This Is Not Your Grandma’s Melshire Estates Home!
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Photography courtesy of Chris Tello/Paradigm Imagery
Relief swept over me like a hot flash last week as I searched for a Monday Morning Millionaire worthy of your time. This new build in Melshire Estates stood out for its distinctiveness, beautiful staging, and exceptional photography. Win, win, win.
Scrolling through the new construction listings this past week made me weary because everything looked so similar. I started to unpack how we came to this style trend that architecture critic Kate Wagner has dubbed “McModern.” Wagner also coined McMansion and created the blog McMansion Hell.
It began when we fell into a building panic back in 2020-2021. The realization hit hard and fast that we did not have the kind of inventory that newcomers flooding into Dallas wanted. More than 1 in 10 new Texans were from California, and we simply did not have anything that was up to California standards. Realtors got busy finding lots for builders who went into warp speed to get new homes on the market.
Therein lies the style issue. With the value of dirt becoming absurdly expensive, builders had to ensure the math worked, or there would be no ROI. It’s easier to build to a template with proven success. Don’t get me wrong — those McModerns are lovely, but they all look the same. When I notice something out of the ordinary in new construction, I want you to see it.
“This is RM Homes’ first venture as a home builder,” Allie Beth Allman’s listing agent Sergio Manriquez said. “They have been successful in commercial building, and this is their first residential venture.”
That’s an ah-ha moment for me. I’ve always found that anyone involved in commercial building who dips into residential brings a lot to the real estate party, and that has been true for generations. It’s a different mindset, and it’s clearly on view in this Melshire Estates home. I have to admit I’m a sucker for arches and glass panel staircases. Any kind of arch softens up a home.
The layout reflects what buyers are looking for today, including a traditional arrangement of dining and home office flanking the entry and an open-plan family room. What sets it apart and warms it up is the extensive use of white oak. This Melshire Estates home also has one of the most sought-after features, a catering kitchen. If you’ve ever had a house with one, you won’t ever go back to just one kitchen.
The primary suite overlooks the pool and has every amenity you’d expect, including a fireplace, a gigantic walk-in closet, and one of the prettiest bathrooms I’ve ever seen. The fluted marble alone is swoonworthy.
The second floor has three additional bedrooms, a game room, a gym, a media room, and a flex room. For our car buffs, hold on to your Stetsons; there is a six-car garage and a porte-cochere. When was the last time you saw a six-car garage in Dallas?
Manriquez partners with his wife, Shelia, and works closely with builders, shaping projects based on buyer trends.
“We walk new construction every week to know what’s trending, selling, and not. This house stands out in this price range,” he said.
As far as location goes, Melshire Estates is perfectly situated just across the North Dallas Tollway from The Lamplighter School and Jesuit College Preparatory School.
