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Texas Monthly’s Welcome Home, Mr. President

I keep meaning to post this: this month’s Texas Monthly, Skip Hollandsworth does a nice job of welcoming President and Mrs. Bush home to Dallas, and warning them that things have changed a bit in Preston Hollow. And he cited Dallas Dirt — love you, Skip!

One Arts Plaza Interview With Lucilo Pena

D Magazine editors are broadcasting with those WRR classics people the first week of every month. Helps us become more media diverse. Stay tuned for my One Arts Tour with this fascinating man coming up.

Across The Street: Soccer Net Or Shoe Recepticle?

Update: yep, that’s a LaCrosse net. I stand corrected. Been out of carpool for many moons now.

Alternative Employment Opportunities for Dallas Realtors

Meantime, Work On The Quarters At 10141 Daria Place

Someone Has Moved Into 10151 Daria Place

There are cars, trucks, furniture and someone standing in the front window all the time. Also a “Welcome Home George and Laura” sign in the yard.

Dr. Cooper Welcomes President George Bush Home

Locker Numero Uno in the men’s locker room.

Bush In Dallas Today: Sweet Kids

“Kindergarten Welcomes President Bush and Family” This welcome sign was stretched across the lawn at Pershing Elementary to greet the President on his trip to his new house this morning.

Really Really Late Mid Century Modern House Porn — Under $400K

Cul de sac couture: dedicated to the house-porn deprived listeners of WRR, I give you this pretty clean, simple mid-century in North Dallas south of LBJ near Midway. Four bedrooms, about 3000 square feet. Live like the former president — on a cul de sac.

Update: Anything to keep readers happy!

Stoneleigh Heritage Gets Help From P.O’B Montgomery

P. O’B Montgomery & Company, a respected Dallas real estate and development firm, is now working with the Prescott-Apollo partnership that owns the on-hold Stoneleigh-Heritage Residences. (Or whatever they are now called.)  Mission: figure out what to do with that sad residence shell looming behind the Maple Avenue hotel. Early December, Prescott brought Montgomery into the picture to study all market options as an advisor, not investor. Apollo and Prescott have sought financing for the Stoneleigh project since their credit source ran dry in the fall due to the Wall Street financial meltdown.

“We are looking at doing whatever makes sense,” Phil Montgomery told me today, when asked if the residences would resume construction. “The market has clearly changed.”

Prescott’s Jud Pankey says the garage is complete and open, and construction attention will now focus on the courtyard. This month’s Architectural Digest feature on the hotel and colorful designer, Carleton Varney and his mentor, Dorothy Draper, has generated national interest in the project; Varney is coming back to Dallas in the spring to create more buzz.

If another developer were going to be engaged for this project, the most likely time would be when construction financing is being negotiated, said Pankey by email.

“Phil Montgomery introduced me to Apollo almost ten years ago, and we all try and assist each other when faced with a challenge,” wrote Pankey.

What we are doing, said Montgomery, is fairly routine.

According to sources, Al Coker is no longer handling marketing for The Stoneleigh Heritage Residences; Cynthia Pharr is handling media relations.

The Texas Governor’s Mansion — Lost By Arson, Not To Be Rebuilt?

Oh no, this cannot be true. I know Austin’s new home sales and closings are cooling, but come on folks, the governor’s mansion is Texas history.

Maybe a former president who lived there will come to the rescue?

President Bush Gets Second Look At Daria Drive. And Place

Wow, I’m impressed: the Dallas Morning News must have been camping out on the Darias to file this story on how the former president motored up from Crawford to check out his new home — and a police SUV acted as a barrier gate on Daria Drive. After receiving a call, I just left the area but was too late to catch the scene. However, I do think that the Northway property is occupied — and whoever occupies it has someone standing in the window keeping watch 24/7. Photos up as soon as I get to the office.

Capping CEO Salaries to $500,000: Will That Affect Real Estate Values?

While my initial reaction is to say, yes!, I wonder how this might curb sales of higher end homes and ultimately affect property values? When physician salaries were capped by the insurers five years ago, I know that kept many a doc out of million dollar plus homes. What do you think?

Attention All Real Estate Shoppers Who Bought In 2006

Zillow tells us that nationally, home values have slid 17.5 % from their values in 2006, which most experts agree was pretty much the peak year of the market. According to Zillow’s tabulations for the Dallas/Fort Worth area, our prices are — up 1.5 % ? Is that what this is saying?