Thursday Three Hundred: Williams Caruth Cottage Has Updates, But is The Price Right?

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I wanted to raise a bit of a debate with our Thursday $300K this week. First, I want to say that I love this Williams Caruth three-bedroom traditional. It’s very cute, and it has plenty of well-chosen upgrades, including an updated master bath and granite counters in the kitchen.

But $399,000? DCAD has 6907 Dalhart property appraised at $288,780. Now, we all know that DCAD valuations are by no means accurate indicators of market value, but I don’t think even the comps would have this 1,885-square-foot one-story in this price range.

Still, this house is so cute! I love the living rooms, and the fireplace is so cozy. I’m a bit put off on the pool table (I am of a mind that unless you have a definite game room, billiards dont belong in a house you’re trying to sell), but the hardwood floors more than make up for that.

The kitchen is very cute, and the cabinets look like they are original to this 1964 traditional. There’s stainless steel and a breakfast bar, too.

The master suite has two closets and an updated bath with travertine tile. I think, though, that this was a missed opportunity with only one sink. Perhaps they thought there wasn’t enough room for two?

 

The backyard, though, is very cute. It’s described as “pool sized,” which is accurate, but at $399,000 I’d kind of expect the pool to already be in the ground, you know? You might want to put one in, considering that if you have kids, they’ll make plenty of friends at the Lakewood-area schools like Woodrow Wilson High School. You can keep an eye on them next summer if they’re having pool parties in your own backyard, right?

 

Maybe I’m picking nits, but I think this home would be priced better at around $339,500. What do you think?

Joanna England is the Executive Editor at CandysDirt.com and covers the North Texas housing market.

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  1. Jonathan on November 1, 2012 at 2:41 pm

    I personally would not spend that much on a house of that size, but the price seems consistent with what is currently on the market. For example, 7063 Chantilly at 389 has a higher square footage, but no garage. 6923 Redstart is at 545 for 2393 sqft. Prices in the Lakewood area are getting really high. Why do you believe it may be overpriced?

  2. Jonathan on November 1, 2012 at 2:41 pm

    I personally would not spend that much on a house of that size, but the price seems consistent with what is currently on the market. For example, 7063 Chantilly at 389 has a higher square footage, but no garage. 6923 Redstart is at 545 for 2393 sqft. Prices in the Lakewood area are getting really high. Why do you believe it may be overpriced?

  3. Joanna England on November 1, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I love the area, but with less than 2K square feet and very selective upgrades, it looks like an aspirational price. And like I said, DCAD isn't necessarily a market appraisal, but a discrepancy of more than $100K between the list price and DCAD sets off a few alarm bells. Could Lakewood really be that hot?

  4. Joanna England on November 1, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I love the area, but with less than 2K square feet and very selective upgrades, it looks like an aspirational price. And like I said, DCAD isn't necessarily a market appraisal, but a discrepancy of more than $100K between the list price and DCAD sets off a few alarm bells. Could Lakewood really be that hot?

  5. Karen Eubank on November 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    You are absolutely right Joanna. The pool table is a real no-no in terms of selling a home. People want to see a living room when they walk in. It is an easy fix. Just store it. I'm wondering where the coffee table is as well. Everyone knows my feelings about a lazy boy recliner, no matter how classy it looks!
    The hardwoods look to be in great shape and the kitchen is fine, bathrooms have been redone which is a huge plus and I'm thrilled there is not a red dining room : )
    I think it's a tad high. If they move the pool table and furnish that room I bet they could get 328. Keep us posted!

  6. Karen Eubank on November 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    You are absolutely right Joanna. The pool table is a real no-no in terms of selling a home. People want to see a living room when they walk in. It is an easy fix. Just store it. I'm wondering where the coffee table is as well. Everyone knows my feelings about a lazy boy recliner, no matter how classy it looks!
    The hardwoods look to be in great shape and the kitchen is fine, bathrooms have been redone which is a huge plus and I'm thrilled there is not a red dining room : )
    I think it's a tad high. If they move the pool table and furnish that room I bet they could get 328. Keep us posted!

  7. Cheryl on November 1, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    Ok, I'm gonna be the oddball (I am an oddball, just ask my friends and family) and say I liked the pool table, in fact I would ask for it and all the accessories to be included in the sale . For me that's probably how I would use the room anyway so it lets me see it's a workable option. I might not have it in that exact spot and could move it over and rotate it. The overhead light will need to be moved but that's an easy fix.
    That aside I do like the bathrooms (no pink, peach or green tile–Yeah!) and the wood floors are gorgeous. The attached garage is also great. I agree though that it's still priced a bit high, but given that the inventory is shrinking, maybe they are seeing how much someone wants the house.

