About Douglas Newby

Megan and Bryan

Dear Douglas and Connie, I don’t want to miss this opportunity to thank you both for your amazing efforts and time in selling our home. It has been an extreme pleasure working with both of you and in the meanwhile furthering our friendship.

Megan and Bryan

John & Elise Willding

What a phenomonal week! A million thanks to our great friend Doug Newby who is the absolute secret weapon when buying an architecturally significant home. I have become more heavily involved with real estate over the years and no one has added close to the value Doug adds to a purchase or sale.

John A. Willding II

We love working with you both — we never would have had the opportunity to buy this house without your insider intel on the street and you helped us through each part of the process. It is a joy to work with you. And while we are certainly out of the house market now, we look forward to continuing our friendship. And of course recommending you! 

Elise McDonald Willding

Robert Wilgey

No other broker could have handled a transaction of this magnitude and complexity with as much grace, sensitivity and confidentiality.

Robert Wigley
Trustee of Crespi Estate
Former Vice Chairman E.F. Hutton

Robert Crandall

Jan and I have bought and sold a lot of homes as we have moved around the country and you are the first realtor we have worked with that has actually marketed our home.

Robert Crandall
Former Chairman and CEO, American Airlines

Jacqueline & Jim Deeken

Jim and I can’t begin to thank you enough or all of your efforts and infinite patience in helping us finally find a home. We are so appreciative and excited.

Jacqueline & Jim Deeken
Highland Park Homeowner

Virginia McAlester

Dear Doug,

It is my belief the re-zoning of Old East Dallas, conducted under your direction when you were chair of the Physical Development Committee of the East Dallas Design Committee (EDDC) was one of the most significant things in the preservation of our part of town.

It is hard for me to imagine anyone but you having had the time, energy and drive that monumental effort required.

Virginia McAlester
Founder of Preservation Dallas

Douglas Newby Helps Discover the Finest Homes

The Crespi Estate designed by architect Maurice Fatio is a good example of an architecturally significant home that for a generation had remained out of the public consciousness. One might think this surprising since it is on 20 acres, the largest homesite in Dallas, and was designed by the nation’s greatest estate home architect of the 1920s and 1930s. However, the home was not visible from the street as it was sited over the hill and down by the creek. Also, its neighborhood, Mayflower Estates, was north of Walnut Hill. As a result, it was not considered in the heart of Preston Hollow so the neighborhood was not on people’s minds. Further, even though Mayflower Estates had two of the largest estate properties, it was a small neighborhood of approximately 100 homes that did not attract attention. Also, this was before President and Mrs. Bush purchased and moved into the home directly behind Crespi Estate. Buyers, the real estate community, and even architectural historian Willis Winters were not aware of this spectacular estate home.

Since I specialize in historic and architecturally significant homes, I became aware of the Crespi Estate. This prompted me to help the family develop a succession plan for this home, some call the most significant estate home in America. This plan was successfully executed, as I found a buyer who not only preserved the home but invested more money on this home and property than any other home in Dallas. This once obscure home became an internationally well-known estate home in which a video I shot of it garnered over 14 million YouTube views.

Architecturally Significant Homes Hidden Across Dallas

There are many architecturally significant homes designed by fabulous architects that have remained under the radar. Many of these homes have been marketed as lots because the real estate agent was not familiar with the modern design of a past architect or the aesthetic appeal of a historic home designed by a talented architect. Sometimes spectacular homes have been slightly modified that could be easily corrected or enhanced, bringing great value to the home.

Other architecturally significant homes are designed by architects that are incredibly good but have not yet received the attention they deserve. It is always fun and satisfying to me to identify and bring to the attention of my clients these architecturally superior homes.

Important Civic Leadership Roles Held by Douglas Newby in Dallas’ Significant Neighborhoods

Douglas Newby has initiated many civic projects that directly benefit Dallas, enhances neighborhoods, its architecture, the understanding of Dallas and its history, and its future as a thriving city. He has served on the executive committee of many boards including the MetroTex Association of Realtors, the Dallas Historical Society, Preservation Dallas, and his historic district Homeowners Association. Douglas Newby has also chaired many initiatives including the Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award which he created. Academic organizations also have been an area he has contributed his time and energy to. Douglas Newby has concentrated on contributions and civic involvements that improve the neighborhoods in the city his clients live in. At the same time, his community involvement enhances his knowledge of Dallas.

• Currently serving on the Texas Preservation Trust Fund Professional Advisory Board.
• Zoning Chairman of the East Dallas Community Design Committee
• Board Member of Preservation Dallas
• Executive Committee of the Dallas Historical Society
• Board Member of Dallas Architecture Foundation
• Home tour co-chair of several architecture and neighborhood home tours
• Advisory Board of Park Cities Historical Society
• Board Member of the MetroTex Association of Realtors
• Board Member of the Greater Dallas Planning Council
• Board Member of Shared Housing
• President of SMU Town and Gown
• Graduate of Leadership Dallas
• Steering Committee of TEDx SMU
• Chair of AIA Dallas – 50 Significant Homes project
• Co-founder of Homeowners Association
• Co-founder of Neighborhood Alliance Against Crime
• UT Southwestern President’s Research Committee – Steering Committee
• SMU Tables of Content Board Member

Neighborhood Books Authored by Douglas Newby

Researching the history of neighborhoods, architects and Dallas, and presenting this research as books or articles provides Douglas Newby greater insight on these subjects and helps inform others that love learning about Dallas or desire to know more about Dallas and its neighborhoods and its architecture.

A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas

Possessing an extensive knowledge of Dallas neighborhoods, you will benefit from the information written about Dallas historic neighborhoods in resources like “A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas”.

Reproduction of Original Munger Place Book

The original Munger Place book was reproduced and updated by Douglas Newby.

Legacies: Old East Dallas 1975 – by Douglas Newby

For a neighborhood to be considered the most successfully revitalized, it first needs to be considered the most successfully deteriorated. Munger Place enjoys both successes.

Dallas Architecture: Elements of Style

The architectural style and history of Dallas is best expressed and understood through its neighborhoods and individual houses, not its commercial or public monuments.

Enjoy Insights of Videos on Dallas Neighborhoods

Dallas neighborhoods like Dallas homes should be discussed beyond just listing their statistics and amenities. Here you will find a few examples of neighborhood videos Douglas Newby created that show how he thinks about and discusses Dallas neighborhoods.

My favorite neighborhoods are niche neighborhoods of under 100 homes that have desirable characteristics that are little known or underappreciated.  Since there are so few homes in a niche neighborhood, very few realtors have an opportunity to sell a home in these neighborhoods which limits their knowledge of them.  Also, I enjoy bringing attention to these small special neighborhoods which raises the profile of these neighborhoods and the value of their homes.  Also, within large communities or neighborhoods, there will be special streets or locations that most people have not given as much thought to as they deserve.  Regardless of whether a neighborhood is large or small, I try to convey its history, its desirability, and the subtle characteristics of the neighborhood.

Example of International Architects

The Crespi Estate was credibly called the finest estate home in America in the early part of the 21th century.  It is a good example of a home Douglas Newby sold that influences how one looks at any other home thereafter.  Douglas Newby discovered this long-forgotten home on 20 acres and identified the architect as Maurice Fatio, best known in Long Island and Palm Beach for the homes he designed for billionaires and the social elite.  In the process of selling this architecturally significant home, Douglas Newby became intimately acquainted with the unmatched grace, proportions and detail designed by Maurice Fatio. 

Dallas also had revered architects that were born in Europe including Otto Lang and Frank Witchell who designed public buildings like Highland Park Town Hall and early 20th century mansions on Swiss Avenue, such as the home at 5112 Swiss Avenue that Douglas Newby sold.

