2023 April Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate

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april 23

PROFILE 8 Mikki Mallow DINING

42 Taquero FEATURES 12 Preserving Lakewood 34 Protesting

SOME ARTISTS like to paint. Others sculpt, design or curate. For Mikki Mallow, it’s a little bit of everything.

Mallow graduated from the Art Institute of Dallas with a degree in interior design. After getting her degree, her first internship was designing the interior of luxury planes at Dallas’ Associated Air Center. “I wanted to narrow it down to interior design,” Mallow says. But she was designing during the day and painting at night.

Mallow’s artistic range continued to develop, eventually landing her solo showcases for her work. When tasked with a one-woman show, she leaned on her design background to create concepts for her installations. She’s held showcases at the Beeman Hotel and the Fairmont in downtown Dallas.

Story by SIMON PRUITT | Photography by JULIA CARTWRIGHT

“I can build a whole show around a phrase,” she says. “It’ll be something I can’t get out of my head, and I have so many ideas that I need to execute them somehow.”

Her style tends to interpolate celebrities and pop culture references into creations, combining symbols the viewer is used to seeing in a manner they’ve never seen before.

“Even if it’s not a pop culture meaning or theme, it can turn into it,” she says. “I never thought I’d be a pop artist, but I think I’m just a colorful person and I have to have color in my surroundings, whether it’s my fashion or my dwelling.”

Her artistic nucleus presents all aspects of her work, such as a painting of Gwen Stefani with colorful gumballs spelling out “POP” in the background. Behind that is a miniature model of the Dallas skyline with portraits of male celebrities painted on the sides of the buildings, titled “The Men In My Life.” Between it all, Mallow’s house holds a healthy amount of glasswork art.

“I’ve been doing glass work for 25 years,” she says. “It started when I needed gifts for my friends, and I knew I couldn’t just keep giving them paintings. I can’t be a onehit wonder.”

Mallow’s glass art features bold, vibrant colors that seem to be dripping off the cup or canvas. She’s made it somewhat of a calling card, alternating her paint on either side of the glass to create a 3D-esque presentation.

As Mallow progresses, her focus has shifted onto creating usable, sustainable art, whether it be in glasswork or furniture by commission.

“It ties in everything I’ve done so far,” she says.

Mallow’s next showcase is at the Discovery District Arts Fest at the AT&T Discovery District on April 15.

NEIGHBORHOOD RULES

Why residents want to expand the Lakewood Conservation District

Story by RENEE UMSTED | Photography by VICTORIA GOMEZ

Illustration by LAUREN ALLEN

Fourteen homes have been demolished in one area in Lakewood since 2011. Seven of those happened in the past two years.

The trend was troubling to some residents, so they began the process of expanding the Lakewood Conservation District, established in 1988, to preserve the character of the neighborhood. Stop teardowns. Conserve architecturally significant structures. Create room for compatible development.

A committee of neighborhood residents began canvassing an area encompassing 275 homes in Lakewood, asking for signatures to

support discussions of expanding the existing district.

Needing signatures representing owners of 58% of the land area, the committee returned to the City of Dallas petitions representing 68%.

Neighborhood meetings began August 2022, held to allow residents to discuss regulations for developmental and architectural standards.

It took 15 meetings, some less civil than others, for residents to debate the topics to be regulated in the district. For comparison, South Winnetka Heights residents finished their discussions to create a new conservation dsitrict in 10

meetings.

At the end of the process, the team who works on conservation districts in the city’s Planning and Urban Design will present a draft ordinance to homeowners before it goes to the City Plan Commission and City Council.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the details of the process, where neighbors debate regulations for setbacks, building height, trees, demolition, windows, paint, sidewalks and fences, among others. But there are reasons why residents have spent nearly 24 hours together since last August, talking through the issues.

Summer Loveland stands on the patio of her Spanish Eclectic home designed by Clifford Hutsell.

STOP THE TEARDOWNS

Summer Loveland, a founding member of the neighborhood committee, has lived in Lakewood for over a decade. She and her family live in a Spanish Eclectic home designed by architect Clifford Hutsell.

Demolition was one of Loveland’s biggest concerns and a key reason for supporting the expansion of the conservation district.

She has been involved in the expansion process from the beginning, which has allowed her to meet neighbors. While surveying the neighborhood,

Loveland heard what residents wanted to accomplish through the zoning change, so the discussion topics in meetings haven’t been surprising to her, she says.

“I didn’t know how many neighbors would participate in the meetings,” Loveland says. “And it’s been a great thing to see the volume of participation and that it has not waned since we started.”

That goes for people supporting and opposed to the conservation district expansion.

The first post-application meeting, held at the Filter Building at White Rock Lake,

was one of the most contentious.

“Opposition has definitely been in the minority,” Loveland says. “It has not ramped up over time. There was more buzz, I would say, early in the process.”

However, Loveland says the neighborhood meetings have still had diverse perspectives, which has fueled productive discussions.

Some of the opposition has focused on how a conservation district will affect property values. Bill Hersch, a former chief planner at the City of Dallas, told meeting attendees in August that in historic districts, which

Katherine Fitzsimmons stands on the porch of her Neoclassical home.

CONTRIBUTING STYLES

These architectural styles comprise the majority of homes in the expansion area.

FRENCH ECLECTIC

KEY FEATURES : tall, steeply pitched hipped roof without dominant front-facing cross gable; eaves usually flared up at roof-wall junction; often has segmental arch on door, windows or dormers; brick, stone or stucco wall cladding, sometimes with decorative half timbering

NOTABLE ARCHITECTS: Arthur Meigs, George Howe, Walter Davis, Frank Joseph Forster

SPANISH ECLECTIC

KEY FEATURES: low-pitched roof with little or no eave overhang; tile roof typically with one or more prominent arches above door or principal window or beneath porch roof; stucco wall surface; wall surface extends into gable without break; asymmetrical facade

NOTABLE ARCHITECTS: Clifford Hutsell, George Washington Smith, Addison Mizner

TUDOR

KEY FEATURES: steeply pitched roof, usually side gabled; facade dominated by one or more front-facing gables; tall, narrow windows; massive chimneys; sometimes decorative half-timbering

NOTABLE ARCHITECTS: Phillip S. Webb, C. F. A. Voysey, M. H. Baillie Scott, Edwin Lutyens

NEOCLASSICAL

KEY FEATURES: full-height porch with roof supported by classical columns; columns usually have Ionic or Corinthian capitals; symmetrically balanced windows and center door

NOTABLE ARCHITECTS: Benjamin Henry Latrobe

COLONIAL REVIVAL

KEY FEATURES: accentuated front door, usually with decorative crown (pediment) supported by pilasters, or extended forward and supported by columns to form porch; doors with overhead fanlights or sidelights; symmetrically balanced windows and center door; windows with doublehung sashes and in adjacent pairs

NOTABLE ARCHITECTS: Charles McKim, William Mead, Stanford White and William Bigelow

Source: A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia Savage McAlester

are similar to conservation districts, values increase, just not as quickly as in other types of zoning; and if there’s an economic depression, the values won’t decline as much.

