Andrea Gonzaba Joins Clay Stapp and Blogs for Us About Apartment Rentals: Yep, She’s a Player
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Andrea Gonzaba. She is adorable. She also just joined Clay Stapp & Company who is, as you know, one of the hottest real estate brokers in town, and I don’t mean just because he’s cute. Clay brought the buyer to Champ d’Or at the March 30 auction, as you know, raising the most well-Botoxed brows in town. Andrea emailed me out of the blue in January asking for advice on starting her own blog and kick-starting her apartment leasing business:
I follow your CandysDirt blog. I am a real estate agent but I focus on apartment locating and residential leases. My background is in Marketing and I have been a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. I have been following your blog for years and it has inspired me to start “Adventures of Andrea Apartment Hunter” which I will launch this month. I would like to meet with you if you have the chance and get your feedback about some ideas I have and your input on apartment locating. Let me know if you are available next week for a coffee/tea.
We never met, who has time? But I said, go ahead and write a guest post about apartment leasing. So, she did. I really like this gal — she has spunk and a belly in her fire. There is no stopping her. And she’s obsessed with real estate, too. I got about 16 more emails from her asking if I had read her post. Each one made me love her more!
A week or so ago, Andrea called to tell me that she had joined up with Clay, heading up the leasing div, and I was delighted. Not at all surprised. But, I still had not read her post. So here, dang it, in celebration of Andrea’s new spot at the venerable Clay Stapp & Company, is a pretty decent post on “Dallas for Lease” by Andrea. Don’t fall in love with her work too much, because as much as I’d like to have her as a contributor, Andrea’s going to be way too busy leasing to blog, like most succesful agents.
Dallas for Lease: Giants on the Horizon
by Andrea Gonzaba
Monstrous tower cranes are the usual companions of these metal -framed giants currently inhabiting our Dallas landscape. (Translation: there’s a whole lot of apartment building going on.) Soon these structural exposed modular spaces will transform into brand new residential properties available for lease. (Our market might be overbuilt, whoops.)
1400 Hi Line Drive: This 23 story, 314-unit high-rise residential project is located at the corner of Hi Line Drive and the Stemmons frontage road, in the Design District. According to its developers, PMRG, it’s scheduled to open in mid-to-late 2012. Rogers O’Brien is the general contractor, Gromatzky Dupree & Associates is the architect, Faulkner Design Group is handling interiors, and Mesa Design Group is the landscape architect. It will have retail space available on the lower level. I am looking forward to the rooftop garden and pool which promises to have spectacular panoramic views of downtown, Uptown and Victory Park.
According to developer PM Realty Group’s CEO Rick Kirk, one neat thing about the project is the amenities deck.
“It’s nearly 1-acre on the 6th floor that will effectively be a living roof area, with a swimming pool, workout facility, fire pits and outdoor grills,” says Kirk, “and a common area that we call a great room off the pool deck.”
About 60 percent of the units are one-bedroom and one-bedroom dens, and 40 percent are two-bedrooms. They’ll average about 1,000 square feet, but range in size from 600 square feet to nearly 1,700 square feet.
“Our demographic is somewhat across the board. The target is the 30- to 50-year-old professional who either works in the area or just wants to live in the area and cross-commute,” says Kirk.
With accessibility to downtown, Uptown, the Medical District, and DART public transportation why would you look any further? Located between the Design District and the Katy Trail the area is pedestrian friendly and offers much to visit with all of the galleries. designer stores and restaurants such as Meddlesome Moth and Oak nearby.
Gables Fairmont: Developed by Gables Residential, this up and coming apartment community will mix contemporary and traditional esthetics. The eight-story, 500 unit community located at 2525 Carlisle will include 3 apartment buildings. According to its developers, the center section will be like an old New Orleans hotel with shutters on the windows, while some will be a little more contemporary.
“The design will look like three different hotels,” said Gables senior vice president Doug Chesnut. “We wanted it to look like a neighborhood of buildings not constructed all at once.” Architecture firm Looney Ricks Kiss of Memphis, Tenn., designed the project.
Scheduled to open in early 2013, future residents will enjoy the of living in Uptown and having accessibility of the Katy-Trail, Turtle Creek, retail stores located on the ground floor and walking to local art galleries. Prices of these high-end units will be comparable to its sister property Gables Villa Rosa, which is located on 2650 Cedar Springs Rd.
Cityville at City Place: Formerly Lowes City Place Theaters will be opening January 2013. Located NE corner of Haskell & 75. This 5 story contemporary residential property promises to offer 356 residential units and 106,000 square feet of retail space which will include LA Fitness and Kroger. Priced at $30/$35 per square feet it will have all the expected amenities of a luxury rental such as stained concrete floors, granite countertops, washer and dryer connections, spacious patios and a Zen Garden and outdoor fireplace. Since it is in the process of being, built we will keep you informed on new information as it becomes available.
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One quick question – what is her blog address – I NEED to read more 🙂
One quick question – what is her blog address – I NEED to read more 🙂
I know we really want more leasing info since we are becoming a renters' nation. Just send them to me at [email protected] and I'll shoot them her way…
I know we really want more leasing info since we are becoming a renters' nation. Just send them to me at [email protected] and I'll shoot them her way…
Very cool, and a nice addition to Candy's Dirt. Hello Andrea. Welcome.
