Your Expert Guide

Oak Cliff: Hidden gem energy with historic charm just south of Dallas

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.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

Midcentury modern is just one of the home styles you'll find in Oak Cliff.

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Ever since she got her real estate license in 2006, Kay Wood has been drawn to Oak Cliff. Two years later she became a resident, having chosen the area not only for its location — while her business is in Dallas, her husband works in Fort Worth — but also for its engaged and diverse community, many of whom have called the South Dallas area home for generations.

"Oak Cliff has great energy," the real estate agent says. "There have always been artists, advocates, and entrepreneurs here. People get involved in big and small ways; neighbors still look out for each other. My family loves to visit our many incredible neighborhood restaurants and participate in community events like the Mardi Gras parade and its Dash for the Beads or iBike Rosemont."

Tucked into the Winnetka Heights neighborhood in Oak Cliff, 306 N. Windomere is currenty listed for sale by Kay. This Beautiful historic home is full of character and in close proximity to Kessler Theater and several favorite local restaurants. It boasts hardwood floors, tall ceilings, and plantation shutters, all complemented by transitional fixtures and chic natural stone.

Welcome to 306 N. Windomere, located in Oak Cliff.Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

Before she entered real estate, Wood was a college art history professor. Her mother is an architect, so with those two combined Wood likes to say that houses are in her blood. And Oak Cliff has plenty to satisfy her cravings.

"I loved the diversity and integrity of the architecture here," she says. "When I first started showing homes in Oak Cliff, they were so much less expensive than comparable homes in other parts of the city. That's maybe not quite as true now because the secret is out, but Oak Cliff still has a lot of wonderful and affordable neighborhoods."

Wood offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Oak Cliff. Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
"There are too many to name!" Wood says. "I do love that I can go to a different great local coffee shop every day of the week. I'm a working mom with three kids — I drink a lot of coffee."

A couple of Wood's new favorite restaurant experiences in the area include sitting on the patio at Cenzo's Pizza & Deli with friends or enjoying date night at Otaru.

"While technically West Dallas, my family loves riding our bikes to Manhattan Project Beer Company or Cibo Divino for dinner," shares Wood. "Nova is such a wonderful neighborhood watering hole, and we always know we can get great a meal and stellar service at Encina. I love the produce at Cox Farms (it's the only place I will buy avocados). The gems of Oak Cliff aren't all that hidden these days. The secret is out."

If you're ready for a full day's eating itinerary, Wood has plenty more to recommend:

For breakfast: Tribal All Day, El Jordan, TacoDeli, Trade's Deli, or Norma's (my kids' favorite).

For tacos (because priorities): Taco Y Vino or Maskaras (but for elotes, always the guy at El Si Hay).

For drinks: Nova, Manhattan Project, Tiny Victories, Ayahuasca at Xaman, The Wild Detectives, and Old Monk OC is a new favorite.

For lunch/dinner: La Bodega, La Campiña, Eno's, Tribal All-Day Cafe, Whisk, the newly relocated Lucia, Written by the Seasons, and the newly opened Pillar.

For coffee: Houndstooth, La Reunion, Wayward, Hola, Davis Street Espresso, Xaman, Little Joy, and Peaberry.

For bakery/dessert: Joy Macarons (especially the pistachio ice cream), Oak Cliff Bread, Cretia's, Melt, Emporium Pies, and Picole are some of our favorites.

Where to play
There are plenty of way to stay active in Oak Cliff. Wood names Stevens Park Golf Course, Oak Cliff Pilates, the Coombs Creek Trail, and Kiest Park as favorites, along with a day spent traversing the Dallas Zoo.

"I'm so looking forward to the forthcoming Halperin Park (formerly Southern Gateway Park, currently being built over I-35 by the Dallas Zoo) and Harold Simmons Park," she notes.

What to see
See a concert at The Kessler, watch new and classic movies — and sometimes live events — at the historic Texas Theater, or spend hours wandering the Bishop Arts District, which is packed with restaurants and boutiques (and is a hot spot for visiting celebrities).

Where to live
"Whatever style of home you want, Oak Cliff has great examples," says Wood. "Tudor? Traditional? Craftsman? Midcentury modern? You name it, we have it."

Wood points out that this is due in part to the area's numerous historic and conservation districts, but also thanks to generations of neighbors taking pride in their homes.

"If you want a Craftsman, you have Winnetka Heights, Kings Highway, Kidd Springs, and Lake Cliff," Wood says, listing Oak Cliff neighborhoods. "If you want a Tudor, Kessler Park has some of the best. For midcentury modern, check out East Kessler, Kiestwood, Wynnewood North, or Wynnewood Hills. Want a Dilbeck? There are a number of them in Stevens Park and L.O. Daniel. Contemporary? Kessler Woods or East Kessler. There are so many more, almost too many to list!"

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Kay Wood lives, works, and plays in Oak Cliff. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email kwood@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-908-5442.

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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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