Your Expert Guide

Oak Cliff: The “Brooklyn of Dallas” is a welcoming hub of historic, indie charm

Agent Brian Davis.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

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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While the Bishop Arts District might be considered the crown jewel of Oak Cliff, there is much more to love about this part of Dallas that’s brimming with historic charm, a funky indie spirit, and strong community vibes.

Real estate professional Brian Davis has lived in Oak Cliff for over 20 years, drawn to the hilly terrain, beautiful trees, excellent dining and nightlife, and relaxed atmosphere — and to the architecture of his midcentury ranch home in Wynnewood North, with its spacious walls of glass and large yard.

An out-of-state transplant himself, Davis loves introducing people to the eclectic blend of homes and neighborhoods that define Oak Cliff, which is located directly across the Trinity River from downtown.

“From Craftsman homes in Winnetka Heights to Tudors in Kessler Park, bungalows in East Kessler, and contemporary properties sprinkled throughout, there’s a lot of diversity — and a beautiful home can exist in any style,” says Davis.

Passionate about architecture and the design process, he also loves seeing renovation projects take shape. “I get tremendous satisfaction when we get to bring a swan back to life after years as an ugly duckling,” he adds.

When he’s not working, Davis enjoys his involvement in Big Brothers Big Sisters and his support for the immigration assistance efforts of the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas. He has also served as president of the Wynnewood North Neighborhood Association.

Davis offered up a few of his personal favorites about life in what he calls the “Brooklyn of Dallas.” Here's his guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
“Oak Cliff has many hidden gems, but if you're looking for a classic dive bar with a mix of patrons straight out of an SNL Stefon skit, look no further than Barbara's Pavillion on Centre Street,” says Davis. “It is to Oak Cliff what The Grapevine Bar is to Oak Lawn.”

He also recommends Encina and Nova for great seasonal bites and pints, and Lucia for extra-special occasions (and the best house-cured salumi and handmade pasta around).

Where to play
During the spring and fall, CiboDivino hosts bocce ball games on their lawn on Tuesday nights. “It’s the most fun night of the week!” says Davis, who is an avid enthusiast of the sport.

What to see
For Davis, no trip to Oak Cliff is complete without a stop at the historic Texas Theatre for a movie or Western Heights Cemetery, which dates to the 1850s.

Where to live
“The beauty of life in Oak Cliff is that we have a little bit of everything,” says Davis. “Within the span of a few square miles, you'll find some of the best examples of Tudor, Craftsman, Prairie, Midcentury, and Contemporary homes in the city. Regardless of your favorite style, you'll find it here.”

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Brian Davis lives, works, and plays in the Oak Cliff. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email bdavis@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-924-1442.

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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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