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

3421 Southwestern is a beautiful example of a newer transitional home in University Park.

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Some people move to University Park; others never really leave. Sylvia Scott and Lezley Nugent of the Nugent + Scott Group at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty are firmly in the second camp.

Scott has called University Park home since 1999 — and she is still in her first house, though the family has expanded it a couple of times along the way. Her husband grew up in UP, and the two wanted to raise their family in the same schools and community he loved growing up in.

Nugent has lived and worked in University Park since graduating from college in 1994. A self-described small-town girl at heart who has grown to love the city, she has spent her entire 12-year real estate career in the neighborhood.

"I know the Park Cities like the back of my hand, so it was natural to make University Park, where I live, my prime area of expertise," says Scott, who has worked the area for nearly 20 years.

What keeps them both here is a small-town warmth that is increasingly rare this close to a major city.

"I love that you can go to almost any restaurant, shop, or grocery store and almost always run into someone you know," Scott says. "It's a nice opportunity to stay in touch with the community. The small-town vibe is still there and is comforting, and I believe you can always find 'your people' here. I love that there are still darling, well-kept cottages in addition to gorgeous new construction homes. We have beautiful community parks and a spectacular community pool, and public areas are beautifully landscaped. Improvements to our popular shopping areas have mirrored that beauty."

"My kids grew up playing front-yard football and other pickup games with 10-plus kids from the block and surrounding streets," Nugent says. "University Park has the combination of beautiful neighborhoods, exceptional schools, and a true sense of community support, all in the heart of Dallas."

Scott and Nugent offered up a few of their personal favorites about life in University Park. Here's their guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
The pair's current favorites are Il Bracco, Honor Bar, and Sueno — "delicious food and fun vibes," says Scott, with Sueno earning top honors as Nugent's new favorite.

All are minutes from the neighborhood's beloved shopping and dining areas — Snider Plaza, Lovers Lane, and nearby Highland Park Village — whose improvements have mirrored the beauty of the community itself.

Where to play
Pickleball is having a moment in University Park, and Scott and Nugent point to the pickleball courts at Williams Park on University Boulevard by the fire station as a big draw.

Nugent's pick for a hidden gem is Elena's Children's Park, and Scott counts the neighborhood's beautiful community parks and its "spectacular" community pool among the perks of life in UP.

What to see
Southern Methodist University is a pretty big draw to Dallas, "and we're proud they're here," Scott says. The SMU Tate Lecture Series brings world-renowned speakers and thinkers to the neighborhood each season.

For museum lovers, Nugent points to the Dallas Museum of Art, just minutes away.

Where to live
Beautiful homes in all styles — traditional, modern, and architecturally significant — adorn the neighborhood's tree-lined streets, says Scott, who notes that University Park is home to several amazing Charles Dilbeck homes that are highly sought-after and preserved.

The architectural style most associated with UP is traditional, particularly Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, and Georgian, Nugent explains. Many of the original homes date from the 1920s through the 1940s, and today those historic residences sit alongside newer traditional and transitional custom homes.

Two recent sales show the range. Scott represented the seller of 6825 Golf Drive, a spectacular custom-built home overlooking Curtis Park and Turtle Creek. Nugent sold 3616 Beverly — technically just across the line in Highland Park — off-market, through her networking and relationships with other agents she has worked with for years; the home is a classic example of the Richard Drummond Davis architectural style.

"Lezley Nugent is savvy and smart and has a strong reputation in the community— she navigated our home sale with the utmost professionalism," says the seller of the 3616 Beverly. "I appreciated her approach in gathering a few critical agents from her office and other firms, agents who were well versed in the nuances of HP neighborhoods, to get their 'read' on our property before rolling it out to the top agents and builders who are active in HP. Lezley’s sophisticated approach and knowledge of the property resonated with the buyer, and the house was soon under contract. She is a strong negotiator, we got the price we were seeking, and it closed within our requested time period. I highly recommend her."

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Sylvia Scott and Lezley Nugent live, work, and play in University Park. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here for Scott or here for Nugent, email sscott@briggsfreeman.com or lnugent@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-536-4414 or 214-533-6332. Follow them on Facebook at Nugent & Scott Real Estate Group and Instagram @nugentandscottgroup and @lezleynugent.