Very cool, and a nice addition to Candy's Dirt. Hello Andrea. Welcome.
Don’t forget to mention that she is working with the Gharbieh and Associates Group- at Clay Stapp+Co!
Don’t forget to mention that she is working with the Gharbieh and Associates Group- at Clay Stapp+Co!
Have watched the Gables Fairmont grow out of the ground literally during this past winter. Will be curious to see the facade when it starts taking shape. Oh, and the picture in the article is the interior of the phase I building of Gables Villa Rosa. I should know; our corporate apartments have been in both phases for 5 years.
Have watched the Gables Fairmont grow out of the ground literally during this past winter. Will be curious to see the facade when it starts taking shape. Oh, and the picture in the article is the interior of the phase I building of Gables Villa Rosa. I should know; our corporate apartments have been in both phases for 5 years.
@Cheryl yes it is, thank you. Do you think they will have any similarities?
@Cheryl yes it is, thank you. Do you think they will have any similarities?
Candy, if the rents are going to be similar then I would risk the assumption that the amenities, fixtures and finishes are going to be very similar. I will say that Gables Villa Rosa is about the nicest apartment complex that I've ever stayed at or my husband for that matter (and believe me, I've lived in some dumps). First thing you notice upon walking into a unit is the Brazilian hardwood floors in the kitchen, dining and living rooms. There are high ceilings no matter what floor you are on that rival our home (we have 10' ceilings in our home). You'll find granite counters in the kitchen and bathrooms, and these are granite slabs, not granite tiles. Tall cabinets that are almost exactly like mine, stainless steel sink with a pull out brushed nickel faucet. Brushed nickel faucets are also found in the bathrooms. Ceramic tile in the bathrooms and carpet in the bedrooms and closets. This past year we had someone next door that would play his stereo at a fairly high volume. Our kid's bedroom shared a wall with him and I recall one time returning to our 2 bd flat and hearing the music in the hallway. It was late and didn't look forward to needing to call courtesy patrol to make a visit; however, upon entering our unit and walking into our kid's room, the sound wasn't nearly as loud. Except for these occasions and sometimes hearing someone in heels walking on the hardwood floors, these were fairly quiet apts. One of the biggest pluses with GVR has been the staff and maintenance crews. Everything is usually top notch there from the hallway floors being vacuumed twice a week (all 7 floors in both buildings), lights replaced, and even making sure the elevators didn't have any offending odors. Also, any issue I had inside the apt was dealt with quickly. They may charge a pretty penny to live there, but the money, in my opinion, would be well worth it, even if we were the ones paying for it. 😉
Sorry about the long paragraph. Next time I'll use that little "Return" key more often.
Candy, if the rents are going to be similar then I would risk the assumption that the amenities, fixtures and finishes are going to be very similar. I will say that Gables Villa Rosa is about the nicest apartment complex that I've ever stayed at or my husband for that matter (and believe me, I've lived in some dumps). First thing you notice upon walking into a unit is the Brazilian hardwood floors in the kitchen, dining and living rooms. There are high ceilings no matter what floor you are on that rival our home (we have 10' ceilings in our home). You'll find granite counters in the kitchen and bathrooms, and these are granite slabs, not granite tiles. Tall cabinets that are almost exactly like mine, stainless steel sink with a pull out brushed nickel faucet. Brushed nickel faucets are also found in the bathrooms. Ceramic tile in the bathrooms and carpet in the bedrooms and closets. This past year we had someone next door that would play his stereo at a fairly high volume. Our kid's bedroom shared a wall with him and I recall one time returning to our 2 bd flat and hearing the music in the hallway. It was late and didn't look forward to needing to call courtesy patrol to make a visit; however, upon entering our unit and walking into our kid's room, the sound wasn't nearly as loud. Except for these occasions and sometimes hearing someone in heels walking on the hardwood floors, these were fairly quiet apts. One of the biggest pluses with GVR has been the staff and maintenance crews. Everything is usually top notch there from the hallway floors being vacuumed twice a week (all 7 floors in both buildings), lights replaced, and even making sure the elevators didn't have any offending odors. Also, any issue I had inside the apt was dealt with quickly. They may charge a pretty penny to live there, but the money, in my opinion, would be well worth it, even if we were the ones paying for it. 😉
Sorry about the long paragraph. Next time I'll use that little "Return" key more often.
Good grief, can't believe I forgot the most important part, the kitchen bling. Stainless steel Whirlpool appliances including a built-in microwave, a dishwasher with a delay start button, a smooth surface stove and oven and a huge (for apartment standards) side-by-side refrigerator/freezer with an ice maker and water and ice dispenser in the door.
Good grief, can't believe I forgot the most important part, the kitchen bling. Stainless steel Whirlpool appliances including a built-in microwave, a dishwasher with a delay start button, a smooth surface stove and oven and a huge (for apartment standards) side-by-side refrigerator/freezer with an ice maker and water and ice dispenser in the door.