 to $350 per square foot to replace the home, given the solidness of the materials and structure.

“Actually, the structure is probably wood frame with brick veneer,” says architect, structural engineer and preservationist Frank Reedy.  ”The extensive glazing framing is probably not structural.  Also, the brick is probably not load bearing, but it could be, given the amount on the interior.”

Softly neutral Mexican brick is artfully woven into the home, from interior foyer walls to fireplace brick. The size is perfect for empty nesters, a couple or a family of two who don’t need two stairways, don’t mind a shared bathroom.

“I grew up in a one bathroom house,” says Brenda Cockerell, who owns a winery in Calistoga, Coquerel. Dan Berger, nationally syndicated wine writer and publisher of Dan Berger’s Vintage Experience, says of their wines: “I love them all!”.

“This house is wonderful in its own way,” says Brenda. “I think it’s a work of art coming into its own, much like our Coquerel.”

Here is what else Frank Reedy says about 4316 Arcady:

 ”The photos do not show how the exterior brick runs into the interior; and how the interior embraces the exterior, within the H plan front and back I believe this is the central theme of the house. In all of the communicating spaces, one is in the landscape. The landscape is not outside or surrounding the house, rather the house, while evoking enclosure, protection and warmth, is within the trees like a treehouse. The warmth and security are felt by the interior masonry, and this is technically well done in that the interior and exterior materials have not particularly weathered dramatically differently.

Robert Perry’s judicious detailing and specifications have endured quite well.

This is modernism without being stark and sharp; there are no acrobatics here and the architecture is subtle and understated, but profound.

Also, and rarely, this is a modern house that does not pronounce itself arms outstretched, grandiose to its neighborhood. Neither humble nor meek, it is a good neighbor and citizen. And it is a Texan, proudly independent and at the same time accepting of the eclectic.

It deserves to have been an hotel.”

It deserves a mortgage, too, and I’m sure the fine folks at Inwood Mortgage will be able to help… a bottle of  2012 Verdelho and 2012 “Terroir” Chardonnay might be nice at closing.

We just can’t build apartments fast enough in Dallas, it seems. Apparently Sarofim Realty Partners and Lincoln Property Company agree, as new plans reported by Steve Brown of the DMN include 165 luxury rental units for the mixed-use development at 4501 Cole.

Greater density in the area has left residents craving a real grocery store, and rumors swirled about Trader Joe’s moving in months ago before being confirmed in Brown’s story. The site, at Cole and Armstrong, has had plenty buzz as developers seek to turn Knox Street into the city’s premiere walkable shopping district.

And with these apartments added in the mix, and with rental demand projected to remain strong, we think this Womack + Hampton Architects development would be a tremendous asset to the area, which has several multi-family developments nearby, but none with a mix of ground-floor retail such as this.

Here’s a bit from Brown’s story:

“The Lincoln Knox apartments are a natural extension of this upscale, walk-able neighborhood and will offer outstanding amenities,” [contractor] Hill & Wilkinson’s Jay Graham said in a statement.

It does make me wonder what could be next for Knox. Of course, the area has been a magnet for high-end retail and exceptional boutiques such as Forty Five Ten, Design Within Reach, and Urban Flower/Grange Hall. It’s a short walk to the Katy Trail. Tons of trendy restaurants can be found nearby, too. But what about the landmarks? Could longtime businesses such as Wild About Harry’s and Highland Park Soda Fountain (nee Pharmacy) be pushed out as more dense developments go vertical?

What do you think?

Do not miss this house, especially if you are looking for a lock and leave, get-out-of-Dodge- type place that is effortless to maintain, in a secure, friendly neighborhood, and will turn you on every time you walk in the front door. Welcome to 5706 Overdowns, the Ugly Ducky who became a swan with the help of architect extraordinaire Jay Peskuski and Dallas designer David Cadwallader. Oh yes, the very clever real estate agent helped a whole lot, too: Kelly Logsdon Rush at Ebby.

5706 Overdowns was gutted, oh was she gutted, every bit of 4192 square feet re-designed, re-worked until perfect.

Once upon a time this was an unfortunate home neighbors shunned. More than one contractor suggested a total tear down. Built in 1980, I have no idea what they were smoking at the time this was created but then, Timothy Leary was still alive. Turn on, tune in, drop out! The home was clad in sallow beige brick and scarred wood siding, with one single dippy window in the front of the house that looked as if it was a San Quentin hangover. There was a chain link fence, multiple floor surfaces and a “sunken” living room (dear God, why did people make those? Sunken living room = sink hole), wood laminate counters (well, they were the cat’s meow in 1980) and my favorite: a Home Depot grade garden room with perpetually foggy glass windows. Oh, and then the enclosed swimming pool that brought back memories of being at the (sing it!) YMCA!

