Category Archives: Real Estate

Hot Dallas Agents: Richard Soto of VIP Realty is Kind of a VIP Himself!

Written by Candy Evans on May 10, 2012

Meet Richard Soto, owner/broker of VIP Realty here in Dallas. Richard has an interesting story: he is an agent who spends more time on marketing and SEO than he actually does selling. That’s because Richard is an extremely tech-savvy agent, and he knows where his business comes from: the web. Whether it’s Dallas homes for sale, Fort Worth real estate or Dallas Condos, Richard always tries to maximize his listings’ SEO, he says: that’s job one! In fact, our interview was conducted via video shot at Richard’s desk when he was down in Houston, then emailed me. Love it!

Champ d’Or Mansion in Denton County, Texas Auctioned Off, SOLD!

Written by Candy Evans on April 1, 2012

I have been on pins and needles waiting out this auction, bugging Robbie Briggs and Laura Brady at Concierge Actions all day yesterday. At about eight p.m. Friday night Robbie Briggs emailed me that “It was a fascinating process, and it appears to be successful.” Saturday morning I heard from Laura Brady who said — “we haven’t released details to anyone… the high bidder has formally requested confidentiality about their name and the high bid amount.” Which means the house did sell, we just don’t know for how much and who it sold to.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, Famous Architects, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Realtor news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Champ d' Or, Concierge, Concierge Auctions, Confidentiality Clause, Denton County Appraisal District Champ DOr, Laura Brady, Robbie Briggs | Leave a comment

Former President Lydon B. Johnson’s “Dear” Ranch Now Available in Johnson City, Texas Hill Country

Written by Candy Evans on March 18, 2012

This is a very special ranch, probably one of the most unique you’ve ever seen… dear in more ways than one. Even better: I can talk about it from total personal experience! This is the Benini Sculpture Ranch in Johnson City, Texas, 142 acres of beautiful Hill Country terrain enhanced with gorgeous, artistic sculptures. The prevailing story is that it was once owned by former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, a Texas legend of course and the 36th president of the U.S. Yes, the town is named after him and the LBJ ranch is only a few miles from this ranch.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, On the Market, Ranches, Real Estate, Second Shelters | Tagged Benini Sculpture Ranch, Johnson City, Johnson City Texas Acres, LBJ Ranch, Personal Experience, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, shared ownership ranches, The Preserve at Walnut Springs | 4 Comments

Fame Put on Foundation Here: Dallas’s Mary Kay Ash Home Hits the Real Estate Market Once Again, This Time a Steal at $3.3

Written by Candy Evans on February 2, 2012

For more details and all the local Dallas Real estate News, click on over to www.CandysDirt.com

Karen Luter of Allie Beth Allman tells me she has been working her fingers to the bone for weeks trying to get this home ready for sale. Will be in MLS next week. Not much besides the price has changed at 8915 Douglas since the late Mary Kay Ash – do I need to add she was the famous founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics?— moved out to return to her home off Boedecker because she thought the mansion was too big. It is ginormous: 12,000 square feet. Built in 1984, but remodeled in 2000. Located in coveted Old Preston Hollow, on over one acre of manicured lawns with fountains, pools, koi ponds, arboretum like gardens, there is Brazilian teakwood flooring, grand sweeping staircases (two or three), statues, arcades of Corinthian columns, wine cellar, walls of beveled glass windows, hand painted murals, original pink quartz-marble hardware, indescribe-able mill work and a pink quartz toilet. Er, commode. I think that lime green carpet on the stairs is the original that hosted many a top producer party. The kitchen has the original white Corian counters and I believe that may even be Mary Kay’s own breakfast table under the massive chandelier. The current owner’s furniture tastes are a bit more “antique” — when I first saw the home years ago, right after Mary Kay had moved out, it held no oriental rugs. Asking $3,300,000 which is less than DCAD appraised value. Formerly listed with Myla Patton of Patton International Real Estate for $5.7 in 2007, then listed with Linda Jordan Hobbs over at Ebby for $4,995,000, which is about what DCAD thinks. Myla was again considered for the listing.

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, Real Estate, Second Shelters | Tagged Allie Beth Allman, Dallas Real Estate News Click, Karen Luter, Mary Kays, Myla Patton, Patton International Real Estate | 6 Comments

Great Second Home at The Harbor, Possum Kingdom REDUCED, Relaxing, Ranch Lake Resort Living: Texas Second Home News

Written by Candy Evans on January 22, 2012

So it’s January, the holiday decorations are FINALLY put up, and I am determined to spend next Christmas in our second home. Look at what I just found at Possum Kingdom Lake: the owners are relocating to Chicago— they need to sell this place to buy furs! I am liking this location, a perfect combination of the RLR –ranch~lake~resort living in the Hill Country, but two hours west of Dallas/Fort Worth.

The Hill Country begins in Palo Pinto County!

Posted in Ranches, Real Estate, Second Home deals, Second Shelters | Tagged Hill Country, Palo Pinto County Thenbsphome, Perfect Combination, Possum Kingdom Lake, second homes in Texas | Comments Off

Does The Star’s Bankruptcy Mean Tom Hicks is Downsizing and Tom Gaglardi is Moving to Dallas?

Written by Candy Evans on September 16, 2011

Update: It seems all these sports teams buying, selling and going belly-up are very good for the local real estate market. Remember, it brought Chuck Greenberg to Vaquero! This post is also on CandysDirt.com.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second Shelters | Tagged Chuck Greenberg, Dallas Morning News, Dallas Stars, Forbes Billionaires List, Robert Schlegel, Sutton Place Hotels, Tom Gaglardi, Western Hockey League | Comments Off

Winter Spring Summer and Fall, All You Have To Do is Call — Carole King’s Idaho Ranch Now a Blue Light Special

Written by Candy Evans on August 30, 2011

The price has been slashed from $16 million to just $11.5 for this amazing ranch spread one hour and a half north of the sleepy Ketchum/Sun Valley ski community of Hemingway fame. Located in the tiny town of Stanley, Idaho, and how cute is that name? (Not to be Debbie Downer, but Hemingway did commit suicide in Ketchum, which is really the town’s only claim to fame.) Prices soft in the Sun Valley environs these days; I hear there are tons of deals to steal.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, Idaho homes, On the Market, Ranches, Real Estate, Real estate market news, real estate taxes, Second Shelters | Tagged Debbie Downer, National Forest Lands, National Recreation Area, Professional Recording Studio, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Town Of Stanley | 5 Comments

Five Percent of the Nation’s Housing Units Qualify as Second Homes. But Where The Hec Are They?

Written by Candy Evans on August 29, 2011

VERY interesting story here from the National Association of Home Builders that tells us where most of the second homes in the United States are located. There are 6.9 million housing units that qualify as second homes — that’s about 5% of all the U.S. housing units. There are 26 counties where at least HALF of the housing stock consists of second homes. This was surprising: six of those counties were in Michigan, five in Colorado, and two each in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania!) Utah, Massachusetts and California. One such county was located in each of these states — New York, Alaska, Idaho, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas and New Jersey. Not surprising, large stocks of second homes are located in areas with larger populations. Since at least one county in each of these states contains more than 25,000 second homes, these are the second home hot spots: Florida, California, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Delaware, Michigan, South Carolina, Nevada, Massachusetts, Illinois and Arizona. Not surprising — coastal areas, mountains, and major metropolitan areas.