Category Archives: CandysDirt.com

Tom and Cinda Hicks Put Dallas’ Famous Crespi Estate on Market for $135 Million with Douglas Newby

Written by Candy Evans on January 28, 2013

Looking to find a little estate in the Loire Valley but your spouse wears a “France Sucks” tee? You can have 25 acres that resemble the French countryside and a 48,000 square foot estate so perfect you may never wish to leave. The 25 acre estate of Thomas O. and Cinda Hicks on Walnut Hill Lane and Hollow Way Road in Preston Hollow just hit the non-MLS market for a whopping $135 million. For more photos and all the scoop, check out the site of Douglas Newby, who is the agent. Continue reading →

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Acre Estate, Cinda Hicks, Crespi Estate, Dallas North Tollway, Hicks Muse Tate, Tom Hicks | Comments Off

There’s a Little Construction Over on CandysDirt.com, So Pardon Our Dust

Written by Candy Evans on January 13, 2013

I WISH I could call it “re-construction”, as I almost did, and I wish I could report that it was just me getting my boob job to start out 2013 on a higher level. Continue reading →

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, emerging real estate markets, Second Shelters | Tagged Boob Job, Facebook, House Porn, real estate, Reconstruction, Vacation Properties | 2 Comments

Richard Malouf & Bride Sues Me, Byron Harris, WFAA-TV, and Owen Wilson’s Mother, Laura Wilson

Written by Candy Evans on October 17, 2012

Well I had an interesting day yesterday. Started at the North Dallas MLS Meeting, ended up in court. Seems Dr. Richard Malouf and his wife want a temporary restraining order against me, Byron Harris, WFAA-TV, and Laura Wilson, mother of Owen Wilson, who lives next door to Richard and Leanne. That’s right, they are suing their next-door neighbor. This is all public record, so happy reading — oh the part about climbing on Mrs. Wilson’s roof and the camera in the closet, and, well, ALL of it, to quote a dear friend of mine: You just can’t make this *%#$@! up!

Well, actually, I guess you CAN!

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, Second Shelters | Tagged Byron Harris WFAATV, Leanne Thats, Owen Wilson, Richard Malouf, Temporary Restraining Order, The North Dallas MLS | Comments Off

Sliders of Blue: Would You Put a Private Water Park in Your Backyard?

Written by Candy Evans on August 21, 2012

Is this the private Dallas water park that braces built? And would you even consider putting in a water park in a private home? Texas Drills Down on Medicaid Dental Fraud” (sub. rec.) is a headline in today’s Wall Street Journal. What do they mean by that? Possibly the business practices of people like Richard Malouf who is putting in a WaterPark that one reader thinks we ought to christen “WaterPik Park” over on Strait Lane. His gates were wide open on Sunday as trucks heaved in the equipment which is now sitting right in the front yard of what was once 10711 Strait Lane.

Posted in Beach Homes, CandysDirt.com, Home Tours, Real estate market news, Second Shelters | Tagged Eligibility For Childrens Medicaid, Medicaid Dental, Medicaid Patients, State Medicaid Programs, Texas, Texas Legislators | Comments Off

How About a Pool Lined With 24-Carat Gold? For $125 Million, Miami’s Most famous Residence, the Versace Mansion, Can Be Yours!

Written by Candy Evans on July 18, 2012

Our Miami correspondent, Andrea Kavanagh, is back and house-hunting for us! Calling all billionaire art aficionados and free-spending, globe-trotting investors! Miami is all a buzz over Ocean Drive’s most infamous residence to hit the sizzling hot real estate market at a whopping $125 million. Casa Casuarina, also known as the Versace mansion, is an iconic oasis – a piece of art and a piece of history sitting in the middle of South Beach. Located at 1116 Ocean Drive, the mansion is also notorious as the former home of Italian designer Gianni Versace who was shot to death at the front gate in 1997. Grisly as that was, it remains one of the most popular tourist sites in Miami.

Posted in Ask Candy, Austin real estate, Austin real estate news, Beach Homes, CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Casa Casuarina, Gianni Versace, Miami, Ocean Drives, real estate, Versace | 2 Comments

Happy Fourth of July to All Second and Vacation Home Lovers!