Months ago, a brilliant real estate investor with vision got hold of this house and said, ” I Have a Dream.” He must have been wearing Google Glasses. Whatever, we hope he keeps on wearing them! 5706 Overdowns is not just a new woman, she is re-engineered, she is ROBOCOP!

With fresh brick and solid wood, new doors, windows and glass, and completely new construction, this home has transformed into a soft contemporary marvel. The front entrance is defined by a custom wood grid screen that matches the coffee-chocolate dark wood kitchen cabinets. The giant living/great/dining room (almost 30 by 24) opens with natural European-style oiled hardwoods, lights, soaring ceilings and a marble-wrapped fireplace. Off this room are spiral stairs to a 16 by 12 loft with balcony, perfect for an office or secondary living area. The stunning kitchen with mammoth white Cesearstone island/breakfast bar commands the room. Stainless appliances and deep sink, Viking, and imported fixtures complete the sleekness.

Then there is the pool: four glass panel sheaths slide open to a sparkling blue indoor pool with waterfall, deck and “outdoor” shower. The pool is perfect, not Olympic,  and could easily be kept warm year-round for therapeutic dips. Moisture in this room will help shield you from the flu, but the house bears no scent of chlorine.

Down a simple hallway are two bedrooms with en suite baths and built-ins, a large laundry with sink and room for a secondary or wine fridge, closets, and the master bath.

Now we are talking: 24 by 13 feet, his and her’s baths (one has a soaking tub and sauna) huge closet and the best part of the house: the exterior back deck overlooking a thickly wooded creek.

It’s as if there is no one around you, but you are very much in the heart of Preston Hollow. Overdown is off Preston Road, in between Royal Lane and Walnut Hill, and there is a traffic light at the intersection to make left-hand turns less treacherous. The Dallas North Tollway entrance is about three minutes away around the corner.

Truly a lock and leave home for people who want to be close in, but still desire privacy. And that pool will be a cinch to keep clean — no leaves, no freeze.

The good folks at Inwood Mortgage will have no problem finding a mortgage to float you all you want for 15 years or 30. Asking $899,900. Go ahead. Take the plunge!

Cathy Browne is probably one of the most attentive, easy-to-talk-to Realtors you will ever meet. Of course, that’s because she feels communication, no matter what the deal or location, is super important. It’s no surprise then, to find that Browne, who once was a flight attendant for Delta, is one of the highest-performing Ebby Halliday Realtors in her Preston Plano Parkway office.

A top-notch marketer and an agent who knows how to find the best deals for her clients, Browne has a lot to be happy about, especially her numbers for 2013. We hope Browne has an equally amazing 2014, too! Find out more about this incredible Ebby Halliday agent who knows Allen and Collin County like no one else after the jump!

CandysDirt.com: Where are you from?

Cathy Browne: I grew up in Auburn, Ala. (War Eagle!) I moved to Dallas from Atlanta, where I was a flight attendant for Delta and traveled both domestically and internationally.

CD: How did you get into real estate?

Browne: Delta closed their base in D/FW Airport, and my mother (a broker in Hilton Head, S.C.) suggested I try real estate. There are a lot of similarities in that you are meeting and talking with different clients, builders, VIPs, and other agents all the time — good communication is the key. I loved it right away!

CD: You specialize in luxury sales in Allen and Collin County. Tell us: what are some unique challenges that Realtors face in this market?

Browne: Right now, the biggest challenge is finding inventory. I sold every listing I had in December, and am putting new listings on now. We have clients who can’t find a home, so some clients are choosing to build.

CD: Where is home for you in Dallas?

Browne: I live in West Allen. We really love the area–the schools, the homes, our neighbors, and the small town atmosphere. It’s also very convenient to get to Plano, Dallas or wherever we need to go.

CD: And you drive a….let me guess, Mercedes Benz?

Browne: I love my Lexus RX350. I usually have kids, dogs, signs, etc., in the car with me! There’s a joke about our parking lot at Ebby looking like a Lexus dealership!

CD: What was your best/highest sale?

Browne: $800,000, a gorgeous, designer’s home on 3 acres.