Other complaints are centered around how conservation districts could pose additional challenges to people wanting to remodel their homes.

Trevor Brown, a chief planner with the City of Dallas, says the Conservation Districts office completed abour 1,600 reviews in 2022.

“Take a look at all of the vehicles in the existing Lakewood CD that are contractors and people doing work on those homes,” Loveland says. “There is a lot of work that goes on all the time, lots of things that are going through the work review process that are moving forward. It’s not causing that kind of work to stall out.”

ARCHITECTURE WORTH PRESERVING

Before Katherine Fitzsimmons and her family moved into their Neoclassical home in Lakewood, they lived in the conservation district in Hollywood/Santa Monica.

Fitzsimmons says they didn’t try to do major remodels of their previous home, so they didn’t have to deal with any potential issues from conservation district regulations.

What attracted them to their house in Lakewood wasn’t the architecture, Fitzsimmons says. It was the accessory dwelling in the backyard, where Fitzsimmons’ motherin-law lives.

Though the Fitzsimmons family hasn’t touched the outside of their home, they have renovated the inside. In the process, they realized that

the current front facade, complete with four imposing columns, isn’t original to the home; they found windows on the second story covered by brick.

A previous owner of the home connected them to the daughter of the person who built the house, and she told them that there used to be only two columns — round, not square — that did not span all the way to the roof.

Though Fitzsimmons isn’t in love with the style of her home, when she heard about the move to expand the conservation district, she says she thought it was a positive thing.

“I would love people to come to Lakewood and see more than just big lots, that there’s some architecture worth preserving, or at least working within the confines of that architecture to make a home that works for them,” Fitzsimmons says.

She was only able to attend a couple of meetings, but Fitzsimmons kept track of the progress through updates from the neighborhood committee. She says she still supports the ordinance, but some residents have been left out of important conversations. She wants the ordinance to address how homes look, rather than the materials used to build them.

Jane McConnell stands in front of the French Eclectic home she and her late husband bought 55 years ago.

A LONGTIME NEIGHBOR

Jane McConnell and her late husband purchased their French Eclectic home built by Dines & Kraft in Lakewood 55 years ago. It was their starter home.

McConnell and her husband were the second owners of the house, built in 1929. They wanted to live in the neighborhood to be near her husband’s parents, who lived on Lakewood Boulevard.

“There were so few young families, and so my children had adopted grandparents all around, and now it’s just the

TIMELINE

City staff is writing a draft ordinance and will work with the City Attorney’s Office to ensure the language is acceptable. This process will take months. Then, staff will present the ordinance to residents. At this point, minor tweaks can be made. Before the City Plan Commission and City Council meetings, residents in the expansion area and within 200 feet of the boundaries will receive mailers from the city, asking whether they support the ordinance. Responses will be compiled and given to the plan commission and council. Residents can also sign up to speak at the city meetings.

opposite,” McConnell says. “I’m the old lady on the block, and lots of little children.”

McConnell first heard about the conservation district expansion from Loveland while she was walking around the neighborhood, and she was in support of the process from the beginning.

She says she is concerned about demolition, and she wants to prevent rebuilds that don’t match the existing homes — for example, adding a frontfacing garage to a home on a street where all of the other homes have garage entries on the back or side.

“I really want to preserve the character of the neighborhood. I have a lot of friends who live in Highland Park and University Park, and it’s just a disaster zone over there,” McConnell says. “They have no regulations.”

A SPECIAL BLOCK

Stefanie Spaetz moved into a Tudor on a double lot in Lakewood 23 years ago.

“One of the concerns, even when we were looking at the house, is that another buyer or a builder could come in and actually divide the lots and put in another house,” she says.

They bought the property as two lots, but they had the city replat it as one to try to prevent that from happening. Since her family has lived there, builders have offered to buy their lot, Spaetz says, but they have refused all offers.

Several trees would have to be removed to add a second house to the property, she says.

“It’s just so lovely to have extra yard space, and we have so many huge, live oak trees on our extra lot there,” Spaetz says.

She agreed to join the neighborhood committee last

With 19 years of real estate experience, dedication and recognition within the community, my mission is to provide every client with expert guidance, an individualized approach and a well thought out strategy for success.

spring to represent her block. Developed in the late 1920s, it is the original block of Westlake Avenue and is lined with 1.5-story Tudors, and Spaetz says she thought almost all of the homeowners would want to support preserving its unique character.

She was also interested in regulating building size and setbacks so that new homes don’t overshadow the old ones. There’s room for large homes on large lots in other parts of Lakewood, but not in the expansion area, Spaetz says.

Sometimes, Spaetz says, it seems like the regulations being discussed are too restrictive or too detailed. But she acknowledges that they’re needed to ensure that the neighborhood is preserved.

“I think we all value the historic character and charm of our homes,” Spaetz says. “That’s why we live here.”

– Austin and Allie Gulledge

Paige Poupart’s “divorce house” is decorated with plenty of pink, including flamingos.

MS. POSSIBLE

This neighbor flips, sells and designs houses on and off screen

Interview by RENEE UMSTED |

Photography by YUVIE STYLES

There once was a house in Casa Linda with a pool filled with goldfish swimming in muddy water. And then Paige Poupart moved in.

Step one was resolving the backyard situation. However, she is still haunted by nightmares about the experience.

Step two was “girl power everything.”

The front door? It’s pink now. So is the entry way. Poupart doesn’t even like pink. But she has two daughters, and it’s her “divorce house” — no need to ask permission to make any changes.

Since then, Poupart has been renovating the home room by room. She has garnered thanks from neighbors for her work fixing up the house, and she recently caught national attention as a co-host of HGTV’s Renovation Impossible . On the show, the trio of Poupart, Russell Holmes and Steve Mabry help Dallas-area homeowners accomplish huge renovation projects on tight budgets.

Poupart spends her time wearing multiple hats: as a mom, fiancé (she’s engaged to Russell Birk, owner of Maya’s Modern Mediterranean), real estate broker, designer, house flipper and TV personality.

YOU FILMED A PILOT EPISODE FOR HGTV WITH YOUR DAD SEVERAL YEARS AGO. HOW IS HE INVOLVED IN YOUR WORK?

My dad is kind of the fixer. He is a master craftsman. He’s been a general contractor since, probably, he could walk. He’s only ever done that. That’s his job. But he’s not a general contractor like a point and shoot guy. He’s the guy that actually gets dirty, shows people how to do it. Someone’s always doing something wrong, literally, and he says, “No, no, no, stop. I gotta fix it.” And he shows them how it’s supposed to be done. So he comes in on my projects and does the majority of the general contracting, although I do work with other the general contractors too.

DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD END UP WITH THE CAREER THAT YOU HAVE?

Not at all. I have my bachelor of fine art degree in portrait painting. I went to school to be a portrait painter and graduated, and I’m good at it. I’m very, very good at it. Not that it didn’t pay the bills, but at the end of the day, I was always still doing a project — a house project, construction project, design project — and it was more fun. So we just kind of went that direction. And I think what you focus on grows, and I just accidentally focused on that too much because I loved i t.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN INTERIOR DESIGN?

I worked for my dad vacuuming floors in high school. I’d go to the job sites, and he’d pay me whatever

predetermined amount. I didn’t work by the hour. I didn’t believe in working by the hour. It was always by the job. At some point, I spoke up, because I’m pretty opinionated, on how the homeowner was doing part of the design aspect of one of their houses. And I said, “This should be like this.” I was like 16. “If I were doing this, I would put this over here, put this over here; it’ll look better. And this window should be over here,” whatever it was. And then the homeowner called my dad that night and said, “Hey, can we hire Paige to consult on this with us? We want more of her opinions.” And then it just kind of avalanched out of that, where we work together on a lot of projects. Or I would go get a design job, someone wanted my expertise, and I needed someone like my dad to make it happen and put all the pieces together.

WAS IT WEIRD BEING FILMED?

No. You imagine a reality TV show to be like the Kardashians, right, where they just follow them around?

It’s really structured. That’s why they call it structured reality TV. I show up. I know what I’m gonna do that day. I have all my tools in my car. This is the project. They’re gonna tell me when they’re ready to shoot. They turn the camera on, and I’m gonna talk about what I’m making so somebody knows, and then they’re gonna just watch while I do it for a while, and then they’re gonna leave and then come back later when it’s done.

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PROJECTS YOU DID DURING THE SHOW?

The atrium in the Diamonds’ house was a project that I fought for. I wanted to do it. I knew from day one that it was probably gonna be cost prohibitive to close it in, and I loved it. How many times do you have a garden in the middle of the house? I like the quirky, weird stuff about houses. That’s why I don’t build new houses. I like to take an old house and work with what we have. I want all the bones. The atrium was fun. I had an idea in my head of what that

was gonna look like. It turned out really really good, all the faux plants and the hanging things. I kind of approach design from a perspective of, Would I want this in my own house? And that’s how I did it with that.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR DESIGNS?

Instagram, Pinterest, going in other people’s houses, traveling. I’ve been lucky to have a client that has me on a project in Mexico, in Playa del Carmen. Anytime you leave the country, there’s a whole new world of

cultural aesthetic that, A, I had to work with because it was hard to get furniture down there. And, B, was just a nice, different point of reference.

IS THERE ONE PART OF YOUR JOB THAT YOU LIKE BEST?

I don’t think there’s one favorite over the other. I really love flipping houses. I love walking into grandma’s house that hasn’t changed and keeping the bones and keeping the integrity of the house but bringing it up to speed for a modern family. That’s really important to me.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A HOUSE TO FLIP?

I look for the bones to be really cool, the bones of the house meaning there’s gotta be something interesting about it. I always look for pier-and-beam houses because moving plumbing underneath the house is way easier than having to jack up a slab foundation. Always. I stay in East Dallas. But then everything else is flexible. The yard should be pretty cool. It either has to have good curb appeal, or it has to have a badass backyard. One or the other.

DO YOU HAVE ANY DESIGN TIPS TO SHARE?

From a house resale perspective, put furniture in your houses. If you’re gonna sell a house, have it be furnished. Pay for staging. Try not to make it look like a hotel. I try to make my houses, when we go to list them, look strategically organic. I leave a hat right on the chair next to a throw blanket, right? This is not a hotel. Somebody lives here. Always do the windows. Always do the skylight. I always bring color in the stuff that’s easily changeable. We don’t do accent walls.

Interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Far left: Paige Poupart loves incorporating greenery inside her own home and those she designs.

Left: Blue and gold decorative accents in Poupart’s living room.

Above: Poupart hadn’t painted in about a year, as of the time of the interview.

HOW TO PROTEST YOUR PROPERTY TAXES &

Story by RICK WAMRE

Just because the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) says your home increased in value doesn’t mean that’s true.

With a few simple steps and information you probably already have handy, you can potentially lower your annual property tax bill.

The Advocate asked neighborhood experts to walk us through the simple process.

“As interest rates have gone up, property values in general have gone down this past year,” says Toby Toler, a neighborhood resident and owner of Toler Company, a residential and commercial property tax consulting company for the

past 40 years (tolerco.com).

“Sometimes it may seem like the appraisal district is genetically predisposed to defend their determination of property value,” Toler says. “So you need to present evidence of something they don’t already know about your home in order to have a successful result.”

Worried that protesting might make your tax assessment even higher? Don’t be.

“We don’t raise value as part of a protest. There’s no fear of that happening,” says Cheryl Jordan, DCAD director of community relations. “Some appraisal districts do that, but we don’t.”

DATES & DEADLINES

PUT THESE IMPORTANT TAX VALUATION DEADLINES ON YOUR CALENDAR TODAY:

SO IT’S APRIL 21

When you receive your home’s notice of valuation, you have a few options if you believe DCAD’s value is too high:

VISIT DALLASCAD.ORG and check the information listed there for your home. Does DCAD have the correct number of bathrooms and bedrooms listed? Is the square footage correct? Is the year the home was built listed correctly?

“In high-dollar areas, square footage or the number of bathrooms doesn’t have to be that far off at $500 or $600 per square foot in value to make a difference,” says neighborhood resident David McGee, owner of David L. McGee Appraisals (dmcgeeappraisals.com).

“Even if DCAD is off by only 100 or 200 square feet, that’s several thousand dollars of additional taxable value you’re paying for.”

WHILE ON DALLASCAD.ORG, look up the values of similar neighboring homes. Yes, it’s interesting to know the valuation of neighbors’ homes, but that’s not the point: Use that information to prove your home is overvalued.

for most home sales in Dallas County. A Realtor can find comparable homes that have sold within the past 12 months to determine an appropriate value for your home. Remember, though: Realtors are only paid when they assist you with buying or selling a home, and they’re hoping this investment of time will eventually lead to working with you to eventually buy a new home or list your existing home.

If you really want rock-solid evidence of your home’s value, hire a property appraiser. The appraisal will set you back about $400-$750 (homes over 4,000 square feet or so tend to cost more), but you’ll have an independent, third-party valuation with comparables and adjustments (age, condition, improvements, location), McGee says.

KICK STARTING THE PROCESS

(APRIL 21-MAY 22)

You can file a protest online anytime after April 21; there’s no cost, and the sooner you file the protest, the more quickly your case will be reviewed.

