Lake Highlands Estates Home Has Custom-Build Features Coupled with Vintage Charm

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All photos: MetroplexHD

Some home renovations go halfway, updating a few spots here and there. Today’s Thursday Three Hundred is not that kind of reno.

The owners of the home at 561 Classen Dr. have gone all in, updating and improving the place from stem to stern, and the results are marvelous. It has the clean, finished feel and amenities of a new, custom-build house, with the vintage charm and personality that befits its Lake Highlands Estates location in East Dallas.561 classen exterior beforeOriginally built in 1952, the house was showing its age before—the exterior “before” photo above and several other “before” photos throughout this post give you an idea.

Now, it’s a turnkey property, almost unrecognizable from before, with beautiful details and improvements. You’ll find custom soft-close wood cabinets; a modern, elegant kitchen; recessed lighting; chic light fixtures; a luxe bathroom, low E windows, a new roof, new gutters, new exterior A/C unit, foam insulation in the attic; landscaping, and exterior paint.

With 1,170 square feet, three bedrooms, and one bathroom, it’s a small footprint, and the reno maximizes the space. There’s an open house this Sunday from 2-4 p.m., if you want to check it out yourself after seeing these photos.

Barbara Arredondo with Clay Stapp + Co. recently listed it for $325,000, or $278 per square foot. Nine recent neighborhood comps range from $204,000 to $308,500, or $161 to $229 per square foot. So is this house ambitiously priced? Perhaps. But that’s not without reason. The professional renovations make it one-of-a-kind.

lake highlands estates lake highlands estatesThe neighborhood of Lake Highlands Estates has about 1,490 homes and is bordered by Ferndale, New Church Road, and LBJ Freeway to the north; Plano Road to the east; Walnut Hill to the south; and Audelia to the west. Many were built midcentury, like this property, and the overall feel of the area is friendly and appealing. This house is just one mile from White Rock Lake and the Dallas Arboretum.

The curb appeal of this home is show-stopping. The mature crepe myrtles stayed, and they landscaped to accentuate the new paint, modern pavers, and new portico with cedar-wrapped posts.

The front door opens directly onto the living room, which measures 17-by-12 and is stylishly staged to show off function and features, like those new, energy-saving windows. The contemporary floating modern credenza on living room wall is included in the sale. To the right, the kitchen and breakfast area. 561 Classen kitchen before561 classen kitchen before Blake highlands estates lake highlands estateslake highlands estateslake highlands estateslake highlands estatesCompare the before and after photos of the kitchen and, well, there’s no comparison. In the new kitchen, you’ll find KitchenAid Architect Series II stainless steel appliances, including a drop-in, five-burner gas range; double ovens; under-cabinet microwave; and dishwasher. There are also Siltstone Ariel white quartz countertops, custom walnut cabinets with soft-close drawers and doors, a Kraus undermount farm sink, a marble backsplash, and a large island with storage on both sides. The new pantry has pull-out shelving, and instead of upper cabinets, there are open concept, floating shelves. 

The owners installed new hardwood flooring in the kitchen, and removed a window where the double oven is now located (the washer/dryer used to be there. They put a stackable washer-dryer area in the third bedroom’s closet). They also added new window above microwave area.

The breakfast area’s new atomic era light fixture adds a gorgeous sparkle to the area, and the living room, breakfast area, and kitchen all feel like one, cohesive space.  lake highlands estates lake highlands estates 561 classen bathroom beforelake highlands estates561 Classen Dr.561 Classen Dr.561 Classen N561 Classen O561 Classen P561 Classen QThe only flaw I see in this house is its one-and-only bathroom. That’s kind of a pain for families. But what a bathroom it is! Check out the two “before” photos above to see the gigantic changes.

The renovation added an on-trend barnyard door and tiled the floor and walls with Carrera marble. A custom walnut floating vanity with quartz countertop and modern brass fixtures, hardware, and vanity light create a spa-like feel. There’s also a new Kohler toilet, new shower fixtures and mirror, a GFCI outlet to prevent shocks, and large built-in wall cabinets for plenty of storage.

In the bedrooms, the hardwoods gleam and there are new ceiling fans. The third bedroom has a contemporary drum pendant light and the master has a new closet system. They measure 12-by-12, 10-by-12, and 12-by-10. 561 classen yard before561 Classen R 561 Classen SThe final place to explore is the backyard. With new landscaping (including new sod), a modern back porch light, fresh paint on the small deck, a new wood fence near the one-car garage, and fire pit area, it’s a relaxing, open area.