CD: Likewise, what was your most challenging or memorable transaction?

Browne: There was one that turned into a triple deal! After one of my sellers got a contract on their home, they went to dinner with friends and jokingly asked “Does anyone want to sell us their home?” and another couple raised their hand and said “We do!” We worked out a deal for them to buy their friend’s home, and then I had to go find that family another home in Allen quick. It was crazy!

CD: How quickly have you turned a house?

Browne: I have sold several to the first buyers who viewed them, and some before they went on MLS.

CD: How much did you sell last year?

Browne: I am always highly ranked in my Ebby Halliday office, and expect that 2014 will be another great year for me. Last year started out slow, but ended with a bang! I was named the #1 Top Individual for December!

CD: What words of wisdom do you often share with clients?

Browne: I ask them to come up with their “wish list,” tell them not to worry or stress out, and that I will be there with them through the whole process–all the way to closing. And even afterwards to provide vendor contacts and support!

ICD: f you ever change careers for an encore, you’ll …

Browne: I might become a writer and write a book! It will be called “So You Want to be a Realtor?” and I’ll put all the crazy stories and experiences I’ve had in there! When different things happen, my agent friend and I always look at each other and say “That is one for the book!”

CD: Do you have a second home? If so, where?

Browne: We own an ocean-view timeshare in Ko Olina, Hawaii, and we love going there as a family every year. It always reminds me of my wonderful Delta layover days!

After 22 months of growth, are Dallas home prices about to hit a plateau? Could be.

The Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price index showed a 10.2 percent year-over-year increase in Dallas home prices according to their most recent 20-city composite report. Dallas now ranks with 13 of the top 20 cities measured by Case-Shiller’s HPI with double digits. Nationally, the home price index is up 13.4 percent year-over-year.

But are we about to peak? Perhaps, as analysts with S&P say home price increases are slowing quite a bit. That break in momentum could be good news for buyers who are having a rough time find a home in Dallas with tight inventory and bidding wars around every corner. Case-Shiller’s HPI showed Dallas prices up only 0.2 percent from November to December, and a 0.1 percent increase from October to November.

“Only six cities – Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, Tampa and Washington – posted gains for the month of December,” the report stated. “Miami held its leadership position with an increase of 0.9% followed by Las Vegas at +0.4%. Atlanta, Detroit and Los Angeles remained relatively unchanged – Detroit remains the only city below its January 2000 level.”

According to Steve Brown’s DMN story, S&P’s David Blitzer thinks the rebound period of the housing recovery may be behind us:

“Gains are slowing from month-to-month and the strongest part of the recovery in home values may be over,” said S&P’s David Blitzer. “Recent economic reports suggest a bleaker picture for housing.

“Existing home sales fell 5.1 percent in January from December to the slowest pace in over a year,” Blitzer said. “Permits for new residential construction and housing starts were both down and below expectations.”

Still, Blitzer points out that the Case-Shiller index in 2013 had it’s largest gain since 2005.

And Dallas-area home prices have been up from the previous year for 22 straight months. Local home prices are up by more than 5 percent from where they were before the recession, according to Case-Shiller.

We’ll have to see what happens as the spring selling season hits, but steady prices and an uptick in inventory would be good news overall.

What’s your perspective? Will we see home prices continue to increase, or are we about to hit a plateau?

What a fantastic opportunity to live in one of the most coveted areas of Dallas! The Peninsula is an amazing neighborhood on the eastern shore of White Rock Lake, with splendid views of the lake and a small-town feel. It’s an amazing area with neighbors who care about maintaining the quality of life. There are some phenomenal homes here, too, whether brand new or restored.

But if you want to try your hand at living in this neighborhood before you commit to buy, this incredible traditional at 9520 W. Lake Highlands Drive is the way to go. It’s a beautiful three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home with unobstructed views of White Rock Lake from its expansive deck. It’s listed for rent from Dave Perry-Miller agent Janice G. Parson for $4,400 a month. That’s pretty reasonable, considering the only home on MLS in this exclusive neighborhood is priced at $1.1 million.

Inside you’ll find pristine interiors with a very beachy feel, including a dining area that opens to the living room. The 2,100-square-foot home sits on a huge lot, too, at 0.42 acres. There are two fireplaces, two living areas, a lovely little kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and tons of windows everywhere. For privacy, you’ve got window screens and plantation shutters — fantastic for when the late afternoon light feels as if it could singe your eyebrows! But when the sun is about to set, you can throw those windows open for the most incredible views.