“There’s no benefit to waiting if you know the value is wrong,” Toler says.

APRIL 21: DCAD releases residential notices of value, with a valuation as of Jan. 1, 2023, for Dallas County property owners. You can wait to receive your notice in the mail, or you can start looking for the valuation online at dallascad.org within a day or two of April 21.

MAY 22: Deadline to file a written protest of DCAD’s valuation.

JULY 14: Final date to come to an agreement with DCAD about your property value.

JULY 15: If you haven’t reached a valuation agreement with DCAD, you can ask for hearing with the Appraisal Review Board. That hearing probably won’t be worth your time (we’ll explain later), but it’s a necessary means to an end to keep protesting your valuation.

CHECK

OUT THE

ADVOCATE ’S PRINT MAGAZINE OR WEBSITE for neighborhood Realtors, and ask one for a report on “comparables” for your house. Realtors have access to the Multiple Listing Service, which compiles data

“DCAD’s phones typically aren’t clogged the first two weeks after value notices are mailed. People with a case ready to go are rare.”

Fill out the online “file a protest” form on your property’s account page at dallascad.org, upload the “evidence” that

60 DAYS AFTER YOUR ARB HEARING : Deadline to request binding arbitration through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office or file a lawsuit in the District Court in Dallas County.

Real Estate"

ABOUT NYDA

Nyda is a broker associate who is an energetic and strategic advocate for her buyers and sellers. She also advises clients on real estate investing, 1031 exchanges, rental property evaluations and, cash flow analysis. She sells Multifamily and consults on land development options, working with zoning, planning to ascertain best and highest use to maximize sellers return on investment.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

"Nyda Faith represented me with the sale of my home recently. I relied on Nyda’s knowledge and expertise with a challenging transaction and she went above and beyond. She provided me with a market strategy of repairs needed and extensive staging that earned me far more than what I had dreamed of with multiple offers and title even being paid by the buyer. Wow!!! The staging was so terrific no one recognized my former home once Nyda & team had finished with the transformation."

proves your home is overvalued, and write a short, concise explanation of your concerns.

DCAD computer algorithms typically analyze comparables and determine individual property values, so there’s room for human analysis to fine-tune those values, Jordan says.

Maybe your home is on a busy street, while the algorithm has selected comparables that are on quieter, more valuable streets.

Maybe your home needs a lot of remodeling or updating, but the algorithm hasn’t taken that into account while selecting new or updated homes nearby.

“The best thing that I’ve had luck with is to take a picture of everything that’s wrong with your house, print out the pictures and show all of those problems to DCAD,” McGee says.

“Show them all the things that need to be repaired — cracks in the foundation, original bathrooms, busted driveway, your house backs up to a drainage ditch with dead an -

imals in it — show them your condition rating if it’s different from the comparables. That gives the (DCAD) appraisers a way to adjust your valuation.”

Focusing on your home’s shortcomings can help, but it’s not a guarantee.

“The sales market has changed in the past four years,” Jordan says. “It used to be that when you sold a property, you would fix it up. Nowadays, people are selling as-is. That has already been accounted for in (DCAD’s) value because the sale accounted for that in the price.”

TAKING THE NEXT STEP (JULY 14)

This is your deadline to file an appeal of your valuation with the Appraisal Review Board, which is a panel (or sometimes an individual) paid on a per-day basis to evaluate appeals.

The ARB hearing panel is a “buffer” of sorts to ensure DCAD’s appraisers are fairly evaluating your property’s value. Typically, you will upload/mail the

same information you used while negotiating with DCAD while hoping for a better valuation outcome.

ARB members rely on a DCAD appraiser who attends the hearing and presents evidence about valuation — if you don’t have an extremely compelling case, it’s likely the ARB will side with DCAD’s appraiser, perhaps throwing you a 1% or 2% token valuation “bone” as a consolation prize.

Some ARB hearings are in-person, meaning you will need to travel to attend what likely will be a 15- to 30-minute hearing. Some hearings are conducted by telephone (not Zoom).

You have the right to request any information DCAD is using to value your property, including data, schedules, formulas and comparables — as long as you request the information in writing and at least 14 days prior to the ARB hearing.

During the hearing, you’ll have a chance to succinctly state your case to the ARB, and the DCAD appraiser will do the same thing. Then the ARB will rule on your case immediately

“A sincere thank you to all my clients, friends and family who have continually put their trust in me. Loving what you do makes all the difference.”

LET ME HELP REDUCE YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL!

Dear Taxpayer,

I know you’re carefully considering the decision to protest your property taxes and determining if you should trust someone with this important task.

I’m Tiffany L. Hamil, a native Texan and Dallas resident. I began working in the property tax industry in 2005. After obtaining my law degree and Master of Laws in Taxation in 2010, I opened a boutique tax firm specializing in federal and state taxation. I spend the majority of my time assisting taxpayers, like you, with their property tax needs.

ADVANTAGES OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL

ONE AND DONE. It takes about 15 minutes to retain a professional. Once you do that, your work is done. No need to prepare a case. No need to attend a hearing. This saves 2+ hours of your time.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION: To prepare a Comparative Market Analysis, you need access to sales prices. Because Texas is a nondisclosure state, sales information isn’t readily available to the public. My firm has access to this information.

KNOWING THE LAW AND A TAXPAYER’S RIGHTS. Have you ever been in a protest hearing and thought “They can’t do that!”? As a lawyer, I know the Tax Code, and I can reference and provide interpretations of the Tax Code and case law during Appraisal Review Board hearings.

CREDIBLE CASE ANALYSIS. Over the past 15 years, I have obtained extensive knowledge of DCAD’s residential appraisal system. I have developed proprietary software specifically to prepare market and equity analyses using methods and formulas tailored to DCAD’s methods of appraisal.

When you hire the Law Office of Tiffany L. Hamil, PLLC, you also gain a partner with experience. Last year, my firm filed more than 1,550 residential protests for which we obtained a resolution. We aren’t the largest property tax firm, nor do we seek to be. We pride ourselves in supplying honest representation, providing excellent customer service and building lasting relationships with our clients.

If you are considering protesting, we encourage you — AT NO COST — to contact us at 214-369-0909 or email info@relief.tax. With a quick phone call or email, we will quickly review your property to see if it makes financial sense for you to hire us for the 2023 tax season. Simply call or email us these 3 items: 1. Your name,

2. The property address to be protested, and 3. Let us know if anyone is already 65+ or turning 65 within the next 5 years.

I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Tiffany L. Hamil

SO YOUR VALUATION IS STILL TOO HIGH — NOW WHAT?

