Contributions of Douglas Newby to Architecture, Dallas, and His Clients

The architecture of homes has been a major component of how Douglas Newby approaches real estate. It is not just about what architectural style might be popular, but if the home is an excellent example of that style – is it good architecture. And it’s not even about if a home has good architecture, but how does the home relate to its environment and its site. This can make the difference on it being a great home or one that has diminished appeal. Douglas Newby’s architectural interests and knowledge helps his clients make the best decisions for their home. Statistically, a home might look like a great deal, but fundamentally is problematic because it is inferior architecturally.

Douglas Newby – Architectural Expertise

Douglas Newby uses his architectural expertise to better market a home. He has an advantage since he started his business in Munger Place, which is the epicenter of great residential Dallas architecture. In Munger Place the prices of the homes were not high but every home here, almost 100 years earlier, was required to be designed by an architect, and on Swiss Avenue what fabulous architects these were. The best architects in Dallas designed homes on Swiss Avenue.

From the beginning of his career Douglas Newby researched every home he listed and discovered the architect that designed it. When other real estate agents were just selling old homes, Douglas Newby was selling architecturally significant homes identified by the pedigree of the architect. From early in his career as a real estate broker, Douglas Newby was also often able to identify the architect of a home before researching it. For example, certain elements of a home like a mantel might identify the home as being designed by Lang and Witchell architects. Years later, when a home was being sold primarily as a lot, Douglas Newby suggested to the Listing Agent that the home looked like it was designed by architect Scott Lyons. Further research proved this to be true, which allowed the agent to reset the marketing campaign, which brought more money for the house and helped preserve this architect-designed house.

Douglas Newby Brought Architectural Awareness to Highland Park and Preston Hollow

Douglas Newby shifted the majority of his business from Munger Place and Swiss Avenue, once these neighborhoods were revitalized and on solid footing, to help clients in Highland Park and Preston Hollow. In these Dallas neighborhoods, real estate agents were exclusively marketing homes by which builder built the home. Real estate agents were making no mention of the architect that designed the home. Douglas Newby recognized he could bring much value to both sellers and buyers in the Park Cities, Bluffview, Preston Hollow, and Greenway Parks. For sellers, he could obtain higher prices by better articulating the value of their architecturally significant homes by including the architect that designed the home. For a buyer, Douglas Newby could add value by helping them determine the difference between generic homes and significant homes.

Approach of Douglas Newby Benefits the Entire City of Dallas

Historic preservation has benefitted from people having a greater understanding of homes and their architectural background. For instance, the Historic Preservation League/Preservation Dallas would always send a representative to the homes Douglas Newby listed to obtain the information that he provided with the home he was marketing which included floorplans and the architect who designed the home. Douglas Newby was actually the first real estate broker in Dallas to have an architect draw marketing floorplans of existing homes. Builders would often provide floorplans of the new homes in their subdivision, but realtors regardless of the price of a home would only provide to buyers room sizes – but never floor plans.

Residential Architects Were Introduced to People Wanting a New Home

Douglas Newby helped residential architects become more accessible to those who desired to build a new home. For a long time buyers would generally purchase houses designed by a builder or have a builder design a new home for them. Builders were readily accessible because they would have open houses every weekend. Unless a buyer had a friend or family member that had worked with an architect, the process of finding an architect, differentiating architects, and interacting with architects was difficult. As a result, Douglas Newby posted on his website 100 Top Dallas Architects with examples of each of the architects’ work and some background on each architect. This provided a good starting point for people thinking about using an architect. If one does a Google search for Dallas architects, the website of Douglas Newby comes up first, allowing people to be introduced to Dallas architects in an easy and informative way. The section on Douglas Newby’s website, Past Dallas Architects, gives buyers and sellers additional information on the importance of many homes in Dallas designed by significant architects.

Knowledge of Architecture Improves the Architectural Landscape

Douglas Newby considers that every time someone uses an architect to design a new home or renovate an older home, the aesthetic landscape of Dallas improves. By leading architectural panels or hosting Conversations With Architects, Douglas Newby brings additional attention to architecture. The support of Douglas Newby’s clients makes it possible for him to make a civic contribution of helping people better understand Dallas architecture.