The master suite is huge, clocking in at 25 x 18, and includes a sitting area that is currently used as an office. I love all of the windows that let in tons of light and great views of the sunsets you’ll enjoy from this vantage point of the lake. Very romantic.

And the master bath is updated, with new tile and granite counters. There’s tons of storage, too. Really, this is a unique house and a great place for any family coming to Dallas thanks to one of the many recent corporate relocations we’ve had recently, and wants to live right next to Dallas’ crown jewel.

What do you think?

CoreLogic’s newest HPI report released today showed that Texas real estate professionals have good reason to blame their busy days on the hot market. Home prices in Texas are at new highs (yes, higher than pre-bubble manic market highs!), with January 2014 up 10.1 percent over a year ago, and home prices up 1.2 percent from Dec. 2013 (numbers include distressed sales).

In the Dallas-Plano-Irving MSA, home prices are up 12.2 percent year-over-year including distressed sales, and up 10.4 percent excluding distressed sales. National numbers show home prices up 12 percent year over year for January. This is the 23rd consecutive month that home prices have increased, and Texas is one of only three states that has reached a new peak in home prices after the housing bust. And despite near-record appreciation, Nevada is still 40.1 percent below peak prices, CoreLogic’s report showed. Incredible.

“Polar vortices and a string of snow storms did not manage to weaken house price appreciation in January,” said CoreLogic chief economist Mark Fleming. “The last time January month-over-month and year-over-year price appreciation was this strong was at the height of the housing bubble in 2006.”

So, winter didn’t slow Dallas down, and we’re looking at a brisk spring selling season ahead. Still, real estate prices are a hyper-local economy, and while some areas are seeing hand-over-fist sales and appreciation (we’re looking at you, Lake Highlands and University Park) some areas will only see more modest gains. The key, of course, is pricing a home correctly and being flexible.

Where are you seeing break-neck appreciation and sales pace?

Here is yet another indicator of our hot, hot real estate market even in the double-million dollar price range. And it’s a good example of how our economy is feeding the real estate frenzy for the One Percent. The merger of U.S. Airways with American Airlines has brought a whole slew of high-end buyers to Dallas, and any agent with a home over about five million is polishing up their portfolio.

Remember this gorgeous spec home on Strait Lane, built by the wondrous Sharif-Munir Uncustomary Homes, almost 20,000 square feet in three stories on a one acre lot loaded with mature trees? It was built as a spec home to only set you back $12 million —well, just $11,750,000?

Well, one of the new executives from American Airline’s merger with U.S Airways, just snapped it up for his family.

“The property was on the market for 10 and a half months,” Mickey Munir, CEO of Sharif & Munir Custom Homes Inc., told the Dallas Business Journal. “We were hoping it would’ve sold sooner, but the investors were happy. This was the only brand new house of its size and caliber on the market.”

This home is spectacular, one of my all-time favorites. I think the kitchen is probably the best in Dallas and that granite cannot be duplicated nor found anywhere. The 14,429 square foot home has five bedrooms, seven full and four half baths, formals and more formals, a full basement loaded (to put it mildly) with a with a theater, fitness room, wet bar, wine cellar, den and exits to a sunken courtyard with a covered sitting area and a water feature that flows from the pool and spa above. Including the sunken covered verandas and garages, there’s a whopping 19,184 square feet under one roof. Every room is loaded with detailed hyper-vigilant quality from the construction to the trim, paint, baby’s butt-smooth wall finishes, flooring and granites which are some of the most rare in the world. This is a home for entertaining! The gourmet kitchen features a giant center island with a veggie sink, 8-burner range with pot filler and warming drawers.

Come to think of it, I think Mickey told me the kitchen granite may be one of a kind in the world! It’s from The Granite Shop, “Super White” on the perimeter, and “Matrix Brushed” on the island. And I am drooling over HER master bathroom and vanity with the giant soaking tub, walk-in shower, water closet (i.e. potty) with a bidet and a cavernous wardrobe with a center island packing table. Marble, marble everywhere! This is just the way Mickey and Michael Munir build homes. And I think this house is really their finest moment!

Like I said, this Strait Lane prize is definitely one of the largest homes in Dallas au currant, and was one of the priciest on the market. It was built for a major league star… who will feel right at home with all the other stars of Strait Lane:  Ross Perot, Dirk Nowitzki, Phil Romano (well, one of his homes) and Brint Ryan. I’m told the buyers, who are moving here from Phoenix, had their hearts set on another listing (one of Erin Mathews’) on Meadowood, but that last minute legal hiccup with the AAL-US Air merger kind of nixed that deal. Besides, they fell head over heels in love with THIS house.