You’ve negotiated with DCAD, and you’ve presented your case to ARB, and you’re still convinced your home is being overvalued: You have one option left — file a request for binding arbitration with the Texas comptroller’s office or file a lawsuit in District Court. (The lawsuit option typically makes economic sense only for high-dollar homes and commercial properties.)

You’re going to forward the same information you’ve already compiled to the comptroller, along with a check for $450 (or more, depending on your property’s value).

Think carefully about this step, because your deposit, less $50, will be refunded only if the arbitrator sets your home value closer to your proposed valuation than to DCAD’s valuation.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

You must file for binding arbitration within 60 days of receiving your ARB determination; for the most part, you’ll be sending the same information you’ve submitted to DCAD and ARB in hopes you can convince the arbitrator to come to a different conclusion.

– You must be current with your property taxes.

– You must complete a Form AP219, Request for Binding Arbitration (PDF) form available online, and send that form, along with a copy of the ARB determination, any relevant documentation and your filing fee to the address on the Form AP-219.

Once you’ve submitted your Form AP-219 and it has been received and acknowledged by the comptroller, you have 45 days to reach a settlement with DCAD prior to your case being assigned to an arbitrator.

The arbitrator will set a date, time and location for a hearing — it can also be held via Zoom. Your success will determine not only

your property tax bill but also how much, if any, of your deposit is returned to you

EXAMPLE: You believe your house should be assessed at $400,000, and DCAD believes your house should be assessed at $500,000. If you and DCAD don’t reach a settlement and the arbitrator determines the correct value for your house should be $451,000, your valuation will be set at $451,000 but you will forfeit your deposit since the final value was closer to DCAD’s valuation than to yours.

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE

Once you’ve uploaded the information, a DCAD appraiser may give you a call or send you an email asking for more information or, if you’ve been persuasive, offering a lower value for your property.

“It’s OK not to take their first offer,” Toler says. “It can’t get any worse, and you can always say something like ‘I was expecting more,’ or ‘I don’t think that offer gets me there,’ or ‘Is there any more slack in your rope?’

“If they’re willing to make you an offer, it’s not going to go away — that’s likely their new value for your home,” Toler says.

Remember you have until July 14 to reach an agreement, so work to get your best offer from DCAD no later than July 1 so you have time to take the next step, if you need to.

Editor’s Note: Dates and deadlines are subject to change depending on when DCAD sends out tax notices. Check dallascad.org for up-todate deadlines and information about procedures for filing protests. For more detailed information about protesting your taxes, including how DCAD determines property values, visit our website and search Property Tax Protest.

Ceviche Fino is made with red snapper, Roma tomato, red onion, cilantro, serrano pepper, homemade mayonnaise and fresh avocado slices.

A TASTE OF MEXICO

Taquero stays true in dishes and décor

Story by RENEE UMSTED | Photography by KATHY TRAN

TAQUERO MIGHT

GO unnoticed to drivers speeding through the Greenville and Ross intersection, but once inside, the restaurant demands attention.

Executive chef Fino Rodríguez transformed the old Pints & Quarts burger joint, which was originally a tire shop, into a vibrant, welcoming space.

“That’s how the houses are in Mexico,” Rodríguez says.

The front door, which connects the

main dining rooms to the outdoor patio, opens to the glass room. Rodríguez added three glass walls to close in part of the burger restaurant’s patio, creating more indoor dining space yet allowing sunshine to flood in.

Further inside, light brown tones coating the walls are juxtaposed with bright blue tile below the high-top counter and lush greenery spread throughout the room.

One piece of artwork catches the

eye: a framed portrait of María Félix on the set of the film Juana Gallo . Félix, a Mexican actor and style icon, was also known as “La Doña” or “Maria Bonita.” Rodríguez says the actor, who died in 2002, used to travel with a chef so she could always eat Mexican food.

It’s a cuisine Rodríguez grew up around. His father had taquerías in Mexico, but that’s not how he learned the basics of cooking.

“I learned how to cook when I

Mole negro is made with a chilhuacle negro sauce and served with rice and beans.

was 7 from watching my grandma,” he says. “And my grandma’s the one that would tell me, ‘Put a little bit of this here. Put a little bit of that there. This yes, this no.’”

Before he opened his own restaurant, he worked at Mesero. He had just about every job possible while he was there — washing dishes, busing and waiting tables, helping as a line cook — and eventually became executive chef.

But he always wanted to have his own place. The first Taquero, which opened in West Dallas in 2017, primarily offered outdoor seating. The cost of rent was relatively low at the time, and the location lasted until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

Rodríguez and business partner Victor Rico, who goes by “Lalo,” were attracted to the current restaurant location because it’s a high-traffic area. But they had to complete major renovation work, replacing everything from the floor to the roof.

Now, the restaurant, which opened in September 2020, accommodates about 80 guests outside and in the indoor dining areas.

Despite its name, Taquero isn’t a taquería, though there is a taco section on the menu. The taco rico, one of the most popular, comes with grilled steak, red onion, cilantro, guacamole, red rice and pinto beans. Another favorite is the taco Fino, filled with pork pastor, red onion, pineapple and micro cilantro.

One of the top-selling menu items at the current

and past Taquero locations is the ceviche Fino, made with red snapper, Roma tomato, red onion, cilantro, serrano chiles, homemade mayonnaise and avocado slices. The appetizer also happens to be the chef’s favorite.

Mole negro is another popular order. It takes three days to prepare the dish, which has a sauce made with the chilhuacle negro chile.

Many of the menu items are named after places in Mexico. There’s the Oaxaca appetizer, which is chips with a cheesy dipping sauce made with mozzarella, cheddar, queso asadero, brisket and spinach. The Mazatlán taco has grilled red snapper, Mexican coleslaw, jalapeño ranch and queso asadero, a mild Mexican cheese.

Rodríguez prides his restaurant on its authentic flavors and homemade ingredients, including

salsas and dressings.

“What we do here is original,” he says.

Complementing the food is a full bar and a signature drink menu. The Mr. Rodríguez margarita comes with silver tequila, fresh avocado, lime and organic agave. El Famoso is Taquero’s version of a swirl, made with the Mr. Fino margarita and house sangria. Another notable mention is the La Mezcalita, made with Espina Negra mezcal, orange, lemon and agave honey.

Rodríguez says some first-time Taquero diners are amazed by the taste of the food and wonder how they’ve never been there before.

“We are like something really secret,” Rodríguez says. “Here, it’s like a hidden pearl in all of Dallas.”

Taquero, 5434 Ross Ave., taquerodallas.com

Left: A portrait of María Félix hangs in the dining room. Above: La Mezcalita, made with mezcal, lime, orange juice and agave, is garnished with a thin orange slice.

David and Jean Dean filled the walls of their living room with art they’ve collected over time.

