There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

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Preston Hollow, particularly the area north of Walnut Hill, has a strong sense of community — real estate agent Katherine Roberts, who has lived there for more than 20 years, describes it as "big yards and big hearts."

She is currently doing an extensive remodel on her home because, "I plan to stay another 20 years. It is such an easy place to live."

Not only do most of the homes sit on large, beautifully treed lots, but neighbors often throw block parties and the area's central location puts everything within reach.

"Target is five minutes away and several grocery stores — Tom Thumb, Central Market, Whole Foods — are on the corner," Roberts says. "Both airports are easy to get to, and private schools like Hockaday and St. Mark's are so close."

Roberts has been working in real estate since 1993, having grown up in Dallas. "I married a man from Dallas, our parents still live nearby, and we have cousins and friends all over the city," she says. "Dallas is home!"

Roberts offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Preston Hollow. Here’s her guide to the area:

 Where to eat & drink
"There are so many great restaurants in the neighborhood, and, if you're a regular, they greet you by name at the door," Roberts says.

Her list of favorites is long: The Mercury, Ziziki's, Mi Cocina, Saucy's Thai & Pho, White Rock Coffee, Eatzi's, TJ's Seafood Market & Grill, Maple Leaf Diner, Princi Italia, and milkshakes at the Dougherty's Pharmacy counter.

"I can't wait to see the end result of the newly rebuilt portion of Preston Royal," she says, referring to the part of the shopping center where Central Market just reopened. "The store was wonderful to the neighborhood before the tornado and after the tornado, and now that it has reopened it continues to be a neighborhood favorite."

 Where to play
"The Northaven Trail is such a wonderful addition to the neighborhood, and more and more people use it every month," Roberts says.

The Cooper Clinic is in this neighborhood, as is the Preston Forest location of CYL Sauna Studio — a "hidden gem opened by two Dallas women. It's an incredible place to relax and do something for yourself."

And according to Roberts, the best toy store in the city — The Toy Maven — has its original location in Preston Royal.

 Where to live
"The lot sizes here allow for plenty of flexibility," Roberts says. "Most properties are on at least a third of an acre, which allows for lots of room in the traditional ranch-style homes that were built here in the 1950s and '60s."

When those are torn down, she continues, two-story homes with a contemporary edge are often built in their place. "They fit nicely in the neighborhood, and they all blend well together," she reassures.

Roberts has sold a number of homes on two streets in particular: Orchid Lane and Norway Road, having sold three on Norway this year alone.

There are also pockets of zero-lot-line home developments, so when residents are ready to downsize and convert to a lock-and-leave lifestyle, they don't have to leave the neighborhood.

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 Katherine Roberts lives, works, and plays in Preston Hollow, north of Walnut Hill. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email kroberts@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-457-7878.