Candy's House of the Week

Plain Jane Preston Hollow ranch gets sexy new life as sleek, minimalist retreat

Smart landscaping at 6255 Park Ln. has kept maintenance and watering way down onthe list of honey-do chores.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co
The kitchen at 6255 Park Ln. has been upgraded to the nines.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co
Backyard boasts a sleek, rectangular pool.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co
The his-and-hers sink in the master bath may be the longest in Texas.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co
One of two living areas, which both boast mosaic-tiled fireplaces.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co
Master bedroom is airy and bright, with original hardwoods polished to a shine.
Photo courtesy of Clay Stapp + Co

I have been watching this home for three weeks, wondering when a hungry buyer would gobble it up. Builder Marc Marion transformed what was once a plain Jane 1948 North Dallas ranch into a minimalist’s dream smack dab in the center of Preston Hollow.

At 6255 Park Ln., you get 2,509 square feet plus all your heart desires on a half-acre lot. That’s three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, two living areas, two-car garage and everything imaginable (and then some) within the thick, Austin-stone clad walls.

Several years ago, building experts and appraisers told me about homes like this: leaner, less than 3,000 square feet, and just what the 2013 buyer wants. This house may be lean, but inside it is mean and as loaded as a 767.

The kitchen is sleekly outfitted with stainless appliances upgraded so high they might actually take off.

This home has the original hardwoods polished to a gleam, which really warms the interior, plus quartz counters and glass, glass, glass everywhere. The kitchen is sleekly outfitted with stainless appliances upgraded so high they might actually take off.

I love the two living areas with mosaic-tiled fireplaces, but the master suite in this home is what really turns me on. Check out the extra-long his-and-hers sink in the luxurious master bath. It may be longest sink in the state of Texas. The soaking tub is extra deep, and the car-wash shower features multiple heads so you can literally blast yourself clean.

As if everything were not already perfect, the oasis of a backyard boasts a clean-lined rectangular pool and circular sun deck set against a backdrop of lush, mature greenery. Although the yard is large enough to add a guest house, it is not overwhelming; smart landscaping has kept maintenance and watering way down on the list of honey-do chores.

Location is triple-A. Need I point out the proximity to NorthPark Center, Preston Center or the Dallas North Tollway? The price for this slice of Park Lane paradise listed with Clay Stapp of Clay Stapp + Co: $1,279,000.

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bang for your buck

These are the 10 most affordable ZIP codes for Dallas-area renters

Photo by Jenifer McNeil Baker for Greystar

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Buying a home in Dallas is difficult enough to afford these days, and doubly so if you're already paying high rent on an apartment or a house. But there are 10 Dallas-Fort Worth ZIP codes where renters can get the most bang for their buck, according to a new study by financial services company CashNetUSA.

To find the most affordable ZIP codes to rent in the U.S., analysts compared median household incomes by ZIP code to the average annual rent costs using the Zillow Observed Rent Index. ZIP codes where the average annual rental costs required the lowest percentage of median household income were considered the "most affordable."

Two Dallas suburbs and their ZIP codes specifically stood out in CashNetUSA's ranking of the most affordable ZIPs for renters across the Metroplex: 75013 in Allen (No. 1) and 75033 in Frisco (No. 2).

According to the study's findings, the average monthly cost of a rental in Allen comes out to $1,716.45, and the median annual income of an Allen household is $145,220. Analysts then calculated that the annual rent of a home in the Allen ZIP code only takes up 14.18 percent of a household's median income, which is the No. 1 lowest in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Allen was recently named one of the best small cities to live in, with a scorching hot real estate market to match its thriving popularity and growth.

In Frisco's 75033 ZIP, annual rent costs only represent 14.89 percent of a household's median annual income. The area – which encompasses the Meadow Hill Estates, Preston Highlands North, Christie Ranch, Newman Village, Shaddock Creek Estates, and Collin neighborhoods – has a median household income of $149,525, and average rent costs add up to $1,855.49, according to the study.

Meanwhile, Dallas' own 75214 ZIP code ranked No. 8 in the metro-wide ranking of most affordable ZIPs for renters. This area consists of several established Dallas neighborhoods, including Northeast Dallas, Wilshire Heights, Lakewood, Lakewood Hills, Junius Heights, and Munger Place.

The median annual income for a household in 75214 comes out to $104,583, and the average rental costs $1,669.40 per month. That means annual rent payments account for 19.15 percent of a household's median income, according to the study.

The seven other ZIPs that make up the top 10 most affordable ZIP codes for renters in Dallas-Fort Worth include:

No. 3 – 76248 in Keller
No. 4 – 76085 in Weatherford
No. 5 – 76262 in Roanoke
No. 6 – 75078 in Prosper
No. 7 – 75048 in Sachse
No. 9 – 75077 in Highland Village
No. 10 – 75093 in Plano

Top ZIP codes for renters in the U.S.
CashNetUSA found the No. 1 most affordable ZIP code for renters nationwide is 66224 in Leawood, Kansas, where annual rent only takes a 10.57 percent cut out of a household's median annual income.

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio's 78248 ZIP ranked as the No. 4 most affordable ZIP code for renters in the U.S., and the No. 1 most affordable ZIP code statewide.

Two Houston-area ZIP codes – 77401 and 77094 – ranked No. 9 and No. 12 nationally, while Allen's 75013 ZIP code fell two spots behind to claim the No. 14 spot.

frisco suburbs zip codes rent