With so many high-end renovations and its East Dallas location, this house offers buyers amenities galore for under $400K. Don’t forget the open house this weekend—my guess is that this property won’t be on the market long, so it’ll be your one chance to see this impressive property before it’s sold.

 

Leah Shafer is a content and social media specialist, as well as a Dallas native, who lives in Richardson with her family. In her sixth-grade yearbook, Leah listed "interior designer" as her future profession. Now she writes about them, as well as all things real estate, for CandysDirt.com.

17 Comments

  1. Rebecca on September 24, 2015 at 11:19 am

    I’m seriously impressed!

    • Leah Shafer on September 24, 2015 at 11:21 am

      I am, too. The attention to detail is meticulous and that kitchen! {swoon}

  2. Candy Evans on September 24, 2015 at 11:40 am

    Swoon swoon this is an amazing makeover!

  3. casie on September 24, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    Before / After photos are amazing!

  4. Clay Stapp on September 24, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    Great job Barbara!!! Great find for your investor client and it won’t be long til you have another BIG sale! Looking forward to seeing the next one! Keep up the great work! It is so obvious why your clients love you!

  5. James Ryder on September 24, 2015 at 10:13 pm

    Incredible job! Way to go Barbara!

  6. Shannon Saunders on September 25, 2015 at 6:42 am

    This is a wonderful example of taking something and rockin’ it! Please come do my house!!

  7. Darlene Rosen on September 25, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Dramatic Before + After. Well done. Barbara keep it up!! Bravo!!

  8. Jonathan on September 25, 2015 at 8:50 am

    Great renovation. I think the description of where the home is might be a little off; I believe this is Old Lake Highlands (or near there) rather than the neighborhood you describe bordered by Walnut Hill and 635.

    • Leah Shafer on September 25, 2015 at 8:53 am

      This is the neighborhood per the MLS listing and the local neighborhood association. What were you thinking is correct instead?

    • Barbara Arredondo on September 25, 2015 at 3:52 pm

      Hi Jonathan, you’re correct, this home is located in Old Lake Highlands, but that’s not the legal description. This home is located in the Lake Highlands Estates subdivision so maybe this is why the Article references the subdivision name instead. OLH has approx 1700 in its boundaries. Several subdivision names make up the OLH neighborhood that’s considered to be a part of East Dallas. Thanks

      • Jonathan on September 25, 2015 at 4:51 pm

        Yeah, I understand. I was not referencing the legal description of the neighorhood. I am really commenting only on the following line: “The neighborhood of Lake Highlands Estates has about 1,490 homes and is bordered by Ferndale, New Church Road, and LBJ Freeway to the north; Plano Road to the east; Walnut Hill to the south; and Audelia to the west.” As you say, this home is in East Dallas, not Northeast Dallas/Lake Highlands, to which those boundaries refer. Both neighborhoods are nice, but they are in different zip codes and school districts and have a different feel to them. I used to live near Flagpole hill and drove past the neighborhood where this home is on the way to work; great location and seems to be getting better all the time. I just would want readers to know that this is closer to Casa Linda or Hypnotic Donuts than it is to Lake Highlands Jr. High. It is also closer to White Rock Lake than those boundaries indicate. This is an extremely nice renovation.

  9. Jonathan on September 25, 2015 at 9:56 am

    I wasn’t commenting on the name of the neighborhood so much as the decription of the property as being between Walnut Hill and 635 (which would be Northeast Dallas/Lake Highlands in the 75238 zip code) as opposed to where it appears to be (75218 zip code south of Northwest Highway). My guess is that there are two neighborhoods with the same or a simlar name but that one sentence (describing the neighborhood boundaries) refers to the other one.

  10. Alan Shaffer on September 25, 2015 at 10:29 am

    Get home! Nice job on the remodel!

  11. Gabriel Nytomt on September 25, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    Woo! Way to go, Barbara! You’re a rockstar!

  12. Brian Ellison on September 25, 2015 at 1:54 pm

    I tried to acquire this home when it was on the market to flip. I knew it was a diamond in the rough, but I seriously had no idea it could be this great. Outstanding renovation down to the finest detail!

  13. Valerie Willette on September 28, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    Wow! Very impressive!

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