See Example of Modern International Architects

Douglas Newby has sold this home at 5243 Park Lane designed by architect Edward Durell Stone.  This is the home that Edward Durell Stone put on the back cover of the coffee table book of his architectural projects.  He also was allegedly the only architect Frank Lloyd Wright ever complimented. 

Douglas Newby has sold the Architect Harwell Hamilton Harris designed Midcentury Modern home at 9624 Rockbrook Drive. Harwell Hamilton Harris came to Texas as a famous California architect in the 1950s and went on to design his best commercial and residential work in Dallas.

These are examples of nationally recognized modern architects that designed architecturally significant homes in Dallas that were sold by Douglas Newby.

See Example of Dallas Modern homes

Dallas has the best collection of 20th and 21st century modern homes in the country, not just because of the national architects that designed architecturally significant homes here, but because of the talented Dallas architects designing modern homes like this one in Preston Hollow designed by architect Lionel Morrison. 

This is another example of a Dallas architect designed modern home that Douglas Newby has sold, this one located in Greenway Parks designed by architect Max Levy. Architect Max Levy has won more Texas AIA and Dallas AIA awards than any other architect. His architectural work is a link between the late architectural masters like Bud Oglesby and Frank Welch and young architects who are now winning awards.

In addition, Douglas Newby has sold architecturally significant homes by past modern and midcentury modern architects that have made both a major impact on the Dallas architectural landscape and on modern architects that followed them, like Frank Welch, Bud Oglesby, James Pratt, Bill Booziotis, Downing Thomas, Scott Lyons, Max Sandfield, Hidell and Decker, Howard Meyer, Arch Swank, Glenn Allen Gallaway, John Astin Perkins, Robert James, William Benson and James Nagle.

Further, Douglas Newby has sold many homes by current Dallas architects who have won many AIA design awards and other distinctions, including Max Levy, Cliff Welch, Lionel Morrison, James Langford, Joshua Nimmo, Scott Marek, Ryan Grey Smith, Braxton Werner and Paul Field.

See Early 20th Century Examples

Douglas Newby has sold many Hal Thomson designed homes on Swiss Avenue and in Highland Park including this glorious home overlooking the boulevard. Hal Thomson is the Godfather of Dallas Architects. He is still revered by architects and the general public.

Douglas Newby has also sold architecturally significant homes designed by the earliest Dallas society architects of lasting prominence who designed the finest architecturally significant mansions on Swiss Avenue and in Highland Park. 

These sales include homes by revered Dallas architects that include Lang and Witchell, Fooshee and Cheek, Clifford Hutsell, Charles Dilbeck, Goodwin and Tatum, Hal Yoakum, Wilson McClure, C. D. Hill, C.P. Sites, Mark Lemmon, Bertram Hill, John Dana, Clyde H. Griesenbeck, Cole Smith, Dines and Kraft, Ed Beran and Overton Shelmier, C.W. Bulger, Marshall Barnett, and Michael Wayland Brown.

Additionally, Douglas Newby has sold a great number of architecturally significant homes by the current leading estate home architects like Larry Boerder, Lloyd Lumpkins, and Robbie Fusch.

You will find many of these homes in the finest neighborhoods Douglas Newby specializes in like Highland Park, Volk Estates and Preston Hollow. He has also helped identify and nurture, through his sales and marketing, niche neighborhoods that had been ignored and now have become the most popular neighborhoods in Dallas: Northern Hills, Turtle Creek Park, Greenway Parks, Mayflower Estates, Munger Place and White Rock Lake.

See Example of Dallas Midcentury Architect-Designed Homes

See Example of Texas Modern Homes

Douglas Newby has also sold architecturally significant homes designed by the godfather of Texas Modernism, David Williams, and by his protégé and Texas icon, O’Neil Ford. See Texas Modern homes designed by architect Scott Lyons and other Texas Modern architects.

Douglas Newby’s Civic Leadership Roles Have Included:

From being appointed by the Governor of Texas to the Texas Preservation Trust Fund Professional Advisory Board, to serving on the Dallas Historical Society Executive Committee and Preservation Dallas, to advisory boards of preservation organizations in the Park Cities, Douglas Newby has contributed to understanding and promoting the historic landmarks and movements of Texas and Dallas.

Professional organizations and foundations, including the MetroTex Association of Realtors and the Dallas Architecture Foundation, have sought out Douglas Newby to be on their boards as well as many other associations and civic organizations.

• Texas Preservation Trust Fund Professional Advisory Board.
• Zoning Chairman of the East Dallas Community Design Committee
• Board Member of Preservation Dallas
• Executive Committee of the Dallas Historical Society
• Board Member of Dallas Architecture Foundation
• Home tour co-chair of several architecture and neighborhood home tours
• Advisory Board of Park Cities Historical Society
• Board Member of the MetroTex Association of Realtors
• Board Member of the Greater Dallas Planning Council
• Co-chair of Deep Ellum Property Owners for Rezoning
• Board Member of Shared Housing
• President of SMU Town and Gown
• Graduate of Leadership Dallas
• Steering Committee of TEDx SMU
• Chair of AIA Dallas – 50 Significant Homes project
• Co-founder of Homeowners Association
• Co-founder of Neighborhood Alliance Against Crime
• UT Southwestern President’s Research Committee – Steering Committee
• SMU Tables of Content Board Member

Douglas Newby Has Also Made Many Individual Contributions to the Community Which Include:

Douglas Newby has created new initiatives within long established and prestigious Dallas organizations. Douglas Newby also has created and initiated civic projects outside of established organizations. In both environments, his creativity and insights have made a major impact on Dallas and the community.

• Douglas Newby initiated the rezoning of the 2,000-house 100-block area from multifamily zoning to single-family zoning, resulting in $1 billion of homes that have been saved and money spent on single-family home renovation
• Douglas Newby initiated and sponsored the first Restoration House of the Year Award in the country with the Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award
• Douglas Newby co-founded the Dallas Historic Fund that purchased 21 options and then resold these houses with preservation deed restrictions
• Douglas Newby initiated the first single-family historic district in Dallas
• Douglas Newby encouraged FNMA to use the 100-block single-family rezoning area for their first inner city national lending demonstration project
• Created the Douglas Newby/Architecturally Significant Homes website that comes up first in a national Google search for architecturally significant homes that then shows Dallas examples of significant homes; a Google search for Dallas architects brings up on the top of the search results the Douglas Newby/Architecturally Significant Homes website that allows people to learn about past and current architects that have made an impact on Dallas; a Google search for Dallas neighborhoods brings up Douglas Newby/Architecturally Significant Homes website on the top of search results, helping people learn about the names, boundaries, and nuances of small and large Dallas neighborhoods.
• Douglas Newby has written extensively about architecture, homes, neighborhoods and Dallas in journals, magazines, books, newspapers and online publications.
• Douglas Newby has often been interviewed for major print and video publications about architecture, homes, neighborhoods and Dallas
• Douglas Newby wrote A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas, the first book on Dallas neighborhoods:

SMU Mustang Magazine – Preservation Cover Story on Douglas Newby

Read full article about Douglas Newby in SMU’s magazine. It discusses the contributions of Douglas Newby to preservation in Dallas. →

Raffination Dinner Celebrating the Spirit of Dallas

Discover Douglas Newby as Dallas Thought Leader

Douglas Newby likes to write and speak about what he discovers that is interesting. He likes to share his insights from his experience working with extremely intelligent clients and observing how neighborhoods and architecture evolve. Douglas Newby explores the history and future of neighborhoods.