  8. Cheryl on November 1, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    Ok, I'm gonna be the oddball (I am an oddball, just ask my friends and family) and say I liked the pool table, in fact I would ask for it and all the accessories to be included in the sale . For me that's probably how I would use the room anyway so it lets me see it's a workable option. I might not have it in that exact spot and could move it over and rotate it. The overhead light will need to be moved but that's an easy fix.
    That aside I do like the bathrooms (no pink, peach or green tile–Yeah!) and the wood floors are gorgeous. The attached garage is also great. I agree though that it's still priced a bit high, but given that the inventory is shrinking, maybe they are seeing how much someone wants the house.

  9. Wyman on November 2, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    Check out 12708 Sunlight, 2,839 sf $349,900 and 12514 Sunlight 2,584 sf $360,000 plus a club house pool. Both need some updating and are great home values in N. Dallas.

  10. Wyman on November 2, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    Check out 12708 Sunlight, 2,839 sf $349,900 and 12514 Sunlight 2,584 sf $360,000 plus a club house pool. Both need some updating and are great home values in N. Dallas.

  11. Karen Eubank on November 2, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Cheryl it's not about "liking" the pool table or not. I like a pool table –in a game room, where it is expected. Selling a house is about making it appeal to the demographic that will most likely be purchasing in a particular neighborhood. Selling is also about meeting buyer expectations. Buyers "expect" a living room to be a living room. What they take away when seeing a home like this is not a memory of the cute kitchen and great bathrooms, they remember " Oh yeah, that was the house with the pool table, now what did it look like?" They need to remember the house, not what's in it. Furnishings should simply enhance the architecture, the flow, the beautiful upgrades, everything that is not being packed up and moved.

  12. Karen Eubank on November 2, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Cheryl it's not about "liking" the pool table or not. I like a pool table –in a game room, where it is expected. Selling a house is about making it appeal to the demographic that will most likely be purchasing in a particular neighborhood. Selling is also about meeting buyer expectations. Buyers "expect" a living room to be a living room. What they take away when seeing a home like this is not a memory of the cute kitchen and great bathrooms, they remember " Oh yeah, that was the house with the pool table, now what did it look like?" They need to remember the house, not what's in it. Furnishings should simply enhance the architecture, the flow, the beautiful upgrades, everything that is not being packed up and moved.

  13. Cheryl on November 2, 2012 at 11:39 pm

    I think you misunderstood me. I liked how they had the second living room serve as a game room with a pool table in there. I would have a hard time picturing one fitting if the room had regular furniture. As a potential buyer, the layout would make me more inclined to have it on my top finalists. I simply stated I would request it in the sale because most people don't like to move pool tables (they are a pain to move as we moved ours when I was growing up). So I wasn't focusing on the table itself but the room as a whole.

    I am very aware that in general it wouldn't be the norm and you risk decreasing the number of buyers that would consider this home. Either the agent or the seller didn't think the room should be changed. The final answer as to whether this was a smart move will be how long it's on the market and what's the final sale price.

  14. Cheryl on November 2, 2012 at 11:39 pm

    I think you misunderstood me. I liked how they had the second living room serve as a game room with a pool table in there. I would have a hard time picturing one fitting if the room had regular furniture. As a potential buyer, the layout would make me more inclined to have it on my top finalists. I simply stated I would request it in the sale because most people don't like to move pool tables (they are a pain to move as we moved ours when I was growing up). So I wasn't focusing on the table itself but the room as a whole.

    I am very aware that in general it wouldn't be the norm and you risk decreasing the number of buyers that would consider this home. Either the agent or the seller didn't think the room should be changed. The final answer as to whether this was a smart move will be how long it's on the market and what's the final sale price.

  15. Wyman on November 2, 2012 at 11:41 pm
  16. Wyman on November 2, 2012 at 11:41 pm
  17. Interested on November 9, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    My husband and I have been looking at this house with great interest but were also of the opinion it is too high. Any experience with people taking less than offered rate in Lakewood? Even $360K would be an improvement and we'd snap it up, even though one of the bathrooms still needs to be redone.

  18. Interested on November 9, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    My husband and I have been looking at this house with great interest but were also of the opinion it is too high. Any experience with people taking less than offered rate in Lakewood? Even $360K would be an improvement and we'd snap it up, even though one of the bathrooms still needs to be redone.

  19. Lakewood Genius on November 10, 2012 at 1:25 am

    Interested — then do what we all do when we like a high but feel the price is cranked up a bit too high: make an offer. This is how sellers and agents know what the market is feeling. I think that fact that we have discussed the price here is critical, a critical message to these sellers: lower the price by $20,000 to take care of that bath redo. Go ahead, make an offer!

  20. Lakewood Genius on November 10, 2012 at 1:25 am

    Interested — then do what we all do when we like a high but feel the price is cranked up a bit too high: make an offer. This is how sellers and agents know what the market is feeling. I think that fact that we have discussed the price here is critical, a critical message to these sellers: lower the price by $20,000 to take care of that bath redo. Go ahead, make an offer!

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