Suzanne Felber Opens Up Her Oak Cliff Home That’s Long Inspired Curiousity for Estate Sale

There’s a white, Cuba-inspired two-story on W Clarendon Dr. that Oak Cliff residents have always been curious about. Is it a residence; is it a building? Both, actually, and it’ll be open for the first time this week when the owner, housing advocate and Lifestylist® Brands founder Suzanne Felber, hosts a three-day estate sale.

But this collection of collectibles, décor, and one-of-a-kind finds isn’t just Felber doing some downsizing. She tells CandysDirt.com that she’s about ready to pack it in after some out-of-the-blue moves by the Dallas County Appraisal District.

For the first time in the 23 years that she’s lived there, she received two tax statements for the same property, and no one at the Dallas County Appraisal District could explain why. She appeared in person before an Appraisal Review Board panel after deciding to file a protest. Citing the property’s online footprint (stay tuned for our story on this), the board essentially carved her home in two.

As far as DCAD is concerned, there’s her primary residence, and then there’s her income-generating commercial property. The first enjoys homestead and senior citizen exemptions. The second does not. Mind you, taxing entities like school districts and municipalities tend to devise more favorable rates for homesteads.

Suzanne Felber: Why I Joined Dallas’ Housing Task Force and Will Fight for South Edgefield

In any case, Felber said her new property designations (and the level of cooperation and understanding she received from officials when trying to navigate the situation) make it so that she will be unable to afford to maintain her residence. After more than 20 years in the neighborhood where she was a known quantity for her housing advocacy, she said she will be looking for somewhere else to call home.

But not this weekend. That’s when she’s selling off a plethora of ceramics, glassware, books, clothing, accessories, knick-knacks, and Americana spanning decades. After all, there’s a whole lot of history packed into this property.

Drawing from Cuban architecture, it was constructed in the 1940s with block walls, stucco, a flat roof, and features a massive 60,000-gallon pool built into the landscape. Sitting on two acres, the building has long been a curiosity in Oak Cliff. Felber spent years transforming the building, which used to house a printing company, into a livable residence while preserving its history.

“I called it the ‘Home Idea Factory’ because it was pretty much a shell,” Felber said. “The bathroom was in the kitchen, and the air conditioner was a 1956 water cooler freon unit. I’ve done a lot of work myself since buying this place zapped my finances, and I have been doing what work I can ever since to keep it.”

Consider this week’s estate sale a twofer. Not only will collectors and bargain hunters have a bonanza on their hands but curious neighbors can finally get a glimpse inside the storied property.

The address will be published here on Thursday morning after 6 a.m. The estate sale will run for three days: September 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., September 19 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and September 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.