Douglas Newby Op-Ed in Sunday Dallas Morning News Discusses Threat of Eliminating Single-Family Zoning

The elimination of single-family zoning called for in the ForwardDallas plan would diminish the desirability of Dallas neighborhoods and the ongoing success of the city of Dallas. This Dallas Morning News op-ed brings attention to the threat of ForwardDallas and also identifies places where more density could be added while still protecting the Dallas neighborhoods. 

Shelter in Place Changes How We Feel About Our Home

The coronavirus is forcing us to shelter at home and think of our homes in whole new ways. Traditionally, when buyers look for houses to purchase, they are usually thinking about practical and financial criteria, including square footage, the cost of the investment, how much house can they afford, and the latest and most stylish counter tops and appliances.

Legacies: Old East Dallas 1975 – by Douglas Newby

For a neighborhood to be considered the most successfully revitalized, it first needs to be considered the most successfully deteriorated. Munger Place enjoys both successes.

Reproduction of Original Munger Place Book

The original Munger Place book was reproduced and updated by Douglas Newby to explain why Munger Place was considered the finest residence park in the country and how it was interpreted 75 years later.

French Newspaper Libération Discusses With Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby spoke with French journalist and United States Bureau Chief, Lorraine Millot, about the Dallas Arts District and Dallas architecture. Here are a few comments he made to Lorraine Millot along with the English translation.

Awards and Achievements of Douglas Newby

Dallas was instrumental in Douglas Newby receiving local and national recognition. He received these for his business, preservation, and Dallas civic contributions.

• Luxury Conclave – Best Property Marketing Award
  A national organization of the top luxury Realtors across the country selected Douglas Newby for the Best Property Marketing Award for three straight years (selected by the Wall Street Journal and a New York advertising company). The third year the Luxury Conclave announced it was a Hall of Fame Award so that I would not enter further competitions and so other of the best Realtors across the country would have the opportunity to win. The success of these campaigns were due in part to Douglas Newby having the most architecturally significant homes found in Dallas to market.
• Preservation Dallas – Keystone Award
  The Historic Preservation League, now Preservation Dallas, presented Douglas Newby with the Keystone Award for achieving the most successful preservation project for that year. He was given this award for initiating the single-family rezoning of a 100 block area that had been zoned multifamily. This rezoning was the foundation for the first inner city lending in the country and the preservation and revitalization of these 2,000 properties. This architectural survey reviewing homes designed over 100 years demonstrated that Dallas had the best collection of 20th century houses in the country.
• AIA Dallas – Citation Award
  This AIA Dallas Citation Award was presented to Douglas Newby for his initiating and organizing an architectural survey of Dallas and identifying 50 significant homes for the Dallas AIA Chapter 50th Anniversary.
• Hinsdale Hall of Fame – 2022 Inductee for Preservation
  The Hinsdale Hall of Fame Award was given to Douglas Newby because of the tremendous preservation results he helped obtain in Dallas. When urban renewal, decay and new development was demolishing historic structures in other cities, in Dallas 2,000 properties were preserved and $1 billion of value was created.
• Academy of Raffination Medal Recipient
  The Raffination Awards celebrate Dallas citizens being refined in a fun and exuberant way. Dallas is an eclectic city with talented people in every field that are connected by their contributions and shared interests even when from different fields and generations. Success is recognized and awarded.

Hinsdale Hall of Fame Selects Douglas Newby for Hall

National Luxury Conclave Awards Douglas Newby Best Property Marketing Award

Douglas Newby Speaking Engagements:

There is a reason that national organizations, including the National Association of Realtors and the National AIA have asked Douglas Newby to speak at their national conventions. He is an authority as it relates to cities, architecture and real estate. Douglas Newby might be the only Realtor that has addressed a TED audience from the main stage as well as given a TEDx Talk in Dallas. He has spoken for academic groups made up of professors, students and the intelligentsia of Dallas. The most prestigious and oldest women’s clubs like the Shakespeare Club and Women’s Foundation, and the Beverly Drive Book Club, and prestigious men’s clubs like the Salesmanship Club, and other prominent clubs and associations like the Downtown Dallas Rotary and neighborhood associations have asked Douglas Newby to speak to their membership.

• Table Host for SMU Tables of Content
  Douglas Newby presented as a table host for SMU Tables of Content. This black-tie event raises funds for the SMU libraries. It is always fun to see the interesting people that host tables that guests can sign up for. Table hosts have included in the past authors, artists, and people like Wick Allison the founder of D Magazine and Mary Suhm, the Dallas City Manager. Douglas Newby spoke on Dallas residential architecture and Dallas architects.
• Salesmanship Club of Dallas Annual Meeting
  One time a year spouses were invited to the Salesmanship Club of Dallas Annual Meeting. Douglas Newby presented as the keynote speaker discussing the evolution of Dallas and Dallas neighborhoods.
• Dallas Woman’s Club
  The Dallas Woman’s Club is a prestigious and prominent organization that meets in a building designed by John Astin Perkins. Their extensive programming includes noteworthy speakers discussing a wide range of topics. Douglas Newby was invited to speak on the evolution of Dallas architecture.
• SMU Town and Gown
  SMU Town and Gown is an almost 100-year organization founded by prominent Dallas businessmen and the president of SMU to meet monthly and give talks alternating between town and gown members. Douglas Newby, as a town member, has presented two talks—the first one: Does Downtown Dallas Want to be a Vibrant City Center or an Urban Reservation? The second talk was: Organic Urbanism is a Cure for New Urbanism.
• AIA National Convention
  When the National Convention of American Institute of Architects was held in Dallas, Douglas Newby was asked to present on two days. One was a tour and discussion of homes in Dallas that were designed by internationally famous architects. The second day was a tour and discussion of homes designed by famous Dallas architects.
• Annual meeting of the Texas Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art
  At Old Parkland, Douglas Newby moderated a panel that included Harlan Crow, the two architects who designed the renovation and expansion of this historic building and campus, and the head of leasing. We discussed the design and impact of the building on Dallas.
• Dallas Chapter of the ICAA
  Douglas Newby moderated panels of architects at several meetings discussing architecture in Dallas.
• Beverly Drive Book Club (the oldest book club in Dallas)
  Douglas Newby gave a book review and led a discussion of the book The Poor Side of Town and Why We Need It.
• Shakespeare Club of Dallas (the oldest club in Dallas)
  Margaret McDermott invited Douglas Newby to speak at the O’Neil Ford designed home of one of the members on the history of architecturally significant homes in Dallas.
• Dallas Architecture Forum
  Douglas Newby has been the moderator of several panels of architects and interior designers regarding their approach to architecture and design in Dallas.
• Annual Legacies Dallas History Conference
  Old East Dallas 1975, The Nation’s Most Successful Neighborhood Revitalization is the article and talk that Douglas Newby presented at the Annual Legacies Dallas History Conference.
• Neighborhood Homeowner’s Associations
  Several neighborhood homeowner associations have invited Douglas Newby to speak, including the Swiss Avenue Homeowner’s Association, the Munger Place Homeowner’s Association, the Hollywood Heights Homeowner’s Association, the Greenland Hills Homeowner’s Association, Junius Heights Homeowner’s Association, Northern Hills Homeowner’s Association, and others to regarding the creation of historic or conservation districts or to speak on the history of the neighborhood and its architecture.
• Historic Preservation League
  Participated on a panel that selected homes in various categories for restoration awards.
• TEDx SMU
  Douglas Newby presented the TEDx Talk, Homes That Make Us Happy, that has received over 3,000 views of the video of the Talk.
• TED
  At the main annual TED Conference, Douglas Newby gave a two-minute audience response on the need to shift resources from fixed rail to an infrastructure that would better enable autonomous vehicles.
• Lecture at Barry Whistler Gallery – Counterintuitive Real Estate Ideas
  Barry Whistler Gallery was the perfect location for art patrons, academics and business leaders to participate in a lecture given by Douglas Newby on counterintuitive ideas in real estate.
• National Association of Realtors Annual Convention
  Douglas Newby was invited to speak on how he developed an Architecturally Significant Facebook business page that created more fans/followers than all the other real estate companies and the National Association of Realtors Facebook business pages combined. His page was also the first page showing examples of architecture that reached a half million followers.
• Antique Society of Dallas
  Douglas Newby presented a talk on historic homes in Dallas.
• University of Texas at Arlington – Masters in Public Administration Class
  Douglas Newby presented a talk on the process and effects of urban revitalization.
• SMU – Urban Studies Class
  Douglas Newby discussed the political process in the City of Dallas.
• Dallas Historical Society
  Douglas Newby chaired and presented the lecture series of influential Dallasites and their impact on the city on a range of topics from politics, history and architecture.
• Conversation With An Architect
  Douglas Newby hosted a series: An architect discussing a home they had recently designed at that home. This series also included him moderating a panel discussion of the architect, interior designer, contractor, landscape architect and homeowner that all collaborated on the design.
• Luxury Conclave
  At the annual Luxury Conclave, a professional gathering of the top luxury Realtors in the country, Douglas Newby led a session on architecturally significant homes.
• Douglas Newby Lecture at UTA Master’s in Urban Studies
  Douglas Newby was invited to lecture to graduate students on Dallas urban issues.
• Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award
  Douglas Newby created, coordinated and hosted the Annual Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award. At the home that was selected, Douglas Newby would lead the Restoration Award Selection Committee which included the President of AIA, the President of ASID, the president of a bank, the editor of a magazine, and the president or director of a preservation organization. The Mayor of Dallas would present the award at a news conference at the home that was selected.
• Dallas Downtown Rotary
  The late ambassador Richard Rubottom originally inducted Douglas Newby into the Dallas Downtown Rotary.

