Duncanville has not yet earned its place on the list of hot and trendy places in the Metroplex, but it does have a few things going for it.

It’s safe, the schools are good, it’s a few minutes from several major attractions, and you get all the benefits of living on a street in a nice neighborhood where everybody knows your name.

Oh yeah, and there are houses that sell for less than $200,000.

This week’s Weekend One Hundred, listed for $195,000 by Katie Apperson with Real Estate Reformation, is at 3024 Melody Lane.

It has three bedrooms and two and one-half baths – and it’s only had one owner since it was built in 1965.

The Main Attraction

One of my favorite things about writing for CandysDirt.com is finding diamonds in the rough – unique, interesting houses with a cool back story on who lived there or what happened there. I’ve also enjoyed researching cities with which I was previously unfamiliar.

This Duncanville home is a great find for someone looking to start the new year on a budget – and it’s in the heart of a city that, from what I can tell, looks like a pretty great place to live.

The city is perfectly situated between downtown Dallas and Fort Worth, and there’s immediate access to neat small-town treasures like DuncanSwitch Street Market once a month, Duncanville Community Theatre, Joe Pool Lake and the Duncanville Fieldhouse.

Nearby schools include William Lee Hastings Elementary, William High Byrd Middle School and Duncanville High School in B-ranked Duncanville ISD.

Home Improvement

Described by the Realtor as a “beautiful property just waiting for personal touches,” the 2,008-square-foot home looks pretty spot-on for a young family wanting to relocate to the ’burbs.

If you’re not looking to inhabit the home but rather see it as an investment opportunity, that works, too. It’s affordable enough that you’ll have cash left over to make a few upgrades.

The house doesn’t need a lot of work, but it is more than 50 years old, so some updates wouldn’t hurt.

It has a large circle drive and detached two-car garage on a corner lot. The rooms are spacious and could be repurposed from a bedroom to a game room, depending on the owner’s needs.

There are no known issues with the foundation or roof.

And just when you think you might have to do some work in the backyard … Nope! There’s already a pool with a covered deck and cabana with storage.

Katie Apperson with Real Estate Reformation is listing 3024 Melody Lane, Duncanville, for $195,000.