Candace Carlisle at the Dallas Business Journal reports that the buyers paid $10.5 for the home. And you know what? She’s actually RIGHT!

Note: an earlier version of this post with the buyer’s name appeared on February 28, but was removed Saturday afternoon due to what were, in our opinion, a proliferance of mean and vicious comments. That’s not our style on CandysDirt. We decided to re-post and remove the owner’s names, though all information is public record. 

We wanted to get some boots-on-the-ground perspective from North Texas Realtors after Forbes named Fort Worth-Arlington and Dallas-Plano-Irving as the top two “best buy cities,” or areas in the U.S. where buying a home is a good investment. Forbes teamed up with Local Market Monitor to measure the “equilibrium home price,” which strips away several layers of market influence such as speculation and the cyclical boom-bust nature of housing.

Fort Worth-Arlington, Tex., and Dallas-Plano-Irving, Tex., top the list of our Best Buy Cities, at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Both cities offer homes that would be within reach for middle-class Americans, at $168,383 in Fort Worth-Arlington and $180,645 in greater Dallas. Prices in greater Fort Worth are considered 20% below their actual value, according to Local Market Monitor. Homes in the greater Dallas region are 12% down, so less off, but they are expected to rise more–29%–over the next three years.

For buyers who intend to rent out their homes, the populations in these cities are growing at a healthy clip: from 2009 to 2012, at 4.9% in Fort Worth and 6.1% in Dallas. At that rate, Dallas is tied for the fastest-growing city on the Best Buy Cities list. It’s ranked fifth in terms of job growth, at 3% as of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics stats.

While we do like our reports from Local Market Monitor, which give clear investment outlooks, our major sticking point with broad surveys such as this one is that real estate markets are hyper-local, meaning that West Plano could be having an outstanding year, with tons of price increases and new development, but on the other side of U.S. 75, growth may not be as great. The same holds true for neighborhoods such as Berkeley Place in Fort Worth, where some homes are reaching price peaks never seen before, while northern Fort Worth suburbs may be struggling to break even.

Still, Realtors remain optimistic, pointing to growth across all price points and through many different developments. Condos are up, single-family homes are up, new homes are up, and investment buyers are out of control.

“The fact that Dallas, Plano, and Irving are named as the No. 2 metro area to buy a home for investment in the U.S. is no surprise at all,” says Vivo Realty founder David Maez, who is based in Plano. “Our job market is, and always has been one of the best in the nation. That together with low cost of living, a high percentage of renters, and good schools, it’s an investor’s dream.”

Maez specializes in the northern suburbs of Dallas, where you’ll see tons of single family homes for sale and for rent, in his area, Realtors are noticing tons of activity on MLS for buyers and for renters. Maez is currently working with many investors, both local and out-of-state, all of which are looking to capitalize on the North Texas market.

“In the field we are seeing no more than 10 to 15 days on the market for a good lease, sometimes leasing on the same day. Supplement to that, home prices are also very affordable — you can find an amazing home here for $160K to $200K,” Maez added. “So whether you’re looking to purchase your first home or are a first-time investor looking to pick-up a rental, this is an amazing market to do so.”

What a stellar 103rd birthday gift! Ebby Halliday Companies announced today that the new YW Women’s Center on Inwood Road between Maple and Denton Drive will be “Ebby’s Place,” named after none other than Dallas’ grand dame of real estate, Ebby Halliday herself.

“Ebby is just delighted that the YW has chosen to put her name on this building,” said Ebby Halliday Companies CEO Mary Frances Burleson said in a news release. “What an honor to know that this center will become a welcoming place where women can go to begin transformative changes that will make life better for them and their families.”

The $7.3 million center is scheduled to open this fall after an extensive renovation. Ebby’s Place will have programming and resources to help women to overcome obstacles and become self-sufficient. Empowering women will be the overall goal of the two-story, 50,000-square-foot facility, providing financial literacy, small business and entrepreneurship information, as well as education regarding childbirth, parenting, nutrition, and wellness.

The building is situated next to the Inwood Road DART Rail station in the Dallas Medical District, and serve the more than 286,000 women and girls battling poverty in Dallas County.