Douglas Newby is the insider’s guide to the Dallas intersection of aesthetics, architecture, neighborhoods and community. He considers Dallas the most successful city in the country and wants the positive trajectory to continue. He welcomes clients coming to Dallas who he knows will love the city and also contribute to Dallas in a meaningful way.

Determining the Right Neighborhood for Each Homebuyer is the Most Important Decision a Homebuyer Can Make

Douglas Newby Has Best Understanding of Dallas Neighborhoods

Once a homebuyer determines the right neighborhood, then the next most important decision a homebuyer can make is which site is the best within that neighborhood. At that point, with confidence, a homebuyer can select a home that provides the most real value and a home that will make them happy living in.

Douglas Newby has always been fascinated with neighborhoods. He understands that each neighborhood has a distinct look and personality that makes up the architectural choir and community of Dallas. He wrote the first book on Dallas neighborhoods, Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas, published by the Historic Preservation League. The neighborhood section on his Architecturally Significant Homes/Douglas Newby website comes up high on the first page of search results. The DougNewby.com website is the definitive resource for the finest neighborhoods in Highland Park, University Park and Dallas. Knowing and understanding these neighborhoods and how they relate to each other provides Douglas Newby an advantage in predicting the direction of each neighborhood – the neighborhoods that will gain popularity and increase more in price over the next several years and why.

For four decades Douglas Newby has helped homebuyers develop a deep understanding of neighborhoods and helped them find the right neighborhood in the prime locations in Dallas.

Vision of Douglas Newby

The vision of Douglas Newby is apparent by the way he looks at homes, neighborhoods and Dallas. Some people see a house, Douglas Newby sees a home through an entirely different lens – context, neighborhood, site, architectural significance and real value. He notices the nuance and subtlety of design and understands both economic value and how a home can make one happy.

Some look back at comparables or what has just happened in the market. Some randomly speculate on the future. Douglas Newby interprets the past to help predict the future. Many have called Douglas Newby a visionary. Some, like the former executive director of the prominent Dallas Breakfast Group, Ken Benson, has called him a futurist since he brings attention to city issues before they become front and center a few years later.

Douglas Newby is an amateur Dallas historian who understands Dallas and its future. Being a real estate broker his entire career provides many advantages as he evaluates the real estate market. Douglas Newby is one of the few Realtors in Dallas who has seen and worked through every severe real estate cycle over the last several decades. In addition, Douglas Newby early in his career was one of the only real estate agents who had a vision for a deteriorated 100-block neighborhood returning to its original city prominence – this has happened after $1 billion of renovation and appreciation. Douglas Newby has sold homes in the most expensive neighborhoods, including the most expensive home in Dallas. Maybe his vision is most apparent from his identifying overlooked niche neighborhoods, and through selling homes there and promoting these neighborhoods, they have become the most popular and expensive neighborhoods in the city of Dallas.

Douglas Newby has friends from around the world who are leaders in their fields. He has had the opportunity to exchange ideas with the most prominent world business titans and leaders. At the intersection of his local understanding of Dallas and a global curiosity lies the vision of Douglas Newby.

Working with and sharing ideas and insights consistently with very smart clients creates a collaborative advantage found nowhere else in the Dallas real estate community. Douglas Newby can be counted on to enhance and sharpen the extraordinary vision of his clients.

Profile of Douglas Newby Clients

Real estate broker Connie Harkins, who works with Douglas Newby, has often said:

Smart people enjoy working with Douglas Newby.

Connie Harkins
Real Estate Broker

Regardless of the size or price range or style of home, clients of Douglas Newby share many characteristics. If you dream of a significant home, a home that is refined, architecturally pleasing, is exceptional in its quality, style, and pedigree; a home that makes a bold or subtle statement and contributes to the aesthetic landscape of Dallas; a home that has real value with the potential to outperform the market when it comes to sell; and most of all will make you happy living in the home; then Douglas Newby is the best Realtor for you.

Thank you for your commitment, efforts, and success in selling the Crespi Estate. No other broker could have handled a transaction of this magnitude and complexity with as much grace, sensitivity and confidentiality.

Robert Wigly,
Trustee of Crespi Estate
Former Vice Chairman EF Hutton

Clients of Douglas Newby are characteristically the most successful in their fields. Douglas Newby is grateful for the wide range of clients he has represented and worked with. The intelligence, insight and success of his clients keeps him motivated, enthusiastically engaged, and curious. Douglas Newby has worked with legendary CEOs of Fortune 50 companies, billionaires who have created business empires, and billionaires that have expanded their family’s business. In addition, he has represented phenomenal artists, actors, directors, designers, architects, writers, journalists and editors. Also, academics who have won the highest national honors and the highest university awards have been clients. So have bankers, attorneys, doctors and commercial real estate brokers relied on Douglas Newby as their real estate broker. Whether the client of Douglas Newby is a hedge fund founder creating wealth, or a sophisticated philanthropist dispersing wealth, Douglas Newby genuinely and unabashedly enjoys serving his clients and collaborating with them when they are buying or selling a home.

Understanding the Architecture of Dallas Benefits the Clients of Douglas Newby

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.

See How Douglas Newby’s Understanding of Architecture Has Benefitted Individual Neighborhoods and the City of Dallas

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.

Understanding Architecture in the Community Provides Douglas Newby Greater Insight to Help His Clients with Their Real Estate Pursuits

Communication is sharing information that benefits the participants. Douglas Newby understands a meaningful collaboration of client and broker results in the most successful transactions. Douglas Newby benefits his clients because he understands Dallas and the inherent qualities in the home they wish to buy or sell.