Details made the staircase one of the Deans’ favorite features of their home.

there were 200 pigeons living in the attic. Three feet of water was standing in the basement. Some of the flooring on the first level had rotted because a previous owner used it as a dog kennel. Parts of the floor on the second story rotted, too, because of a water leak, meaning the roof had issues. Animals were living in the columns in what’s now the sun room. Sections of the internal gutter system were rusted. Greasy soot had accumulated on all of the walls.

Fixer-upper is an understatement for the Georgian Revival house on Swiss Avenue that David and Jean Dean bought in 2000.

It took 3 1 / 2 years to renovate the home before the Deans moved in 2003.

“We would never have purchased the house if it hadn’t been structurally well-built,” Jean says.

Plus, they loved the historical neighborhood and the home, which was built in 1916 for G.M. Taylor and most likely designed by Hal Thomson, they say. One of their favorite features is the staircase, each step made with one piece of hardwood.

So when they did the renovations, they did them properly.

“We’re all historic preservationists of the first order,” David, an attorney and former Texas Secretary of State, says of Swiss Avenue residents. “It’s not an academic exercise for us.”

A lot of that work happened inside the home.

But outside the home, the historic district guidelines dictate how renovations can be done, and homeowners must get their plans approved before construction can begin.

One of the projects the Deans wanted to complete was extending the second story over the sun room to create space for a closet off the master bedroom.

The addition would be visible from the street, but it would look identical to the

existing second story. Normally, closet space isn’t something that the landmark commission or neighborhood task forces or city council care about. But the Deans had to make a case for it. And ultimately, they were successful.

“They spent 30 minutes on whether Ross Perot would get $190 million of tax incentive for American Airlines stadium,” David says of one council meeting at the time.

Far left: The Deans have a miniature of “The Traveling Man - Walking Tall” in Deep Ellum. Jean’s company helped with the structural design of the statue.

Left: The Deans enclosed the portecochère in the rear of the home to form a room.

“They spent 30 minutes on whether Ross Perot would get $190 million of tax incentive for American Airlines stadium. And they spent 5 1 / 2 hours on whether Jean Dean was getting a place to hang her clothes on Swiss Avenue.”

“And they spent 5 1 / 2 hours on whether Jean Dean was getting a place to hang her clothes on Swiss Avenue.”

From the outside, the addition, designed by Todd Hamilton of Hamilton and Ward Architecture with help from Jay Henry, blends seamlessly into the original structure. That’s true even from the backyard, which provides the Deans’ favorite view of the house. Surrounded by a pool, manicured shrubs and a sea of cactuses and succulents, the rear of the property has hosted countless soirees over the years.

“We like the flow of the house, just to be able to entertain, where you don’t get stuck somewhere,” Jean says.

The Deans’ commitment to preserving history extends beyond just the architecture. For David, it’s kind of a family tradition. His father, a former president of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board, advocated for bond funds to be allocated to restore the Music Hall at Fair Park, rather than tearing it down, in the 1970s.

They found a fountain sitting inside one of the rooms in the house, and they moved it outside and made it functional.

Some of the decorative molding above and around the doors was damaged, so they repaired it and replicated it in other parts of the home, with the help of artist Brad Oldham, who created “The Traveling Man” statue in Deep Ellum. Oldham also worked on the backplates on doorknobs, inscribing

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of the home in renovations, the Deans’ personality shines through in the décor. Almost every square inch of wall space is filled with artwork the couple has collected, and still more has yet to be hung.

“I call the house ‘visually stimulating,’” Jean says.

Among the displayed works include a portrait of John Wayne by Dallas artist Desmond Blair, who was born without fingers; a piece by the late New Mexican artist John Nieto; a portrait of David’s father; and landscapes of Blue Lake and Ruby Lake.

Those are in addition to the bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln, David’s spur collection and the stuffed coyote that’s outfitted for each season.

“What do they say?” David says. “If you got it, hang it?”

TOP 2022 Re ltors

The Advocate’s annual Top Realtor special section recognizes the Top 5% of all active neighborhood Realtors, determined by reported sales volume.*

TOP 25

NANCY JOHNSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

SCOTT JACKSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

KATE LOONEY WALTERS

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

SKYLAR CHAMPION

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

LEE LAMONT

eXp Realty LLC

DAVID BUSH

David Bush Realtors

LAUREN VALEK FARRIS

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

JOHN THOMPSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

LOU ALPERT

David Bush Realtors

JOE ATKINS

Joe Atkins Realty

BRIAN BAILEY

Mustang Realty Group

JOLIE BARRIOS

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

ASHLEY BEANE

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

NINA BHANOT

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

ROBERT BLACKMAN

Solvent Realty Group

CATHERINE BLEVENS

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

TUCKER BOMAR

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

KRISTEN BOOTHE

McBride Boothe Group, LLC

JULIE BOREN

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

SUSAN BRADLEY

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

CHASE BRAY

Bray Real Estate Group

PATRICK BUKOWITZ

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

THANI BURKE

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

JUSTIN BUSTAMANTE

Keller Williams Urban Dallas

JACOB MOSS

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

AMY SACK

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

KYLE BAUGH

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

RICHARD GRAZIANO

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

KELLEY THERIOT MCMAHON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

KYLE BRINKLEY

Brinkley Property Group LLC

BRIAN PIENCIAK

Brinkley Property Group LLC

BECKY OLIVER CONLEY

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

DAMON WILLIAMSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

SHELLE CARRIG

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

GIANNA CERULLO

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

GLEN CHRISTY

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

NOELLE COATS

Redfin Corporation

CARMEN DIPENTI

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

ROB ELMORE

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

LORI ERICSSON

David Griffin & Company

BRANDON FLEEMAN

Ebby Halliday, Realtors

JAKE FOGEL

Smart City Realty, LLC

MARISSA FONTANEZ

Real

TOD FRANKLIN

DFWCityhomes

DAVID GATES

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

LAURA GRAVES

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

FORREST GREGG

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

HEATHER GUILD

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

NATALIE HATCHETT

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

CHRIS MENEGAY

Bungalow Living Brokerage Inc.

JORDAN ROSEN

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

TARA DURHAM

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

BECKY FREY

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

BRADY MOORE

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

FERAS RACHID

Opendoor Brokerage, LLC

CAROLYN BLACK

Ebby Halliday, Realtors

ELIZABETH MELLO

Coldwell Banker Realty

PHILIP HOBSON

Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed TX

MICHELLE HOPSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

MICHAEL HUMPHRIES

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

AARON JISTEL Listing Spark

NADINE KELSALL-MEYER

Meyer Group Real Estate

ANNAMARI LANNON

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

KAREN LAVORGNA

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

BEN LEE

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

BRITT LOPEZ

Paragon, Realtors

TODD LUONG

RE/MAX DFW Associates

KAKI LYBBERT

Century 21 Judge Fite Co.

