The stately home at 6128–6130 Victor Street is “quintessential old East Dallas,” listing agent Angela Thornhill says. Built in 1936, it has that classic Tudor look: a pitched roof with decorative trim, arches, a chimney cap, covered porches. There are hardwood floors, old-timey phone nooks, arches between rooms, and quaint fireplaces. It “even [has] the old hardware with the glass knocks that people really love seeing,” she says. “It takes you back in time.” It’s a historic house full of character, but unlike many homes in Dallas, it’s a duplex. And it has been since it was built.
While many historic homes have been converted into multi-family housing over the years, there are few true duplexes, Thornhill says, and even fewer on the market. “Probably after the mid 1940s, they weren’t building too many of them. Everyone wanted single-family homes.”
But owning a duplex is a great “entryway into the leasing market,” she says. Thornhill estimates potential rent for each of this house’s units to be $2,500–$2,800 a month. Someone could lease out both units. Or you could live in one unit and lease the other, supplementing your mortgage. Either way, she says, it’s an entry point into often costly East Dallas real estate.
Besides the real estate investment, the duplex is just plain homey. It feels like a M-Streets cottage, she says. “The way that it’s set up floor plan wise, is much more like a house than a duplex.”
The whole house is 2,688 square feet in total, and the units are about 1,350 square feet each. “It could be great for a family or for a roommate situation.” Each unit has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and takes up an entire floor.
There are spacious living and dining rooms. Thornhill loves the covered porches, which are accessible from the largest bedrooms. The upstairs balcony, in particular, “feels like it’s a whole other living room.” The kitchens have built-in hutches, and there’s recessed shelving and little nooks throughout. And there are stained-glass windows on exterior doors.
The two units are virtually identical, she says, but there are a few differences. There are separate entries. Upstairs (unit 6128) enters from a door to the right, then climbs a set of stairs. The downstairs (unit 6130) front door is to the left, under the balcony. Downstairs has a slightly different mantle—neither of the fireplaces are functional, mind you—and arched tile detailing in the primary bath. Plus, it has an extra closet under the stairs. Upstairs, on the other hand, has access to storage in the attic.
The downstairs kitchen has butcher-block counters and a travertine backsplash, while upstairs “has a nice character to it.” There are granite counters, a tile backsplash, exposed brick, and rustic wood paneling on the ceiling. Additionally, downstairs is move-in ready, but upstairs needs a fresh coat of paint and refinished floors.
Whether you rent out both units or not, “the parking situation is great,” Thornhill says. The property is gated, with a clicker to get to the parking in the back. The uncovered concrete pad out there can easily fit six cars. There’s also a sizeable fenced-in backyard—the whole property is 175 feet deep.
And the location is ideal, too, she says. The house is a six-minute walk from Woodrow Wilson High School, and it’s zoned for Lakewood Elementary. It’s also walking distance to Lakewood Shopping Center and Whole Foods. It’s near I-30 and has easy access to downtown. Additionally, it’s a short drive to Tenison Park Golf Course and Lakewood Country Club. “It is great little pocket,” says Thornhill.
Scroll through the gallery to see more of the home. Or check it out in-person at an open house 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, January 28.
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