Inwood Mortgage House of the Week: Watson Circle Wonder is Across From Former Home of Baseball Great Mickey Mantle

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Watson Circle IHOWThere is so much more to this home than meets the eye. Of course, what meets it isn’t bad, either. It looks a bit dated from the outside, though classic red brick and white Tuscan columns are a classic, timeless favorite.

First of all, LOCATION! You know how I preach this, and though this is about one-quarter mile east of the Dallas North Tollway, this is still primo Preston Hollow. Yes, you will hear the Tollway but Tom Hicks (up the street) probably hears it sometimes, too.

And NAME DROPPING! Guess who once lived across the street: baseball great Mickey Mantle, who died in 1995.

Watson CircleAcross the Dallas North Tollway you will find Patrick Snuffer, the aforementioned Thomas O. Hicks, Trevor Pearlman, Harold Simmons, Kelcy Warren, Tom Leppert, Caroline Wyly, the Folsom Family, T. Boone Pickens, and of course Mark Cuban. Baxter Brinkman is just down Douglas. The home is basically priced at lot value — and let me tell you, lots are very rare and in high demand these days. At $1,095,000 you are basically getting a whole house on .85 acres for free. (Even acres up in my non-Preston Hollow, that-I-still-call-Preston-Hollow, ‘hood are selling for over a million per acre.) I’m told the juicy whole acres in the middle of the Honey Pot are now edging towards $1.5 for pure dirt.

So like I said, perk up folks. This home is worth a serious look. Kitchen and master bathroom have been redone and decked out, kitchen with $35,000 worth of high-end appliances and a totally “gourmet” look but still looks like Julia Childs’ era. Basically, you are getting a 1950’s frame with new guts: in 1998, electrical, HVAC and plumbing were updated. That’s also when the major updates were completed.

Built in 1951, the home does have the bane of most of North Dallas; housing inventory: low ceilings.

On a bright note, they are easier to clean at 8 ft. heights.

Watson Living room Watson Circle LR 2 Watson Circle dining room Watson Circle den Watson Circle kitchen Watson Circle kitchen 2 Watson Circle studyThe home also has more than 4,000 square feet all on one floor. Four bedrooms, three full and one-half baths, and two living areas. It could be the future location of an estate or billionaire’s 10,000 square foot “environment”; nearby Douglas is lined with $4 million dollar mansions. You could add a pool and tennis court plus quarters and still have plenty of room for softball.

The master bathroom was added in 1998, and it is a knock-out. Travertine everywhere, multiple walk-in closets, and a huge dressing room complete the master wing as a total spa-like escape that June Cleaver could never have conceived in her wildest dreams in than twin bed.

Let me put it to you this way: if you are a couple, or alone, have multiple homes or travel, or have one small child plus Nanny, this is a great buy right now. The rooms that count for you are first-class, and you’ll be literally sitting on an investment in dirt that the stock market could not match. At least, not in my opinion.

Watson Circle master Watson Circle master spa tub Watson Circle master bath 2 Watson Circle bedroom Watson Circle master shower Watson Circle patio Watson Circle patio 2Then there is the outside: the owners have built a climate-controlled storage center on a slab foundation with its own electrical and A/C system. No more Private Mini Storage! This could be converted to an office or artists’ studio.

The lot is also a perfect rectangle, measuring 153 feet by 231 and loaded with oaks, elms and crepe myrtles. Sit a spell in the backyard and you will not believe you are five minutes from Preston Center and 7 miles from downtown Dallas.

Listed with dynamo agent Kyle Rovinsky of Virginia Cook. You know what I’d do? Buy this home and paint the brick white, make it look like a one-story Tara! Go down to Inwood Mortgage, get a loan, and have them toss in a little bit more for some white paint.

Maybe a little extra to cover up those peachy keen walls: oh 1982, I remember you so very well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candy Evans, founder and publisher of CandysDirt.com, is one of the nation’s leading real estate reporters.

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