Twin Oaks Custom Homes Hits The Spec Home Sweet Spot in Preston Hollow

Twin Oaks Custom Homes’ latest project hit my inbox last week. In my opinion, they have taken new construction in Dallas to another level.

Since the massive relocation of people from seemingly everywhere to Dallas, all I have heard from top Realtors across the city is, “We don’t have what they want.”

Frankly, we didn’t have what the rest of us wanted either. After a global pandemic forced us to use our homes 24/7, we realized they had more than a few shortcomings. Many people were lucky enough to snag contractors and make those changes to existing homes, and some chose to move. But move where? There simply was not the type of inventory available that anyone wanted.

We’ve finally come up for air and found that builders have been busy fulfilling those longed-for expectations. No one is doing it better than Twin Oaks Custom Homes. That is largely down to a team of experts headed by president Tom Lin who have been working together for over 20 years and Lin’s contagious passion for home building.

Twin Oaks Custom Homes Knows Team Work Makes The Dream Work

“We have a great team,” Lin said. “No one has an ego, and we work well together. It’s like a professional marriage.” That team includes construction manager Sam Bradley, interior designer Alise R. Levens, and Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty agents Christine and Patrick Burke.

The team turns to John Lively & Associates for architectural services. “He travels to other markets to see what is going on, so he is instrumental in moving us toward what that market is looking for,” Bradley said.

I think it’s clear there’s another advantage here. This team really enjoys working together, and that makes everything flow more smoothly.

“I’ve worked with over 100 builders,” Levens said. “Tom and Sam are the best. The vision Tom brings and the attention to detail Sam brings is like no one else.”

What, How, and Where to Build?

Lin gave me insight into what to build, how large to build, and where to build.

“We actually sit down around a large round table together and brainstorm,” Lin said. “Location is always the first decision, and we prefer to stay in Preston Hollow. We look at the neighborhood, what has been built, and what we think will fit in. John has excellent input as well. He tells us what has worked well, and Alise will push the envelope!”

The consensus of the team is that building a home between 6,000 and 8,000 square feet on half an acre is the sweet spot. Office space, a first-floor media and game room, and a mother-in-law’s first-floor suite are all essential.

The advantage of the spec homes is evident. Professionals are building and designing something that resonates with today’s market and installing extraordinary finish-out that most people would not even know exists. Photos of two tile treatments stopped me in my tracks, showing me this was next-level construction and design. Oddly enough, when I spoke to Levens, she revealed that those two tiles inspired this house.

“I designed the whole home around the kitchen backsplash tile and the tile in the wet bar of the game room,” Levens said. “It brought in a moody aspect to the style of the house.”

Regarding the next level, the primary bathroom is a dream and is also Levens’s favorite room. “It’s the epitome of luxury to me,” she said. “You could have a party in that shower!”

Another thing that separates this spec home is that it’s completely finished and staged. People can walk in and imagine living there.

Staging is Essential

“We knew from day one we would stage,” Lin said. “I didn’t want to list it without staging. When you take a buyer through houses, they only remember those with furniture. They walk through so fast when there is no furniture. I think you must also stage an upstairs area to keep their attention going.”

Lin found George Bass Stage & Design through his real estate team. “He’s the best stager I’ve ever seen,” Lin said.

Bass and his team are well-known for staging homes that are somewhat dated, so effectively, they look new. I asked him if spec home staging differs from staging homes that are several years old.

“The spec house is not a victim of trends or age,” Bass said. “They are already light and bright. This classic transitional includes dark features, so we could go a bit more eclectic with art and furniture. It’s fun to stage a spec home because it can be done with more style and character to look like someone has already moved in.”

I’d be negotiating for that green sofa!

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty’s Patrick and Christine Burke have Twin Oaks Custom Homes’ newest offering at 10320 Epping Lane listed for $4.495 million.