“The stats are heartbreaking,” said YW CEO Jennifer M. Ware. “Here in Dallas County one in three single-female-led households live below the federal poverty line. The mission of Ebby’s Place is to begin changing those stats by helping women to gain financial independence.”

Ebby turns 103 on Sunday, and we think this is the most amazing gift that will encourage thousands of Dallas women to beat the odds and inspire them to succeed!

Take a virtual tour of the sleek, beautiful building in the video below. You’ll adore the fantastic mural of vintage Ebby photos, a shout-out to one of the most amazing women Dallas has the privilege of calling one of its own.

Is it just me, or is the Vegas all-you-can-drink uber-debauched stag/bachelorette party gone passe? Maybe I’ve watched “The Hangover” one too many times (OK, I watched it once, which may be one too many), I think so. Or maybe it’s just because I’m officially in my 30s, but what this dear CandysDirt.com reader is describing sounds just perfect.

Our dear reader is looking for some out-of-the-way bachelor party accommodations for eight guys to get their relaxing weekend on. Requirements: near a lake or river, within about an hour or two of Dallas, and plenty of room to get rowdy.

This sounds like someone who would really love a weekend stay at Long Cove, which is a perfect second home haven for lake lovers and weekenders on Cedar Creek Lake.

Read the full plea for help after the jump!

I’m a writer in New York, early 30s, and planning a bachelor party for eight active, outgoing guys in the Dallas area, where I used to live.

The groom is well past the age of Vegas/Hangover-style antics and wants something more low-key. So, I’m looking for a nice house or cabin somewhere outside the city to plan a perfect weekend packed with core summer guy stuff — grilling, fishing, tubing, volleyball, you get the idea.

He’s having a destination wedding, so most of us have already invested quite a bit on his behalf. I could probably squeeze another $200 or so out of everyone—putting our budget around $1,600 to $2,000 for two nights, plus the inevitable extras like food, gas, etc. We’d probably be willing to drive 90 minutes, maybe 2 hours from downtown Dallas.

I’d like to find something truly special — a big, impressive, beautiful place with plenty of things to do on the property where eight guys could comfortably stretch out.

If there’s easy access to amenities like boat/jet ski rentals, golf, etc., even better. The more we can fit into two nights, the better.

Comment with suggestions, or if you have a rental offer, email candace@secondshelters.com!

It’s on the lips of just about every mom in my neighborhood: What will this home rule proposal mean for our failing neighborhood elementary? Will it mean we won’t have to spend an arm and a leg for private school, or uproot our family for the suburbs?

That’s exactly what’s happening right now, and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings wants to stanch the flow of Dallas’ middle class hemorrhage before the city bleeds out. His impassioned plea is one worth listening to.

“You’ve got to just speak the truth. The problem is that everybody is moving out of town. … This is the big elephant in the room,” Rawlings said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News editorial board this week.

We see it all the time when checking out listings in sought-after suburbs or in Dallas neighborhoods where parent groups have worked their tails off to reinvest in ailing campuses in areas where the housing stock is perfect for families but the schools … not so much. Good schools are a selling point. Underperforming schools act as a repellant. Add to the equation that homeowners are already funding these failing schools through property taxes, and the problem is even more galling. This is the major takeaway from Tod Robberson’s blog post:

[Rawlings] suggested that the dysfunctional school system was a major — if not the major — impediment to our city’s growth and development. It is a deterrent to middle class families considering a move here. Bad schools and school management drive down property values. It’s a civil rights issue.

“Economically, it’s a train wreck…,” he said. “It is broken, and we have got to admit that.”

The key point in his remarks was the breakdown over the past decade in taxpayer funding for DISD. We’ve spent $13.9 billion on public education in DISD. That breaks down to $3.5 million per college-ready student during that time period.

If this were a business, and those were the results based on that expenditure, Rawlings said, “Everybody should be fired who had anything to do with this.”

Now, if home rule does turn the district around, it won’t be an overnight fix. It will take years for Dallas ISD to become the kind of district that attracts middle-class families rather than sends them fleeing once their children reach school age, considering that these are the households who really can’t afford to pay for their child’s education through taxes and then again through private school tuition. It seems like a more logical solution than splitting the district up, which was proposed by East Dallas families through the White Rock ISD facebook page. The two strategies, based on what the commission comes up with, may not be mutually exclusive, though.

While home rule may not be a magic bullet, it has at least started a citywide conversation about the dire consequences of doing nothing.

What do you think? If Dallas ISD makes progress with changes on the district level, can the city turn it around, or is the damage already done?