Douglas Newby Approach

Douglas Newby discovers what is most important to both the buyer and seller. With this understanding, he helps craft a transaction in which both parties accomplish their primary objective and along the way might even obtain more than they were expecting because they were respectful of the other side’s priorities. When a home has real value, a buyer can pay more than the perceived or appraised value and still sell the home at a price that outperforms the market.

Past Preservation Projects and Preservation Strategies for Douglas Newby Clients

Simmering in self-indulgent outrage does not save historic homes.

Douglas Newby

Throughout his career, he has helped owners who would like to see their homes preserved after they have sold it. As a real estate broker, Douglas Newby understands that a home can be sold with preservation deed restrictions for a higher price than the appraised value. Douglas Newby’s first transaction was motivated by his interest in preservation and revitalization. Preservation has always been an important part of his business and his interest. He initiated the first single-family historic district in Dallas and created the nation’s first Restoration House of the Year Award in Dallas. This award was presented by the mayor of Dallas and received much media attention, creating awareness for the restoration of historic homes.

Five Preservation Steps to Saving Historic and Architecturally Significant Homes in Highland Park and Across Country

Saving Homes – Preservation Step Two

Preservation Step Three and Four for Saving Homes is a Gamechanger

Preservation Step Five – Implementing Architectural Deed Restrictions Guarantee Saving Homes

Existing homes in any condition are nutrients for a city.

Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby Preservation Projects

Here are some key preservation projects that Douglas Newby initiated that changed Dallas and became national success stories for preservation.

The Revolving Fund for the Historic Preservation League Was Initiated by Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby read an article about how some in Pittsburgh had purchased options on historic homes and resold these homes with deed restrictions to homebuyers who would fix them up. He thought this could be a good strategy for Munger Place, a neighborhood where he had bought a historic home for himself to live.

The homes in Munger Place were mostly owned by absentee owners and they had been divided into four or five apartments with weekly rentals. Many owners had two or three properties. Douglas Newby created a plan to buy options on targeted properties owned by these absentee owners with the terms of the options spread over 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. This timing would allow the properties to gradually be purchased and sold simultaneously to homebuyers who would agree to the deed restrictions requiring the homes to be converted to single-family and the architecture protected.

Douglas Newby presented the idea to Virginia Talkington, the president of the Historic Preservation League, who liked the idea. Virginia then approached Lee McAlester, then dean of the SMU Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, to get his input. Lee McAlester also liked this idea. The three of them then created an organizational structure for the Dallas Historic Fund, a revolving fund to purchase and sell historic homes in Munger Place. Douglas Newby would become chair of the investment committee and he outlined in detail which properties and property owners might be approached with the concept of buying an option on the properties they owned in Munger Place. The rest of the committee chairs making up the executive committee were selected and volunteers began to be recruited to fill the committees.

At this point, it became clear that it was going to be difficult to find a real estate agent who knew the neighborhood well enough or would be willing or capable to undertake the project. Each home sale would bring a commission less than what one would earn from selling a Kirby vacuum cleaner. One afternoon Lee and Virginia asked Douglas Newby if he would be willing to obtain his real estate license and execute the real estate plan of buying the options on the targeted historic properties in Munger Place. Lee and Virginia told him that he was young, in graduate school, did not have a robust income anyway, so he was the perfect candidate to do this for the cause. Douglas Newby agreed to obtain his real estate license and represent the revolving fund as its real estate agent. He recalls joining friends driving to Oaxaca for their academic work abd sitting in the back seat of the car studying for his real estate license exam. On his return, he passed his test and quickly after that his first real estate transaction was negotiating 21 options from several property owners over seven or eight days. These negotiations needed to be done quickly so word would not spread that there was a buyer in the neighborhood wanting to purchase divided-up renthouses.

The revolving fund was extremely successful. While other groups of neighbors and investors were also interested in buying distressed Munger Place properties and renovating them, Douglas Newby thought the revolving fund would best protect the properties since they would be resold with preservation deed restrictions. Homebuyers were indeed willing to buy these properties with the preservation deed restrictions. Also, each property sold for a price much higher than the option price. This profit allowed the Historic Preservation League to hire their first executive director.

Securing these homes with options and then selling these homes with deed restrictions began a real estate career for Douglas Newby. From his work with the resolving fund, he understood that a seller can determine the future of a historic home. Douglas Newby also understood the importance of how a real estate agent can create a marketplace for buyers and sellers who have a common interest in preserving historic homes.

$1 Billion of Renovation and Appreciation in Historic Neighborhood

Douglas Newby, as the East Dallas Community Design Committee (Chris, please link to Susanne Starling Legacies article) Zoning Chair and as the Chair of the Property Owners for Single-Family Zoning, initiated the largest rezoning in Dallas history: 100 blocks of 2,000 properties that were changed from MF2 multifamily zoning to single-family zoning. This successful rezoning was the foundation for $1 billion of renovation and appreciation for the 2,000 homes that were saved. These homes had been slated to be demolished for potential new apartments.

Douglas Newby Initiated the First Single-Family Historic District in Dallas

Douglas Newby initiated the first historic district that required single-family homes and historic criteria that reflected the historic style of the neighborhood. This historic criteria was required for the renovation of the existing homes and for the construction of new homes. Swiss Avenue was the first historic district in Dallas but it was zoned for the mixed use found on the street which included single-family homes and duplexes. Also, the original Swiss Avenue Historic District did not require historic architecture and the ordinance even gave examples of modern homes that could be built under a point system to determine if a new home would be approved. This point system included setbacks, height, trees in the front yard, and exterior materials. In contrast, the Munger Place Historic District, was zoned single-family with strict historic criteria that required homes to adhere to the historic architectural style and detail of Munger Place. Some years after Munger Place became a historic district, Swiss Avenue changed its historic district criteria to reflect that of the Munger Place Historic District. There are now dozens of historic districts and conservation districts across Dallas, including the Junius Heights Historic District and Peak Suburban Historic District, which were part of the 100-block area rezoned single-family.

Douglas Newby Published Reproduction of the Original Munger Place Book

In 1905, the Munger Brothers published a beautiful promotional book bound with a gold cord and filled with photographs and text describing the intent and reality of the Munger Place development. Douglas Newby had all of the original photographs and text reproduced in the same format on glossy oversized pages. Updates in content were written in italics and deletions placed in the footnotes so there was a historic record and a contemporary understanding of Munger Place. This reproduction was successful in reminding people that Munger Place was developed as the first and most prestigious planned development in Dallas, something hard to imagine since the neighborhood had become so deteriorated. The Munger brothers’ original content in the book provided motivation for the successful renovation of Munger Place and instilled pride in the neighborhood. This reproduction of the Munger Place book was referenced in A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia and Lee McAlester.

Douglas Newby Initiated the Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award

The first Restoration House of the Year Award in the nation was initiated, coordinated and sponsored by Douglas Newby. When urban pioneers first began remodeling older homes in Dallas, they were taking great liberties with the original architecture. In Highland Park, Prairie style homes might be transformed into Georgian homes. The homes on the M Streets would routinely have their front side porches glassed in. The renovated interiors of older homes often looked more like new North Dallas homes than historic homes.

Douglas Newby created the Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award for two main reasons: 1) to help give guidance on how to restore a home to live in, 2) bring attention to Dallas historic homes, Dallas architecture and the Dallas neighborhoods in which fabulous historic homes were found.

This award was presented every year by the mayors of Dallas between 1979 and 1986 with massive print and electronic media coverage. A selection committee rotated annually that included the presidents of AIA, ASID, magazine editors, bank presidents, preservation experts and neighborhood representatives – all of whom had very different opinions on how to approach the restoration of a home in which to live. The committee’s discussions and exchange every year taught me much and provided the public examples and explanations to inspire and shape the renovation of historic homes.

