Category Archives: Real Estate

Top-5 Friday: Dreaming of a Cool Getaway on Kauai, Hawaii’s Mystical Island!

Written by Joanna England on May 3, 2013

Brrr! It’s the first week of May and it’s chilly in Dallas! Aren’t we supposed to be basking in 72-degree weather and enjoying cocktails on our covered porches?

If that’s what you really want to do, then perhaps looking into a second home in a tropical locale is in order. Me? I’m taking my dreamboat to Kauai, Hawaii! This island is so gorgeous, with forests, plantations, mountains, and tons of gorgeous ocean views. The breaks are perfect for surfing, and with every gorgeous home comes a lanai worthy of admiration.

Posted in Beach Homes, Hawaii, Real Estate, Second Shelters | Tagged Hawaii Vacation home, Kauai Hawaii, Kauai Vacation Home, Tropical Locale | 1 Comment

Long Cove on Cedar Creek Lake Appoints Director of Resident Services. And Yes, He Paddleboards

Written by Candy Evans on April 17, 2013

Long Cove is a new, private residential community located just over an hour from Dallas on Cedar Creek Lake. The area is getting a ton of buzz.

Some good news is coming out of East Texas: Long Cove is getting it on. This coincides nicely with some positive news about the second home market: it is no longer dead! Second home sales are up by more than ten percent, while 11% of all real estate purchased nationwide goes for a second homes.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, House Candy, Lake homes, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Cedar Creek Lake, Long Cove, second homes | 2 Comments

Luxury Second Home Fractional Sales Heating Up: Calistoga Ranch Sells Out

Written by Candy Evans on April 11, 2013

In California, they have even sold out of the most famous outdoor showers in the world! The award-winning Calistoga Ranch in the Napa Valley has sold out of its private residence club offering.

Posted in Beach Homes, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Calistoga, Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley, Wine Country | 1 Comment

The Floor Report: How About Floors Made of Sand in Your Second Home?

Written by Candy Evans on March 27, 2013

I saw these coolio floors in a restaurant down in Nassau, The Bahamas, where we visited second homes this past weekend. This is the floor at a beach club restaurant called, appropriately, “Footprints”. Yes, the entire floor is made of sand. No, they don’t vacuum it but rather sweep and rake it nightly. The restaurant is adjacent to the pool area and encourages casual dining, but turns elegant at night. How cool would floors like this be for some rooms in a beach house? I mean, that sand is going to come in regardless!

Posted in Beach Homes, emerging real estate markets, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Albany, Beach Club Restaurant, Floor, Nassau The Bahamas, Sand floors | 2 Comments

Top-5 Friday: Ski Season Scene Stealers Top List of Luxury Chalets in Park City, Utah

Written by Joanna England on March 1, 2013

Ski season is almost over, but don’t let that keep you from daydreaming about the perfect ski chalet in Park City, Utah’s Deer Valley. Known as the best place to buy a luxury ski home, this area is full of multi million-dollar beauties that will make you bat your eyelashes. And, of course, you’ll have plenty to do with the annual Sundance Film Festival, too. Here are a few of our favorites that will be perfect to host a gaggle of snow bunnies for the perfect apres ski! Continue reading →

Posted in Real Estate, Second Home furnishings, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Canyons Ski RetreatThis, Luxury Second Home Listings, Luxury Second Homes, Luxury Ski, Park City, Park City Ski, Park City Utahs Deer Valley, Second Home Market, Ski Chalet | 1 Comment

Buy This Ranch and You Will Instantly Become a Super Country Western Star???

Written by Candy Evans on February 20, 2013

That’s why, I guess the folks promoting this nice little ranch in Van Alystyne, Texas put this guitar crooner on the website for the ranch. Like, front and center. Five bedrooms, four and a half baths, this place is billed as 30 acres of a horse rancher’s paradise with an executive home, pool, hot tub, riding arena, stables, bunk house, and will only set you back $899,995.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Ranches, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Bedrooms, Front And Center, Horse Ranchers, Little Ranch, Van Alystyne Texas | 1 Comment

T. Boone Picken’s Most Romantic Home in Dallas Would Make a Great Empty Nest Texas Retreat. But No Windmills…

Written by Candy Evans on February 14, 2013

T. Boone Pickens may be a legendary Texas oil and gas executive, and a huge force behind wind energy, but there are no windmills on his Preston Hollow estate in Dallas, Texas. There are gardens, sculpted and manicured French gardens that will make you think you are in Versailles so much that “mais oui” will roll right off your tongue! He is now selling his Dallas estate in the heart of Preston Hollow for $7 million. And it is not listed in MLS. The home was built in 1996, but then when T. Boone and his wife, Madeleine bought it in July, 2005 for about five million, it was redone to the max. And I do mean the max. From a four bedroom home with a master on the first floor, it was taken to a three bedroom home with an expanded second floor master. In fact, the new master bathroom is so large it features a writing desk — what a splendid idea! The new master closet is larger than most starter homes. Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, emerging real estate markets, House Candy, Real Estate, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Boone Pickens, Dallas, Dallas real estate, Dallas Texas, French Gardens, Preston Hollow, T Boone, T. Boone Pickens | Comments Off

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

Classic Christmas In Oslo, Norway, Bring Light During Darkest Season

Written by Joanna England on December 28, 2012

We love getting vacation and second-home photos from readers, especially the unconventional. A loyal reader sent us his photos of Christmas lights from Oslo, Norway, which gets only 5 hours of sunlight on the clearest days in December.

Posted in Real Estate, Second Shelters | Tagged Christmas Lights, Holiday Decorations, Oslo, Oslo Norway, Photos, second homes, Vacation | 1 Comment

Tourists Are Returning to Hawaii, and So Are Vacation Home Buyers – Honua Kai

Written by Candy Evans on October 22, 2012

Tourism is up in Hawaii, which is a very good sign for Hawaiian real estate. The number one reason buyers purchase a vacation home in any location is because they love it. It goes like this: visit the location, love it, feel like you never want to leave. This is the point where buyers start perusing the real estate and actually, finally, pulling out the checkbook.