ALEXANDRA MARLER

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

GIA MARSHELLO

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

GIANNA MARTINEZ

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

ELIZABETH MAST

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

LAUREN MOORE

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

PHILLIP MURRELL

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

ERIC NAROSOV

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

STEVE OBENSHAIN

RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs

NATALIE PATTEN

Patten Realty

BEVERLY PITCHFORD

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

POGIR

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

JOHN PRELL

Creekview Realty

CHRIS PYLE

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

LAURA REYNOLDS

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

RAUL RUIZ

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

PATRICE SHELBY

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

DEBBIE SHERRINGTON

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

JENNIFER SHINDLER

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

BETSY SORENSON

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

JASON THOMAS

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

SUSIE THOMPSON

Allie Beth Allman & Associates

EMILY THORSEN

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

MELANIE TILL

Meyer Group Real Estate

AMY TIMMERMAN

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

BRANDON TRAVELSTEAD

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

HILLARY TURNER

Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC

CHRISTI WEINSTEIN

Halo Group Realty, LLC

MICHAEL WONG

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l

FOR BEING IN THE ADVOCATE’S TOP REALTORS

WE’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE DALLAS REAL ESTATE MARKET AND THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.

Joe Atkins is honored to be recognized once again as a Top 5% REALTOR® serving Lakewood. As an East Dallas native, born and raised, Joe is happy to now be raising his young family in the close-knit Lakewood community. Joe attributes his success to his amazing community, wonderful clients who have become friends, and his supportive family.

Photo by Jin Kim Studio

RELATIONSHIPS ARE EVERYTHING.

My passion in life has always been people. Everyone’s needs are unique. My approach puts yours front and center. Having represented buyers and sellers for almost a decade in Lakewood and East Dallas, I’ve developed a winning strategy to yield superior results.

Let’s find out how we can work together to make buying or selling your home as seamless as possible.

$31M

Michael.Humphries@AllieBeth.com ALLIEBETH.COM 5015

By PATTI VINSON

Apparently, there’s no dignity in taxidermy

Liz Simmons’ home is just as interesting as her yard art

You’ve likely seen Liz Simmons’ outrageous display of yard art every December. Maybe you’ve wandered by her funny/scary Halloween scene in her front yard in the fall. But few know that the inside of her home is just as interesting year-round. Step inside the front door to a world of color, quirk and creativity. Welcome to Liz’s World. Her modest, older home of almost 20 years in the Hollywood/Santa Monica neighborhood hides cool objects of art and family history. It’s a collection cobbled together over many years; some were gifts, some she inherited, some she made herself, and some were rescued from the trash.

First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Well, not an elephant. But you will find in her house a bear, oryx, kudu, coyote, raccoon, deer, owls, squirrel, bobcats, duck, crane and the elusive jackalope. Simmons is a bit in love with taxidermy.

It wasn’t always this way. Ironically, in fact, she says she was “creeped out” by stuffed and mount -

ed animals until friends gave her the deer head hanging on her living room wall about 12 years ago.

Since then, Simmons has collected dozens of preserved animals, finding most at estate sales and at a quirky neighborhood antiques store, Curiosities. She prefers old, somewhat

tattered taxidermy, the kind you might find in a cobwebbed corner of grandpa’s attic.

Never lacking a sense of humor, Simmons has adorned several of the animals. The deer above the fireplace wears a pink party hat and has holiday lights draped across its

Liz Simmons’ kitchen. Photography by Emil Lippe

antlers. The hooves, mounted below the head, hold a shotgun, a Simmons touch.

Another deer, this one in the kitchen and christened “Steve,” is fabulous in a fluffy pink boa and Steampunk glasses. Steve’s friend, The Bear, stands by a vintage O’Keefe & Merritt stove, a cowboy hat atop his furry head and a festive red scarf keeping his neck warm.

Apparently, there’s no dignity in taxidermy. But there’s no denying they all have the appearance of having a good time.

Simmons has fun with the pieces, but, even more, she sees the beauty in the animals and enjoys having them around. Plus, she gives these dusty old animals a home.

A big fan of the holidays, Simmons keeps Christmas — and Halloween — in her heart and in her house year-round. Skull imagery abounds, and a giant spider hangs from the ceiling. In fact, at her annual Halloween party, she says it’s common that someone who’s never been inside before will comment on her awesome Halloween decorations inside. Nope; that’s normal in LizWorld.

A stocking is hung by the spider with care. Santa pops up in every room, from a large cut-out affixed to the bright pink wall in the kitchen to small figurines perched on the stove. Glass ornaments dangle merrily from taxidermy.

Simmons says she’s never been one to buy décor, preferring the creative route and making her own. When she had the perfect space for a small table in her living room, she broke out her buzz saw and produced a Dr. Seuss-ish swirly orange piece with giant green dots.

In the kitchen, she painted a boring white refrigerator with cobalt blue chalkboard paint. The cabinet doors are covered

with giant portraits of her two cats. The floor’s red, pink and green tiles add even more color.

Nearby in the den area, she painted a storage room door with an image of The Guardian Rat, a giant gray halo-topped rodent glowing with goodwill. Or maybe the glow is the result of the martini Guardian Rat holds in his rat hand. The door is framed with a few dozen plastic skulls. Because Liz.

The creativity is a bit mind-blowing, but not so surprising when you see other art in the home, much of it courtesy of her family. Paintings of landscapes, seascapes and florals hang on several walls in the house, most painted long ago by Simmons’ mother or grandmother.

A curio cabinet holds pottery created by her sister, and on a wall in the next room is a wood carving of a fish, carved by her father.

The spirit of family is also evident in the dozens of old black-and-white photos around the house. Here’s one of her father in his younger days at his ranch. There’s mom as a toddler, playing on the beach. And a wonderful old-framed image of great-great (“I don’t know how many greats”) Uncle Harold shares a wall with a ranch photo, a goat skull and an antique non-working clock labeled “SantaTime.” A stuffed sandhill crane keeps a wary eye on them close by.

Simmons loves it all, but she says her favorite room is the living room at the front of the house, where Simmons painted each wall a different color: orange, neon green, yellow and blue. She points out a wooden ship on a shelf, a ship dear to her because her father made it. Next to it is a santo carved and painted by her long-gone great aunt Malcolm, who was an artist in Santa Fe.

Simmons’ first piece of taxidermy is mounted over the sofa, where she enjoys hanging out with her menagerie: a white and yellow ball python named Crackers; leopard gecko known as Miss Agnes; nine blue death-feigning beetles (which gamely played possum for a visitor); and several fish.

How would she describe her style? “It’s just me,” Simmons says. “I see things I like, and I find a place for it.” So what’s missing? What’s the next quirky object to grace her home?

“I’ll know it when I see it,” Simmons says.

in East Dallas for more than 20 years. She’s written for the Advocate and Real Simple magazine.

