Haute House

Dallas restaurant and design icon's gem of a home hits the market

It's not often that the home of a Dallas legend comes up for sale, and it's rarer still when the house itself is an architectural gem.

For more than two decades, Marilyn Lenox and her husband Bill — of Bob's Steak and Chop House and Antèks Home Furnishings fame — filled 5349 Drane Dr. with memories. Bill's passing in early 2017 prompted Marilyn to downsize, and now the stunning French Colonial in Greenway Parks is on the market for $2,995,000.

It was originally constructed in 1985 by former builder Cathy Dann. As she meant it to be her personal home, the materials, finish-outs, and level of detail are exquisite, complementing a floorplan that's big on square footage (6,698) but designed so that the rooms still feel intimate.

The floorplan is what got the Lenoxes to stop and take notice; after viewing more than 200 properties during their house hunt, they knew immediately that this one was perfect.

One major selling point is the two master bathroom suites — that's right, his-and-hers full bathrooms instead of merely his-and-hers sinks. There are four more full bathrooms and one powder room, all in complement of the five bedrooms, four masonry fireplaces, three-car garage, double dishwashers in the chef's kitchen, and resort-style pool and spa.

There are a few other bonus features that fall into the category of "didn't know were needed but now can't live without": an impressive wine room just off the living room bar, the grand porte cochere in the circle drive, and a mosquito misting system in the backyard.

All this, and in Greenway Parks too. This section of Dallas is adjacent to Highland Park, on the west side of the Tollway. The neighborhood is known for its big lots, active and tight-knit community — expect events whenever there's a holiday or even the slightest reason to celebrate — and safe streets, thanks to the off-duty Dallas police officers who are contracted to patrol the area.

Ty Vaughn with The Associates Realty has the listing, which has attracted quite a bit of attention since going live. Considering the home's pedigree, we'd expect nothing less.

The home at 5349 Drane Dr. is listed for $2,995,000.

Photo courtesy of The Associates Realty

The home at 5349 Drane Dr. is listed for $2,995,000.

promoted home-for-sale

Suburbs news

North Dallas neighbor ranks as No. 1 most affordable city in U.S.

Photo courtesy of City of McKinney

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A Dallas suburb has landed on top of a new list of the most affordable places to live: McKinney ranked No. 1 based on its relative cost of living and high median household income.

The report by personal finance experts Motley Fool Money, "The 10 Most Affordable Cities With High Salaries and Low Costs of Living," compared hundreds of U.S. cities based on their income-to-expense ratio, where a higher ratio means better affordability. Median income was sourced from U.S. Census data, while cost of living was taken from a 2024 cost of living index from the Council for Community and Economic Research.

McKinney had the highest income-to-expense ratio (1.55) out of every U.S. city on the list to claim the No. 1 spot as the most affordable place to live. According to the report's analysts, McKinney's cost of living index is three points below the national average.

Residents in this Dallas suburb make a median income of $116,654, a staggering 43 percent higher than the national median. That's more than enough to cover the report's estimate of $75,348 for the city's cost of living.

Motley Fool Money says McKinney is alluring for "mid-career Americans."

"The average age [in McKinney] is 37 and the median property value is $440,000, which is about $20,000 higher than the national median home sales price," the report's author wrote. "The largest industries are professional, scientific and technical services, retail, and healthcare."

Plano also earned a spot in the top 10 most affordable places to live, coming in at No. 6 with an income-to-expense ratio of 1.28.

The findings show Plano households make about $108,594 in median annual income to offset an $84,931 cost of living estimate. No wonder residents are happier here than in any other city in Texas.

Plano Arts District Photo by David Downs/Visit Plano

Plano's economy is the strongest factor attracting people to this popular suburb, as well as greater Dallas-Fort Worth's entrepreneurial spirit.

"Toyota Motor North America has its headquarters in Plano, and other large companies have significant footprints there including JPMorgan, JCPenney, and Frito-Lay," the report said.

Plano also excels as one of the best places to raise a family, demonstrating the city's true versatility for both career-focused and family-focused Americans.

Though both McKinney and Plano ranked on the list of the most affordable cities to live, neither appeared in Motley Fool Money's separate ranking of the cheapest places to live. Earning the No. 1 spot in that category was Decatur, Illinois.

The only Texas cities to rank on the list of the cheapest places to live were the Rio Grande Valley cities of Edinburg (No. 3) and Harlingen (No. 6), as well as Amarillo (No. 10) in West Texas.

The top 10 most affordable places to live in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – McKinney, Texas
No. 2 – Morristown, New Jersey
No. 3 – Edmond, Oklahoma
No. 4 – Midland, Texas
No. 5 – Austin, Texas
No. 6 – Plano, Texas
No. 7 – Joliet, Illinois
No. 8 – Kansas City metropolitan area
No. 9 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 10 – Charleston, South Carolina

dallas suburbs mckinney plano rankings