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Last Chapter On 4949 Swiss Avenue, Mary Ellen Bendtsen’s Crumbling Mansion?

Brandon Formby reports that the Texas Supreme Court refused an appeal in the home ownership battle over 4949 Swiss — the decaying mansion of the late Mary Ellen Bendtsen. You may recall the excellent story in the DMN over a year ago about the 86 year old woman who, her daughter claims, was coerced by two art dealers into signing a will in a Baylor University Medical Center Emergency Room after she suffered a stroke. The will deeded 4949 Swiss to Mark McCay and Justin Burgess. I spoke with Realtor Robert Kucharski recently for an update (Cynthia Beaird wants to buy 4949 Swiss and restore it) and he told me that the home has deteriorated more, and that even if the courts rule in favor of Frances Ann Giron, Mrs. Bendtsen’s daughter, proceeds from the sale of the home will barely cover her legal costs.

Live In A McMansion, Totally Free

I have known people who do this — live in a home that is on the market for free. Obviously it is better to keep any vacant home on the market occupied and decked out with furniture. One such company is CASTLE KEEPERS, but you can be sure of one thing: these companies vet whoever they put in that house as if they were hiring for the Secret Service. You have to have the home neat and tidy 24/7, your furnishings must be approved, and you have to be ready to show the place instantly. Also, if the home sells, you are out of there lickey-split. Still, if that’s the price you pay for free rent in a million dollar home, that’s a pretty good deal.

A Free Night At The Ritz-Carlton Dallas Hotel

That’s what General Manager Roberto M. W. S. van Geenen has graciously offered all brown-water Ritz-Carlton condo residents to minimize their inconvenience during the plumbing repairs next week, when the hot water supply will be off. No word on whether they will send up a free meal from Fearings, or those heavenly cheese crackers (recipe in our September issue), but I have no doubt everyone will be enveloped in total luxury. Now that’s class.

Watch Your Back at LBJ & Preston

Live At The Ritz Residences? Stock Up On Deodorant This Weekend

Life is never perfect, even in the most glammed up, glitzed out, $800 per square foot condo you can buy in downtown Dallas. But there, at least, the help is very helpful. Some folks at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas have experienced ewwww water discoloration in their homes — that is, brown stuff running out of the faucets and into the kitchen sinks. Or jacuzzi bathtubs. Or Carrera marble showers. (Commodes, let’s not go there.) Not very appealing or conducive to the color scheme of the manicured decor.

But alas, Crescent Plaza Residential, L.P., has sprung to action. First they researched the problem — the water discoloration is a result of oxidation of iron in the lining of the galvanized steel piping in the building. Some level of oxidation in steel pipe is “normal and expected, but not to the degree you are experiencing” says Crescent.

And yippee, they have a solution: The pipe interiors will be flushed with a citric-base rinse approved for potable water systems. Then they will install a central water treatment system, which will treat Dallas’ higher PH level water and form a barrier against future oxidation. This has apparently been successful in similar situations across the country, and Ritz will keep on top of it monitoring the water scrupulously.

Bad news is that this process requires a two-day hot water shut off beginning September 2 to 4. I mean, you can stay in your condo, the commodes are fully function able. Just no hot water. Which means frigid showers and baths. Many residents who, like me, would rather take an Italian shower than plunge in water below 85 degrees, plan to find alternate accommodations for the two days. Or, at least, go shower with friends who have hot water.

I’m told the hotel is not affected by any of this as it is on a completely different water system. So I’m wondering how many residents might be checking into the Ritz Hotel for a couple nights.

Madeline Jobst Moves From Briggs-Freeman To Ellen Terry

Totally forgot to tell you — I heard about this last week when I was in Maine panting for DSL. Madeline left Briggs to join Ellen Terry about two weeks ago, name’s already on Ellen’s website.

Buy A Home For The College Kid?

My late father used to tell us how his stepmother only allowed him one pork chop per meal, made him walk five miles to school in the cold northern Illinois winter, and at age 18 gave him a hand-shake and said, “good luck out there, son.”

My hardship was that I lived in a dorm at college, shared a bathroom with umpteen other women with antiquated sinks that had cold water/hot water taps. (Doubt any of you know what I am talking about. Check an antique store.) I don’t drink beer today because the Dartmouth and Brown boys used to roll kegs in the halls. Those were the days of The Night Of The Seven Fires. 

So when my son started his freshman year at Trinity University in San Antonio, I was amazed to see he shared a bath with only his suitemates. He had his own toiletry drawer. (We had cubbies and the guys would put Everclear in our Listerine bottles.) He had a fridge and microwave in his room. This was sheer luxury. Kids today are so spoiled.

Still, he moved off campus to a house I bought as an investment and am trying to sell this minute. Thus I found this article very interesting amid reports that many SMU parents are doing the same thing, especially over at the Palomar. What have you heard?  

John McCain’s Homes

While everyone is focused on Denver, John McCain slipped into Dallas yesterday to speak to a select group of physicians at Maggiano’s Northpark. I was going to attend but decided to let my husband go without me — way too vocal of my feelings, imagine that. Anyhow, I love the work Zillow did on Mr. McCain’s homes. And I have to give him credit for at least asking docs around the country what they think the solution is for the never-ending health care crisis.

CORRECTION: This is what happens when you don’t pay attention to your spouse. Pete Sessions held the forum, not John McCain. What can I say, all these Republicans sound alike to me.