Douglas Newby Initiated the First Two New Homes Built in a Historic District

In Munger Place, 10% of the lots were vacant because deteriorated homes had been torn down. Virtually no new homes had been built in Dallas inner city neighborhoods for over 10 years. Douglas Newby organized a group of neighbors and recruited Joe Goyne to become the general partner of this small investment group, Tremont Limited, to build two new homes in the newly formed Munger Place Historic District. This demonstration project was to show that new homes could look historic and there was a market for new homes that could fill the gaping holes in the block faces of the Munger Place Historic District. Mayor Jack Evans and congressman Jim Mattox cut the ribbon upon the completion of these two new homes and the event was covered by four television stations and several print reporters. (Actually, a padlock holding the ribbons in place across the front porch of the homes was ceremoniously cut with 30-inch bolt cutters which were presented to the mayor as an Old East Dallas skeleton key.)

These two homes quickly sold for a price higher than any of the renovated homes. Also, they sold to purchasers who had previously lived in a 150-year-old home and a 250-year-old home in Philadelphia and Providence, Rhode Island, respectively. This successful demonstration project prompted 25 new historic-looking homes to be built on the remaining 25 vacant lots in the 12-block Munger Place Historic District.

Douglas Newby Renovated a Historic Triplex to National Register Guidelines as a Demonstration Project

Since Munger Place and Old East Dallas had several historic duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in serious disrepair, Douglas Newby renovated a triplex in Munger Place to show the economic viability of improving the apartments besides just improving the single-family homes. This restoration project was completed to the specifications of the Department of the Interior historic guidelines. It was featured in the national trade magazine Multi-Housing News, describing how the rents per square foot were higher on a renovated historic building than many new apartment projects.

Understanding neighborhoods and architecture is the foundation of preservation.

Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby Wrote and Produced A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas

At a time in Dallas when neighborhoods were just informally identified in the most general terms, like Lakewood West, which covered every neighborhood from Abrams Road to Greenville Avenue, Douglas Newby wrote the book A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas. He correctly thought that identifying individual neighborhoods would increase the awareness and desirability and value of these neighborhoods. Douglas Newby is still a firm believer in the idea that the more one knows about the neighborhood, the more pride one will have in the neighborhood, and the more buyers will be attracted to the neighborhood. A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas was the first book written on Dallas neighborhoods.

Douglas Newby, a board member of the Historic Preservation League, was the chairman of the book committee that produced the book, he wrote the book, and he was one of the underwriters of the book and raised additional money to publish the book. It was the #2 nonfiction bestselling book in Dallas when it was published in 1986 for the Sesquicentennial. Now there are hundreds of neighborhoods with street sign toppers and distinct neighborhood identification.

Douglas Newby Initiated Home Tours and Co-Chaired Home Tours

Home tours have been an important 50-year tradition in Dallas. They have brought attention to neighborhoods, preservation, revitalization, renovation and architecture. One of the tours Douglas Newby initiated was a spring Old East Dallas Tour of Homes in one dozen neighborhoods from Greenland Hills to Deep Ellum. This tour brought attention to each neighborhood, but even more important, it showed Old East Dallas as a mosaic of vibrant Dallas neighborhoods, not just neighborhood islands.

Architectural Survey Identified Architecturally Significant Homes in Dallas

For the 50th anniversary of the AIA Dallas chapter, Douglas Newby recommended to Bryce Wiegand, FAIA, then the AIA Dallas chapter president, that 50 significant homes in Dallas be identified to celebrate the AIA Dallas anniversary. Bryce Wiegand said this was a good idea and asked Douglas if he would chair this effort. Douglas then assembled the presidents of eight museums, cultural and design organizations to serve as the selection committee and to also identify and recruit those in the community who could help identify significant homes in Dallas and the Park Cities. The result was the first broad-reaching architectural survey in Dallas. Homeowners began going into their attics to find original architectural plans that would identify the home’s architect. Historic information was gathered on each home.

In addition, Douglas Newby retained an architectural photographer to photograph over 100 of these homes to review with the selection committee at the home of the 50 Significant Homes honorary chair, Margaret McDermott. These photographs were also published on the Architecturally Significant Homes website of Douglas Newby to inform the public of the rich 20th century residential architecture of Dallas.

The publicity surrounding this project also changed the way the real estate community thought about homes. Previously, real estate agents might only identify the builder who built the house. After this architectural survey, real estate agents began to also identify the architect who designed the homes they listed. There are many homes that were identified and photographed that brought attention to them and helped them be preserved rather than torn down when they later came on the market. Good examples of these homes include the David Williams-designed home on McFarlin Boulevard, the Edward Durell Stone-designed home on Park Lane, the Philip Johnson-designed home on Strait Lane, the Harwell Hamilton Harris-designed home on Rockbrook Drive, and the Charles Dilbeck-designed homes on Shenandoah Street.

Douglas Newby has always understood that the more people know about a home and its importance, the better chance that a home will be renovated and preserved.

Neighborhood Videos Created by Douglas Newby

Besides writing about more than 100 neighborhoods on his website, Douglas Newby has created several videos that discuss specific neighborhoods. These neighborhood videos provide historic information and the current tone and desirability of the neighborhood. Understanding neighborhoods helps preserve neighborhoods.

Douglas Newby Presentations and Talks on Architecture, Neighborhoods and Preservation

Douglas Newby has been invited to speak before many prominent Dallas groups and organizations. The groups to which he has made his presentations on preservation, neighborhoods and architecture include the Dallas Salesmanship Club at their annual meeting, the Dallas Women’s Club, SMU Town and Gown, the national convention of AIA when it was held in Dallas, the annual meeting of the Texas Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, the Beverly Drive Book Club (the oldest book club in Dallas), the Shakespeare Club of Dallas (the oldest club in Dallas), the Dallas Architecture Forum, the Annual Legacies Dallas History Conference, numerous neighborhood associations, Historic Preservation League, TEDx SMU, National Convention of Realtors, Antique Society of Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington-Urban Studies class, SMU Urban Studies class, Dallas Historical Society.

Douglas Newby is Often Interviewed by the Media on the Topics of Preservation, Architecture and Neighborhoods

International media, including magazines and newspapers in Europe and Asia, have interviewed and quoted Douglas Newby on preservation and architecture in Dallas. Dallas and Texas and US media have also looked to Douglas Newby as a source when it comes to Dallas, real estate, preservation, neighborhoods and architecture.

Many book authors have acknowledged Douglas Newby in their credits. National preservation journals and shelter magazines have quoted Douglas Newby on preservation and architecture. Douglas Newby consistently has been an important voice on preservation that has brought a greater preservation awareness and preservation results. He has served on boards, executive committees and advisory boards of many historic and preservation groups in Dallas, the Park Cities and Texas such as the Dallas Historical Society, Historic Preservation League (now Preservation Dallas), the Dallas Architecture Foundation, and Park Cities Historical Society. Currently, Douglas Newby serves on the Texas Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Board. The most meaningful preservation work of Douglas Newby continues to be through his real estate business.

As a real estate broker, he has preserved homes by revitalizing a neighborhood that was in the process of being torn down. As a real estate broker, he has also sold homes that have been preserved that most people thought would be torn down. Douglas Newby understands that changing the perception of historic homes and a neighborhood provides a better sales price for the seller and a wonderful investment for the buyer. Instead of opportunities being overlooked, historic homes are purchased benefitting the buyer, the neighborhood and Dallas. This process requires reshaping public opinion, something Douglas Newby is good at.

