There’s finally a name for it: “cute aggression.”
It’s that feeling you get when you see a baby, a kitten or puppy — or in my case, an adorable house — that makes you want to take a little love bite out of it.
That’s exactly the feeling I got when I first saw 5918 Richmond Ave. It’s a completely adorable cottage in East Dallas’ Belmont Addition that is move-in ready.
We’ve caught a lot of flak from readers when it comes to the definition of midcentury modern, but for most purposes, it tends to span the 1950s and onward to 1965. So while this Northwest Dallas home has all of the lines of a soft contemporary from the curb, it technically falls into the period of midcentury modern, as it was built in ’65. Most will see this home from the curb and wonder why the front doors are painted a somewhat dated combination of dark brown and cream, a strange foil for the yellow-tan brick and narrow windows, but inside this home has some great updates.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Kidd Springs neighborhood in Oak Cliff are the charming smaller cottages, most under 1,800 square feet, with a handful of grand homes sprinkled in. But more often than not, these Kidd Springs cuties come with odd floorplans and upper level masters that aren’t exactly workable for today’s buyers.
Well this week we came across a home that throws all this out the window. Meet 831 Woodlawn Ave. – a sprawling 2,836-square-foot gem, complete with main-floor master suite, and impressive designer upgrades priced to sell at $499,000.
I moved to East Dallas about 11 years ago, and if you were to tell me then that most homes on the market in the Lake Highlands area were poised to top $400,000, I would have laughed at you and asked you what planet you are from. But guys, all those folks who bought in the L Streets when the getting was good are now reaping what they’ve sown, every so stylishly, too.
And yes, this L Streets home has the same look from the curb as you’d expect a Lake Highlands ranch to have, but it has been updated inside with an open floor plan, spacious master suite, and a fabulous kitchen. “What sets this home apart from the rest is its great use of space and attention to detail in the finish-out,” said Modtown Realty listing agent Jason Castro (yes, that Jason Castro). “With so many flips in the market, it’s rare to find something that has been renovated at this level of quality.”
We agree, and though this brand-new-to-the-market home is priced at $399,000, we’re pretty sure it’s going to get offers above asking. Want to see 9525 Leaside in person? Castro will have it open from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Some of the most popular neighborhoods in North Oak Cliff are sought after for their proximity to the Bishop Arts District. That’s great and all, but for some of us — me included — I’d prefer less crazy and crowded digs.
That’s what’s wonderful about the Kings Highway Conservation District, which is a terrific little pocket surrounding the eponymous street, at the northwest corner of Davis and Tyler streets. There you’ll find 1303 Kings Highway, a listing from Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty agent Jenni Stolarski.
Ed has done it again! I swear, Ed Murchison seems to constantly nab the most fun midcentury modern listings in the city. This cool 1961-built ranch in Northwest Dallas’ Sparkman Club Estates is so absolutely perfect, with tons of original cabinetry and finishes.
Some things never go out of style, and we count the quaint brick cottages of East Dallas on that list. This one in the Lakewood-area enclave of Gastonwood is a perfect example. Red brick, classic black shutters, and tidy traditional architecture is a dream from the curb.