Written by Candy Evans on July 4, 2012

Happy Fourth of July, 2012. We live the American Dream of real estate here in Texas more than anywhere. Maybe it’s because we learned our lesson back in the 1980′s — R.I.P. Danny Faulkner. Not only did we learn, we RETAINED. When I was in Denver at the National Association of Real Estate Editors Conference last month, Mark Fleming, the dashing economist for CoreLogic, told me over drinks that what saved our butts this time around was our state set limits on HELOCs, or home improvement loans. In Texas, we are limited on what we can borrow against our homesteads. That is what kept many of us from over-borrowing, so when the market fell we were not left with underwater loans*. I walked into our bank yesterday, Comerica, which I LOVE — who else sends you a thank-you note when you pay off a loan? But more than three people asked if they could offer me a home-improvement loan in the course of one hour. You know me, I’d buy a second home in a heartbeat! Our laws in Texas saved us, said Mark, in spite of ourselves. Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Homes, CandysDirt.com, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Home Improvement Loans, Mark Fleming, National Association Of Real Estate Editors Conference, real estate, Sean Paytons Vaquero, Texas | Comments Off

Did Sean Payton and His Wife of Almost 20 Years Just File for Divorce? Dallas Real Estate News

Written by Candy Evans on July 4, 2012

Ryan Jones over at the Times-Picayune reports that New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has apparently, cryptically filed for divorce from his wife, Beth. Tricky, but smart move here: a Tarrant County divorce petition was filed on June 14, the filings using initials so as to avoid making the Paytons’ identities public. Ryan says:

Posted in Beach Homes, CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Beth Payton, Beth Tricky, New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton, Ryan Jones, Tarrant County, Vaquero Ryan | 2 Comments

The SecondShelters Story: Why I am so Darn Tootin’ Obsessed with Real Estate and Vacation Homes

Written by Candy Evans on May 7, 2012

Real estate rules. But have I ever told you my story, why I am so obsessed with real estate and why I blog? It goes like this: I was a journalist, a magazine journalist, who covered real estate as a journalistic beat, then got hooked. I realized that blogging about homes and featuring them on the web is really the only and best way to market homes. If you disagree, I want to know. And I may challenge you to an ad dual. Agents in Silicon Valley don’t even bother with print any more: 89% of buyers search for homes on line, and internet buyers’ incomes are 25% higher than traditional print buyers. By the time a certain listing is printed, that home may have a price change or even be sold, if anyone ever reads it. In fact, the homes we feature are selling sell and when we write about a home, the open houses are overflowing. This one sold four days after our posting. From a reader in Plano: Continue reading →

Posted in Ask Candy, CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Second Shelters | Tagged Internet Buyers, real estate, Residential Real Estate | 3 Comments

North Texas Mansion Champ D’Or Closed Monday: Meet the New Owners

Written by Candy Evans on May 3, 2012

Could they be buying it as a second or third home?

Champ d’Or closed Monday, April 30, according to Laura Brady of Concierge Auctions. Which means it is official: Shirley and Al Goldfield no longer own the Hickory Creek mega mansion they have been trying to sell almost since the day they completed the 40,000 square foot plus home. Talk about things you might regret: I saw Realtor Marilyn Hoffman a few weeks ago at the patron party for the Dallas Art Fair. She told me she once brought Mr. Goldfield an offer for $44 million he turned down. Another high profile agent tells me he was almost kicked out of the house when he offered to take the listing for an asking price of no more than $29 million back in 2009. We know Champ sold at auction a month ago at a reserve starting at $10.3 million, which means that was the minimum bidding price. Do you recall the story I wrote with another luxury real estate auction house when I asked what would happen if the reserve was not even met?

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real estate market news, Second Shelters | Tagged Al Goldfield, Champ D'Or, Dallas Art Fair, Laura Brady, Marilyn Hoffman, Mr Goldfield, real estate | Comments Off

When the Second Home is Better Than The First: Sean Payton Buys $3.4 Million Vaquero House Complete With Lit Up Disco!

Written by Candy Evans on March 9, 2012

It’s official, he owns dirt in the Lone Star State. Sean Payton and fam are now card-carrying Texans! In early January, Sean and his wife bought a stunning 7,785 square foot home in a delicious part of Vaquero that is honestly one of the most beautiful homes I’ve seen out there, maybe anywhere. I mean, no offense NOLA, but you would not find a house like this in Louisiana. No way Jose. PLEASE check out this slide show for detailed photos. Continue reading →