Saturday Six Hundred:106 Degree Plus Days Got You Down? How Does $250 Bucks Sound for Monthly Utilities –MAX?

Not only is this house adorable, well-built, well-located, thoughtfully planned, brand spanking new and close to everything, it’s also the cheapest home you will ever find in Dallas, Texas when it comes to utility costs. Even when it’s 106 degrees. Built by JLD Custom Homes, it’s one of only two local homes whose builders have received the 2011 Oncor Excellence in energy performance award for energy-efficient home building that keeps down costs as well as meets EPA guidelines — a real challenge.

Here’s another challenge: the builder of the home, Jeff Dworkin, says he is so confident about the home’s energy-efficient construction he is GUARANTEEING that the buyer’s utility bills will never exceed $250 per month, that’s for both gas and electric, keeping the house at a reasonable temp like 74 to 75 degrees inside. He will do this for a full year. (Right now, the house is empty, utilities are running about $100 a month.) $250 a month for a house this size, 3448 square feet, is worth some buzz.

Especially if it’s on the market for $649,995!

Check out 6911 Gaston Avenue. This home is centrally located and minutes from everything. You want walkable? Even when it’s 104 degrees you’ll have shade here from these things called trees — walkable to the Lakewood Country Club, less than one mile to Lakewood Center and the new Trader Joes, less than a mile to the lake, ten minutes by car to LBJ.

The house is on a rare, unique one-third acre lot set back quite far from Gaston, with a two-car garage entrance from Shook Road, behind the home and your gateway to Lakewood fun. In fact, this unique configuration makes 6911 Gaston far more private and secluded because you truly see no neighbors or anyone from the back — just trees!

Inside, you have 3400 delicious, well-planned square feet featuring a master and potential extra bedroom downstairs. Yes, you heard me right: possibly two bedrooms down, two bedrooms and a game room upstairs. The builder thought out of the box, for once, and created a versatile living room/study/extra bedroom to the right of the foyer with discrete (but spacious) closets and access to the first floor powder room, which also has a shower. Will someone tell me why more builders don’t think out of the proverbial box? I have begged for years to pop a hidden shower somewhere in my downstairs powder rooms. The entire first floor is covered in  hand-scraped hardwoods. There’s a nice dining room, and a laundry/mud room.

Kitchen of your dreams — check. Oh yes pot and pan drawers, KitchenAid Pro Series, granite top of the line, you name it. The builder also added in more handy-dandy cabinet space, a whole wall of it. The laundry/mud rooms feature a granite counter and a writing desk — for those of us who still attend school or keep track of the kiddos, with style.

The master — sumptuous: great views of the backyard which has enough square footage for at least one pool and a small water park. The master bath is huge, has a jetted tub and shower, and so much storage you could not fill it in 30 days. Upstairs are two huge kiddos bedrooms and a large jack n’ jill bathroom accessible through the hallway.

The brick, stone and heavy-gauge metal roof give this home an Austin-y Hill Country flavor. But the best part is that while this house looks OLD, it is brand spanking new and ready to save a family big bucks with hundreds of green, energy-saving tricks. For example, the foam insulation on every square inch — the house is so air-tight they had to add a dehumidifier in the A/C. The home only uses a single, 16 SEER 3-ton unit to cool everything. Even the attic is comfortable in mid July!

This house is also open Sunday, July 29, from one to three p.m and I would strongly advise you to take a look/see. You’ve got to see the solid core bead board doors, great secure windows, and wine cabinet in the kitchen. Even if you are out of town, I’d go home just to check it out. Think I’m kidding? Anyone know how low Lakewood inventory happens to be right now? Lower than my libido, and that’s pretty low –kidding! Seriously, we have no inventory, multiple offers are coming in, if you like this house you might just want to POUNCE!