Your Expert Guide

Far North Dallas: Easy living with food, fun, and fab homes galore

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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Few people know Far North Dallas quite like real estate agent Marty Cobb, a seasoned Global Real Estate Advisor who brings more than two decades of world-class customer service and true Southern hospitality to every client interaction.

Before real estate, Cobb spent nearly 20 years as a flight attendant, becoming a viral household name thanks to her quick wit and warm personality. Perhaps you saw her on The Ellen DeGeneres Show or as a competitor on season 28 of The Amazing Race?

Those same traits — paired with deep market expertise, sharp negotiation skills, and impeccable communication — have made her one of the most trusted guides to living in North Texas.

“I treat every client like family,” Cobb says. “Helping someone find the right home isn’t just a transaction, it’s a relationship. I love connecting people with communities that fit their lifestyle.”

Having lived in Dallas for more than 25 years, she knows Far North Dallas not just as a market, but as a place to live, eat, play, and put down roots.

Cobb offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Far North Dallas. Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
Far North Dallas is surrounded by incredible dining, thanks to its close proximity to Addison’s plentiful restaurants and Hillcrest Village.

Some of Cobb's go-to recommendations include neighborhood staple Renny’s, the fresh sushi at Oishii, Mi Cocina (and yes, you must order a Mambo Taxi), Neighborhood Services for consistently excellent American fare, and Hudson House for martinis, oysters, and brunch.

There's also Cattleack BBQ, a Bib Gourmand-rated barbecue destination worth every minute of the line.

She also notes that being minutes from Addison means endless options: Lupe Tortilla, Lavendou, Cane Rosso at Hillcrest Village, and even more choices that make this pocket of Dallas a true dining haven.

“One of the best things about living here is you never have to go far for an amazing meal,” Cobb says. “Whether it's date night or grabbing something casual with the kids, you’ve got it all nearby.”

Where to play
For outdoor family fun, head to The Cove at Fretz Park and Hillcrest Village Green, a reimagined community hub with a large green space, playground, and frequent events.

Find golf, tennis, and fitness at Bent Tree Country Club, Northwood Club, Prestonwood Country Club, and Banner House (formerly T Bar M Racquet Club), one of Texas’ premier tennis destinations.

WaterTower Theatre at the Addison Performing Arts Centre presents contemporary American plays and musicals year-round, while you can easily while away an afternoon at Valley House Gallery or the Cavanaugh Flight Museum.

During the holidays, Vitruvian Park glows with a magical holiday lights display, while in July Addison Circle Park is home to Kaboom Town, the largest Fourth of July fireworks display in DFW. In September, it hosts the area's definitive Oktoberfest celebration.

“People are always surprised at how much there is to do so close by,” Cobb says. “It’s suburban living without sacrificing convenience or culture.”

Where to live
Far North Dallas offers a remarkable range of homes, making it an ideal neighborhood for first-time buyers, growing families, downsizers, and everyone in between.

“There’s truly something for every buyer in Far North Dallas,” Cobb says, a sentiment that's echoed in the neighborhood’s eclectic architectural mix.

Expect to find: traditional ranch-style homes from the 1950s and ’60s, classic two-story homes from the 1970s and ’80s, and contemporary and modern builds. Larger estate-style homes, including properties on acreage, are common, as are tidy, tree-lined streets and established neighborhoods with character.

“It’s family-friendly, beautifully maintained, and incredibly accessible,” Cobb notes. “People fall in love with how easy life feels here.”

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

Expect to find elegant new builds alongside ranch-style homes from the 1950s and '60s.

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Marty Cobb works and plays in Far North Dallas. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email mcobb@briggsfreeman.com, or call 806-777-7494. Follow Marty on Instagram: @martycobb3.

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Prep to Protest

Texas homeowners have one month to protest and lower their property taxes

Jessie Street home front Austin tour of remodeled homes

Photo courtesy of Austin NARI Tour of Remodeled Homes

Here's how Texans can correct their property taxes when they feel their home appraisal is too high.

Texans who are unhappy with their home appraisal this tax season have a chance to do something about it if they get the process going in the next month. The deadline for most people to protest their property valuation — thus lowering their property tax — in Dallas County is May 15.

If you haven't done it before, don't worry: There are steps to follow online and companies that do it for you at no cost unless you save money.

Why protest?
Texans pay the 7th highest property taxes in the country, according to personal finance website WalletHub. If your county has overappraised your home, you are paying more than you need to in property taxes.

Protests are especially important and easy for people who closed on their homes in the past year, because the value of the property upon sale is accepted as the true value of the property. This assumes that if the property were worth more, it would have sold for more. The more recently the home sold, the more likely it is that homeowners haven't meaningfully altered the property since the purchase.

Submitting a protest is free, and there is almost no risk in doing so. The Appraisal Review Board is prohibited from raising the property value in a hearing. Homeowners may decide it's not worth their time if their appraisal barely changes and they don't save a significant amount of money.

When to submit
Most homeowners whose home has increased in value according to the county should have received a Notice of Appraisal in the mail by now. It tells them how much the county believes their home is worth this year. To check online, homeowners can search for their property at dallascad.org.

The deadline to submit a protest is May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed — whichever comes later. However, the notice may have been lost or delivered to the wrong place, so it is important to check before May 15 just in case. Notices are also sent later for property owners whose primary residence is somewhere else.

There are lots of ways homeowners can try to prove their home value has not increased, or even that it has decreased due to damage on the property. Whether the evidence is photos of damage or "comps" around the neighborhood — comparing the home's value to others of a similar quality in the same area — homeowners submitting their claim themselves should be prepared to meet with an appraiser or even a review board.

Set it and forget it
Homeowners who don't want to deal with the paperwork, phone call, or hearing can hire service to protest on their behalf. For them, savings are essentially passive income; the service uses data from past years and the surrounding neighborhood to argue the client's case. It is easy to find a service that works on a contingency fee, so the cost is only a portion of the successful savings. Ownwell is a popular choice, but it's not the only one.

Finally, homeowners should also make sure they're not leaving money on the table by applying for a homestead exemption. This is available to people who own the homes they live in, as opposed to people who own homes and rent them out to others. It subtracts $140,000 from the total valuation of the home before applying the tax rate.

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