Douglas Newby Reshapes Public Opinion to the Benefit of Sellers, Buyers and the Neighborhood

Initiating the single-family rezoning of a 100-block area is the best example. Former Dallas mayor Robert Folsom, a developer, campaigned against back-zoning when he was running for mayor. Douglas Newby was able to convince him of the economic advantages of a multifamily zoned area becoming zoned single-family. With Mayor Folsom’s support and the overwhelming support of the property owners (mostly apartment owners) the Dallas Apartment Association, the regional director of HUD, the regional director of FNMA, the school principals, and a few remaining homeowners, the single-family zoning was passed over the strenuous objection of the Dallas Plan Department, Plan Commission, and even the Historic Preservation League (now Preservation Dallas), all of which were in favor of mixed-use zoning, the zoning of the Swiss Avenue Historic District at that time.

Preservation groups claiming that government regulations are the only solution to saving historic homes are in effect advertising that no one in the world would want the finest or grandest architecturally significant historic homes.

Douglas Newby

Preservation Initiatives Continue to Economically Benefit Buyers and Sellers

Douglas Newby may be the only real estate broker in Dallas who understands that preservation initiatives often can increase home values rather than diminish home values. Douglas Newby believes in preservation and believes in Dallas.

Motivation of Douglas Newby

There are many reasons people become a real estate agent. Some love looking inside homes, some consider becoming a real estate agent as a way to economically leverage their contacts and wide circle of family and friends, others become a real estate agent as a second career. The motivation of Douglas Newby becoming a real estate agent was to personally benefit clients, neighborhoods and Dallas. He realizes that owning a home and buying a home is one’s most important decision and one that has the greatest economic impact. If a neighborhood thrives then the investment in one’s home thrives. If a city is successful then one’s investment in a home is successful. Douglas Newby receives much joy and satisfaction when he sees the success of his clients – the happiness they have in their home and the economic success of their investment whether it’s one’s first home or the most expensive home in Dallas.

Preservation and Neighborhood Revitalization

When Douglas Newby was a student writing his master’s thesis at SMU on how to revitalize a neighborhood, Economic Incentives to Reverse Migration in an Inner City Neighborhood, and as a recent homeowner working to improve his new neighborhood of Munger Place and Old East Dallas, he realized there needed to be a marketplace for potential homeowners to be able to purchase deteriorated, divided up rent houses and renovate them into single family homes. With 10,000 real estate agents in Dallas at the time, you would think every neighborhood would have a marketplace and it would be easy to make a home purchase. Actually, it was not.

Prestigious Neighborhood Became Redlined

However, the Munger Place neighborhood, while once the most prestigious in Dallas, had become redlined with no conventional home loans available since the properties were primarily absentee owned and had deteriorated for 30 years. Lenders were not interested in loaning money for home purchases in a neighborhood of homes divided up into weekly rental apartments. Real estate agents were not interested in selling homes for a commission equal to selling a Kirby vacuum cleaner. It is in this environment that Douglas Newby became a real estate agent.

Co-Founding the Historic Dallas Fund’s Revolving Fund was not Enough to Revitalize a Neighborhood

Douglas Newby initiated and co-founded the Historic Dallas Fund with Virginia and Lee McAlester. This was a nonprofit initiative set up to buy 21 six-month to two-year options on Munger Place deteriorated properties from absentee owners so these properties could be resold with preservation deed restrictions to individual homeowners who would convert these divided-up rent houses back to single-family homes.

I had developed an investment strategy and the three of us set up an organizational chart of committees and committee chairs. But at that point, it became apparent there was not a real estate firm or agent who could negotiate these options. One afternoon at a meeting, Virginia and Lee turned to me and said, “You are the youngest, a student, and don’t have a robust income anyway, so why don’t you obtain your real estate license for the cause and negotiate these options.” I realized that if I did not obtain my real estate license and negotiate these options, the revolving fund would never get off the ground.

I recall then going on a car trip with friends to Oaxaca for their academic purposes, sitting in the back seat studying to obtain my real estate license. On my return, I took the exam and passed. My first real estate transaction was negotiating 21 options from multiple owners that were all executed in approximately one week so the prices in the neighborhood would not go up. This allowed the Historic Dallas Fund to later simultaneously close on the purchase of a home and resell it to a homeowner with deed restrictions. The Historic Dallas Fund was successful and the preservation effort was successful.

Because of the Historic Dallas Fund, the Historic Preservation League, now Preservation Dallas, was able to hire its first executive director with the profits from the Historic Dallas Fund. The preservation deed restrictions allowed the exterior of the homes to be protected and renovated in a historically accurate way.

I continued my work as a real estate broker in Munger Place, shepherding these transactions on houses that were the most difficult in Dallas to sell. While urban economic professors, city planners, and most of Dallas thought a few artists and urban pioneers might take the risk to move into this deteriorated dangerous neighborhood, they said we could never find 200 much less 2,000 homebuyers to do so. The naysayers were right. What I realized, but they didn’t, was that every time I sold a rent house to a homeowner, the neighborhood would incrementally improve and make the area attractive enough for two or three more homeowners to take the risk. Every time a home was renovated, the neighborhood would improve and the pool of potential homebuyers would expand. Eventually 2,000 homes were renovated and the historic neighborhood, instead of being torn down, had $1 billion of appreciation.

Experience Selling Homes in the Hardest Neighborhood Made Selling Homes in the Best Neighborhoods Easy

My experience selling the hardest homes to sell in Dallas defined my approach and understanding of residential real estate. Since some of these homes one could barely walk into, and the floorplans and front facades were mangled, I would hire an architect to draw the original front facade and floorplan. I would also have a contractor give an estimate on the cost to renovate the home. I realized the easier it was to understand these difficult homes, the more likely a buyer would purchase them. When I began selling the homes in Highland Park and Preston Hollow, this gave my clients selling a home a huge advantage. I was the only real estate broker in Dallas at the time who provided floorplans for existing homes, and other information and materials the buyers found useful.

Homes are Preserved and Provide a Good Investment for Buyers

My experience has not changed from my first transaction. Every home that I have sold since my first transaction of 21 options, the buyers who purchased a home with preservation deed restrictions have made a great investment. My clients who purchased a vacant lot or a historic home to renovate that did not have preservation deed restrictions also made a great investment.

Information on Neighborhoods Increase the Value of a Home

Another thing I have learned from my earliest real estate experience was the more a homebuyer knows about a neighborhood, the more attracted they will be to a home in that neighborhood. This was true in a neighborhood that has been revitalized, and it is true in the most expensive neighborhoods in Dallas, and it is especially true in the luxury niche neighborhoods that do not have as many comparables and as much easy economic data to rely on.

When Buyers Invest in Homes, the Neighborhood Improves and Dallas Improves

A concept that continues to motivate Douglas Newby is his understanding that every time a home is preserved or a home is renovated or an architecturally significant home is built, the neighborhood improves and as a result Dallas improves and becomes more attractive to homebuyers that are moving to Dallas from around the country.

The Joy is in the Result and in the Process

In a profession filled with ticket takers, Douglas Newby redefined real estate as a real estate broker who made a difference to his clients, both buyers and sellers, and to the community.

Dan Fry
Author

Douglas Newby orchestrates a sale or purchase that makes his clients happy with the results and a process that they enjoy. The majority of Douglas Newby transactions are not through MLS, but through a marketplace he has created of buyers and sellers that own or are interested in architecturally significant homes. Property values are determined by more important criteria than at what price homes have sold for in the last six months. He also adept at using MLS to bring an even wider attention to an architecturally significant home or property he is offering for sale. If you want more than an agent who can point out amenities and statistics; if you desire an advisor, someone knowledgeable, experienced and someone with whom you like to collaborate; you should call Douglas Newby to see if he is the right real estate agent for you.