Showtime: The Joule

OK, it isn’t a home, but if I had to live in a hotel in downtown Dallas, this would be it!

Kenny Goss, George Michael

A commenter on the Real Estalker posted this video of the former Kenny Goss/George Michael home at the Vendome (I think). That is like so yesterday. The dynamic duo has a new home in Highland Park we plan to bring your way very soon. Meantime, enjoy the historic tour.

Mama, Come On Down Here and Give Me A Big Fat Hug

If you have nothing nice to say about anyone’s house, you come sit down right next to me! Mama at The Real Stalker was kind enough to give moi credit for posting Tony Romo’s new Cottonwood Valley crib. (TMZ, on the other hands, just has sticky-fingers. What does TMZ stand for anyhow, too many zits?)

Darling Mama’s words just hum:

“Anyhoo, according to the sassy and well connected real estate gossip queen Candy Evans who pens the Dallas Dirt blog, the ball tossing beefcake recently scooped up a 5,551 square foot house on Dowling Drive in a town called Irving. Not being overly familiar with the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Your Mama has to consult the internets to learn that suburban Irving sits smack in between (and a little north of) the sister cities of Dallas and Fort Worth. The house was listed at $699,900 and Miz Evans, a Lonestar ladee who usually gets it right, reports that she hears through the Dallas gossip grapevine that Mister Romo paid, “about $670,000″ for his new Dallas area digs.”

Don’t fret, Mama, I live here and had to poke around, too. I darn near broke my Lexus navigation dealie trying to find the house. The boy is a hunk and knows how to handle his finances as well as that pigskin. The agent is pretty hot, too. You might not like our big houses but Mama, Texas men are our very best (ahem) assets.

Tony’s Breakfast-Of-Champions Room

Where he’ll eat his Wheaties.

Tony’s Dining Room

I’m thinking a bigger table here, twelve chairs, agree?

Tony’s Parlour

That is an easy-care floor if I ever saw one.

Not Worth Repairing Microwave Ovens?

That’s what the experts tell us. Ever heard of RepairClinic.com?

More Tony House

Little living room action.

Tony Romo House: How I Found It

Here’s the scoop: Rogers Healy is Tony Romo’s Real Estate agent, that has been confirmed by Rogers. But Rogers has said not one word about the house he sold to Tony on August 18th. In fact, I have been trying to have lunch with Roger’s for months and he has stayed away from me like I have the Bubonic Plague or something. Play gumshoe on MLS, you find out that the transaction on the 18th was a home at 1608 Dowling Drive in Dallas, owned by Cartus Financial Group, probably a relocation firm, and Rogers was the Realtor along with listing agent Cheryl Keller of Coldwell Banker. The price paid as I have heard from other sources was about $670,000, and DCAD has the home appraised at $774,010. So it looks like our boy Tony got himself a pretty good deal, say what you will about those interiors.

Will Owner Financing Help Sell A Home?

I have a home on the market in San Antonio, and one party has asked me about seller-financing. My in-house barristers tell me that is very risky in case of default, but if I get the house back anyhow, how risky can it be? I have begun researching this issue and welcome your ideas, input. (Peggy and I both do, actually.)

Home Magazine To Cease Publication

With it’s October issue, which makes me sad as I contributed to Home in years past. Don’t depair, just send all those readers to D Home & Garden…

National Outlook: Inventories Up, Prices Down, Credit Crunch, Year To Go

National, remember: what is happening locally — you tell me!

This Guy Might Offer New Hope For Nicky and Eleanor

He beat the IRS.

Eleanor Mowery Sheets & Associates and Stewart Title

A trusty source tells me that Stewart Title may be directing all closings from EMS to their legal department in Houston.

Vanity Fair = Out Of Touch. I Mean Totally

With the Bushes and Real Estate, at least. I love Mark Seal, who is also married to a gynecologist, Laura Blocker, who trained at Parkland with my husband years ago. They now live in Colorado. But what is this “speculation” that George and Laura are selling Crawford and moving elsewhere in Texas or even to Florida? Christopher Bateman predicts the Crawford sale will take place next summer. Meantime, Laura Bush was in town house-hunting last week as I was departing for Maine, staying near Kennebunkport, where “43″, Barbara and the clan summer. The scuttlebutt in Kennebunkport, fueled by tabloid stories on display at the local Hannafords, is that George and Laura have split. (But the folks at Mabels Lobster Claw still adore him.) Which got me to thinking: if Kennebunkport could survive one former president — two, actually, since George and Laura still visit Walkers’ Point — Dallas can easily handle one. The only problem we’ve ever had was when the Secret Service got after my husband on the beach for flying a kite too high when President Bush was coming in via helicopter. That shouldn’t be a problem here. �

Nicky and Eleanor Mowery Sheets Update

Two more agents have left Nicky and Eleanor’s Preston Road office: Kevin Lazlo and Gianna Cerullo (forgive me if I have misspelled names) have joined the Dave Perry-Miller Highland Park office further down the street at 5500 Preston Road. Which leaves a total of 9 faces on the EMS website. Excluding family members, that’s 5 or 6 agents left on the team.�

Tony’s House, The (So Sexy) Master Bath

Is that what I think it is? A sunken black jacuzzi tub nestled in a sea of Absolute black granite 12 by 12 tiles? Now I understand the purchase of this home!