Beautiful Waverly Flip Was a Labor of Love for Couple

It’s not unusual to move to a new town and buy a new house. But the Pages didn’t just buy a house — they bought their first flip, in a city that they’re making their new home base.

As far as flips go, Jennifer and Tim Page actually picked a home that wasn’t entirely scary when they signed on the dotted line for 1111 South Waverly Dr., a good investment with easy access to Bishop Arts, downtown Dallas, and more.

“This is actually our first flip,” Jennifer said. “We moved here from Chicago just looking for a change of scenery without knowing this is what we would get into, but my husband Tim has always wanted to own his own business and be his own boss, so I told him to go for it!”

The couple had saved money from selling their home in Illinois, and with the market in Dallas doing so well, they thought it was time to jump in with both feet, finding a property in the ever-changing Oak Cliff, tucked between the Wynnewood, Elmwood, and Winnetka Heights neighborhoods.

“The house when we bought it was actually not in the worst condition,” Jennifer said. “It had been just recently flipped but not well at all.”

“You could tell that the previous owners were also trying to flip and may have run out of money and finished the house quickly and without regard for making it aesthetically appealing.”

And since it didn’t require a complete gut job, the couple felt “this would be the perfect starter.”

So that gave them time to take a good look at the house, what was selling, and what changes they could make to make it more functional and prettier.

“We got off to a great start with the demo being complete pretty quickly,” Jennifer recalled. “Right away we knew we needed to create more living space so we decided to knock down the wall of a downstairs bedroom in the front of the house to give us that extra space.”

But the renovation didn’t always go smoothly. Finding a good fit for a general contractor took time, as did finding subcontractors to complete the projects.

“We never gave up even after the first contractor took some of our money and ran,” Jennifer said.

But the persistence paid off. They took a floorplan that was not so functional and created better flow with multiple living spaces, and created a master suite.

“This house technically had five bedrooms and two bathrooms with no master bed or bath!” Jennifer said. “So we took a bedroom in the back of the house on the first floor and made it into a giant master bath and walk-in closet — the crystal chandeliers in the closet are my favorite!”

 

The stairs also got a major overhaul, being moved from their original spot to create better symmetry and more storage.

“We didn’t like the way it looked when you first walked in and saw the stairs immediately to your right,” she said. “Once flipped; the underneath of the stairs made for a great coat closet.”

Once the last general contractor walked away, Jennifer said that Tim decided to take over.

“My husband continues to feel this is what he should be doing and is very passionate about the work on the house and ensuring it is completed properly and beautifully,” she said, adding that he spent about three weeks finishing up the house.

“All the calking, touch up paint, re-doing the stair spindles .. the list goes on,” she said. “He wanted to make sure it was perfect and a home he would live in himself.”

And the two have created a home that is move-in ready and perfect for a family, with quartz countertops throughout the home, custom-built shaker cabinets, Low-E windows, water-resistant engineered hardwoods, and beautifully designed bathrooms, all with a neutral color palette that will provide someone a great backdrop for decorating.

“We feel the house has a modern feel to it but with the lighter floors it brings in some more country vibes,” Jennifer said. “This house is full of light — there are so many windows!”

“We kept it neutral as we have seen some houses that have been flipped and have some more interesting colors and tile work and although it looks fun and different we wanted to be sure we were going to appeal to everyone,” she added.

And Jennifer (whose day job is an event planner at The Joule) said she automatically thinks of all the entertaining that can be done in this house — and outside the house, too, thanks to the big front porch and the generous backyard.

“The outside with the massive front porch just has me envisioning big family and friends get-togethers with big rocking chairs and a backyard large enough to put a small tent and plenty of lawn games,” she said.

But most of all, she and her husband are hopeful that a new family will see their hard work as the place to make a home.

“This house deserves a great family, big or small,” she said. “The neighborhood is still a work in progress but to see all the other flips happening just on our street has to be a good sign!”

The Waverly home is listed for $399,900, by Alexis Madrid with The Madrid Group and Designer Realty.