PATTI VINSON is a guest writer who has lived

Dr. Methvin

Dr. Clifford

Dr. Drake

Liz Simmons.

Photography by Emil Lippe.

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AMBASSADOR FENCE CO.

Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers, Arbors. AmbassadorFenceCo.com 214-621-3217

FENCING, ARBORS, DECKS oldgatefence.com

214-766-6422

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

HANNAH WOODWORKS

• Decks • Pergolas

• Patio Covers

Hannahwoodworks.com 214-435-9574

FLOORING & CARPETING

EPOXY GARAGE FLOORS

Many colors to choose (flakes optional) Call Nick for bid 214-341-5993 hastingsfloors.com

HARDWOOD INSTALLATIONS Waterproof, hardwood, carpets, tile laminate, & vinyl click. 214-772-9503. Free In Home estimates

FOUNDATION REPAIR

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

• Free Estimates

• Over 20 Years Exp. 972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

GARAGE SERVICES

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428

GENERAL CONTACTING

A2H GENERAL CONTRACTING,LLC Remodel, Paint, Drywall/Texture, Plumbing. Electrical, Siding, Bathroom/Kitchen Remodels Tilling, Flooring, Fencing. 469-658-9163. Free Est.

A2HGeneralContactingLLC@gmail.com

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR

frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

DANHANDY.NET Repairs Done Right For A Fair Price. References 214-991-5692

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HANDYMAN WANTS your Painting,Repairs, To Do Lists. Bob. 214-288-4232. Free Est. 25+yrs exp.

HOME REPAIR Doors, Trim, Glass. Int/Ext. Sheetrock, Windows, Kitchen, Bathroom 35 yrs exp. 214-875-1127

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES

Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical. 469-658-9163

Let

Commercial/residential. Intrior/ Exterior. Fair Rates. 214-489-0635

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

TEXAS BEST PAINTING LLC Resd,Interiors 30Yrs. 214-527-4168

TOP COAT 30 Yrs. Exp. Reliable. Quality Repair/Remodel. Phil @ 214-770-2863

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111

KITCHEN/BATH/TILE/GROUT

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

MELROSE TILE James Sr., Installer, Repairs. 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration.

Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

JIM 972-992-4660

WE

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

#1 WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS

Professionals, Experts, Artists serving Dallas 15 years.Trim, Removals. Tree Health Care services. Insured. Arborwizard.com. Free Est. (972) 803-6313.

A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 18 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925 Lawns, Gardens & Trees

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com

214-924-7058 214-770-2435

MONSTER TREE SERVICE DALLAS

Certified Arborists, Fully Insured 469.983.1060

NEW LEAF TREE, LLC

Honest, Modern, Safety Minded. 214-850-1528

PAT TORRES 214-388-1850 Lawn Service & Tree Care. 28 Yrs. Complete Landscape Renovation. New Fence Install & Brick Repair. Concrete Removal and Gutter Cleaning.

RED SUN LANDSCAPES • 214-935-9779 RedSunLandscapes.com

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 469-853-2326. John

DALLAS KDR SERVICES

• Lawn service

PEST CONTROL

WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?

REMODELING

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

"Keeping Children & Pets in Mind"

Termite Specialist - Mosquito Mister Systems

Licensed · Insured · Residential · Commercial · Organic 214-350-3595 • Abetterearth.crw@gmail.com abetterearth.com

PLUMBING

AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943

PLUMBING ISSUES?

We’re the Experts!

30 Years of Excellent Service

• Water Heaters

• Water Leaks

• Sewer Backups

• All Plumbing Repairs

ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!

POOLS

24/7 On-Call

972-379-4000 staggsplumbing.co

CERULEAN POOL SERVICES Family Owned/ Operated. Weekly maintenance, Chemicals, parts & repairs. CeruleanPro.com 214-557-6996

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

C.A.S. BOOKKEEPING SERVICES

Personal/Small Business. Payroll, Accounting, Organizing, Consult. Cindy 214-577-7450

REAL ESTATE

On Staff:

”WE CARE ABOUT YOUR TREES”

ESTATE HOME NEEDS TO BE SOLD?

Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes

Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839

GARDEN OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

Walnut Hill @ CENTRAL.3 Smaller Suites

Avail. Flexible Terms 214.915. 8886

OFFICE SUBLEASE In Bishop Arts. Cool, Quiet. 1,179 Sq ft. 4 rooms + kit / bath, parking. $2,950 + NNNs. 713.302-7722.

FENN CONSTRUCTION Kitchens And Baths. Call Us For Your Remodeling Needs. 214-343-4645. dallastileman.com

O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Remodeling Dallas For Over 24 Years www.ObrienGroupInc.com 214-341-1448

RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247

SQUARE NAIL CONSTRUCTION

Kitchen/Bath remodeling Re-facing, Pergolas/Decks. 30Yrs exp. 469.585.1588, 469.585.7756

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

MP ARCHITECTURAL Design & Construction. mattandpaul.com 214-226-1186

ROOFING & GUTTERS

BERT ROOFING INC.

Family owned and operated for over 40 years

• Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates www.bertroofing.com 214.321.9341

SERVICES FOR YOU

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply.Promo Expires 7/21/21.1-833-872-2545

DONATE YOUR CARS TO VETERANS TODAY. Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800 -245-0398

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER!

LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373

FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892

GENERAC Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt. Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-844-334 -8353

HUGHESNET Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live.25 Mbps just $59.99/mo!

Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499 -0141

MOBILE HELP, America's premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you're home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888-489-3936

SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306

THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services

Roofing iding utters Joe Clifford www exteriorscc.net 469·291·7039

TUTORING/ LESSONS

GARTH ORR - TUTOR Math & Physics grade 8-12. Private Tutoring that works! garthorr.com

WORSHIP

FULLY

NATURAL WEED, FEED, DISEASE AND INSECT CONTROL

PEST CONTROL

MCDANIEL PEST CONTROL

Prices Start at $85 + Tax For General Treatment.

Average Home-Interior/Exterior & Attached Garage. Quotes For Other Services.

214-328-2847. Lakewood Resident

MOSQUITO SHIELD 972–850-2983

Imagine A Night Outside Without Mosquitoes

NATURE KING PEST MANAGEMENT INC.

Squirrels, Racoons, Skunks, Snakes, Possums, etc.

Pest & Termite. Neighborhood Resident

30+ Yrs.exp. 214-827-0090

Residential • Commercial (214) 503-7663 www.scottexteriors.com

SERVICES FOR YOU

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS If you have water damage and need cleanup services, call us! We'll get in & work with your insurance agency to get your home repaired and your life back to normal ASAP! 855-767-7031

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!

Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation,production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

DENTAL INSURANCE-Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance -not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258

WILSHIRE BAPTIST CHURCH 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100 Open to all / Worship at 11 a.m. Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. wilshirebc.org schedule.