Douglas Newby’s fabric of esteemed friends within the civic, philanthropic and corporate fields, artists and architects, are an important source of potential buyers for significant homes, and a source of architecturally significant homes before they become publicly available on the market.

In another city and on a previous real estate transaction, a read a book on buying and selling a house called Lambs to the Slaughter. This time, my spouse and I choose Doug Newby to serve as our agent. He shepherded us through the hurdles with verve, fairness, and care. I would gladly seek his help again.

William F. May
Original Endowed Director of SMU Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility

Douglas Newby Specializing in Architecturally Significant Homes

Douglas Newby is the first Realtor in the country to specialize in architecturally significant homes. He actually created the category and trademarked and registered Architecturally Significant, Architecturally Significant Homes, and Significant Homes. This is a concept and category unheard of 25 years ago that has become an area of interest for the media and real estate agents across the country. Douglas Newby and his site Architecturally Significant Homes comes up first in a Google search for “architecturally significant homes” from anywhere in the world. If people do a Google search for “architecturally significant homes,” Dallas examples of architecturally significant homes comes up first.

When a client owns an architecturally significant home, they both enjoy the home more and their home serves as an inspiration for those renovating or who desire to build an architecturally significant home. Architectural success breeds more architectural success.

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.

Understanding Architecture in the Community Provides Douglas Newby Greater Insight to Help His Clients with Their Real Estate Pursuits

Communication is sharing information that benefits the participants. Douglas Newby understands a meaningful collaboration of client and broker results in the most successful transactions. Douglas Newby benefits his clients because he understands Dallas and the inherent qualities in the home they wish to buy or sell.

About the Website

A huge thank you to my clients who have selected me to represent them when buying or selling a home, and to my many clients and friends who have recommended me to their friends, neighbors and associates. These generous people who have a passion for Dallas, neighborhoods, architecture and homes have, in effect, financed this website through their patronage.

Douglas Newby

Philanthropic Inspiration

The origin of this website came from a philanthropic inspiration. I did not have the resources to build a museum, a bridge or a university stadium, but I felt I could contribute to Dallas in a meaningful way by creating a website. The inspiration for this website came in the mid-1990s when the internet was just moving into a more public domain. Virtually no real estate agent had a website then and the concept of sharing real estate information with the public was counterintuitive. In the 1990s Dallas still had MLS books that could not be shared even with a realtor’s client. So it really was a counterintuitive idea to share so openly information that historically would have been held in-house, especially for a very private person like me.

I first realized this when Jamiel and Adriana Akhtar, who were newly engaged, called me.  Jamiel, a young partner with HKS, said that he and Adriana wanted to meet with me to discuss representing them purchasing their first home.  They said the reason they contacted me was because I had a website and they wanted to work with someone with an internet presence.  This began a business relationship in which I helped them buy and sell a home in Northern Hills, in Turtle Creek Park, and then ultimately an estate home on one of my favorite streets in Preston Hollow where they have raised their children.

Shift to Architecturally Significant Homes Website From SMU Press Dallas Significant Homes

SMU Press had agreed to publish a book, Dallas, 50 Significant Homes, that I was in the process of writing and I had an architectural photographer take all the photographs for the homes to be included. The book cover had been designed along with some of the book chapters. The funding for the book was well on its way, including a generous donation from Margaret McDermott and the McDermott Foundation. Ten years earlier, I had written and produced a book for the Historic Preservation League, A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas. This book, published in 1986 for the Sesquicentennial, was a real success, it was number two on the Dallas non-fiction bestseller list. However, as the internet was emerging, I thought if I could publish these homes and the information about them on my website, while it may not be as prestigious as an elegant coffee table book, it could bring more attention to the homes, architecture and architects than a book.

The Website Was a Good Decision

It turned out to be a good decision. The money and time I would have spent on a book beautifully designed and printed in Hong Kong would have been gorgeous and informative. If it was widely popular, it might have sold 10,000 copies in Dallas. But my bet on the internet turned out to be the better choice as, eventually, I had 20,000 unique visitors to my website every month. With every real estate fee I earned representing clients, I was able to reinvest a good portion of that in hiring architectural photographers to photograph homes and web developers to create a platform for me to write about neighborhoods, architects, homes and the history of Dallas.

The Architecturally Significant Website Became Immensely Rewarding

My efforts with and investment in the Architecturally Significant website became immensely rewarding when people I just met said they had spent much time on my website learning about Dallas. I cannot begin to tell you how many people have mentioned they found their architect from my website. In the early days of the internet, architects did not even have websites and, furthermore, the past generation of architects had been taught not to advertise. I enjoyed making architects more accessible to those who desired to build a house. For people who have never used an architect before, it can be an intimidating experience to begin the process to find one. Before the internet, unless you grew up in an architect-designed home or had a friend who used an architect, how would you begin to find one, much less one you would enjoy working with and reflect your aesthetic.

Today, my effort to bring attention to the best Dallas architects continues. If one does a Google search for “Dallas architects,” my Douglas Newby Architecturally Significant Homes website comes up first in search results, even higher than the website of the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas was Inspiration for Architecturally Significant Homes Website

Having initiated, wrote and produced A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas, I knew there was great interest in neighborhoods, their origins and history. Also, as a real estate broker, I came to recognize that when a neighborhood has a strong identity, a formal name and specific boundaries, the homes within the neighborhood became more valuable. Below are some examples of neighborhoods that Douglas Newby helped burnish.

Munger Place

My first experience with boosting value for a neighborhood by identifying it was with Munger Place. Munger Place was a downtrodden, forgotten, unnamed neighborhood. By burnishing its identify with its proper name, its origin, history and potential future, Munger Place began to thrive.

Turtle Creek Park

Another good example of a neighborhood where the perception changed by identifying it was Turtle Creek Park. At the time, this was another unnamed neighborhood where one of my favorite friends and clients, James Shinn, the Dallas Director of International Affairs, and his wife, Patricia, lived. They had worked in the diplomatic corps and lived in glorious cities around the world and loved this small 33-home neighborhood of hills and curving streets framed by Rock Creek, Turtle Creek and the Katy Trail. It was not in Highland Park, so the real estate community greatly discounted prices in this neighborhood. However, once Turtle Creek Park was formally identified and promoted for its natural attributes, I began selling houses in Turtle Creek Park for more money per square foot than homes of the same size in Highland Park.

Mayflower Estates

Another example is Mayflower Estates, a neighborhood of only about 100 houses that was only known as a neighborhood on the wrong side of Walnut Hill to be considered Preston Hollow. Thus, appraisers gave the land half the value of the estate lots south of Walnut Hill. Ten years later, after I had identified the neighborhood as Mayflower Estates and promoted the attributes of the neighborhood and the architectural significance of the homes, one acre of land in Mayflower Estates sold for more than one acre of land in the heart of the Preston Hollow estate area.

My Architecturally Significant Homes Website Could Be the Perfect Vehicle to Identify Neighborhoods

My next thought was that the internet and my website could be a perfect vehicle to help identify the finest neighborhoods in Dallas, but I did not want to identify neighborhood areas like as it is done in MLS (Park Cities, Bluffview, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, East Dallas). Instead, I wanted to identify specific neighborhoods and even the sub-neighborhoods of each neighborhood. Here was a chance to identify small niche neighborhoods and give residents of Dallas a greater understanding of their city. Also, it would be a way for those from out of town who were considering a move to Dallas to have a quick understanding of its neighborhoods. I have always considered a neighborhood to be the foundation of what makes someone love their home. Whenever I have a client coming in from out of town, rather than quickly showing them a dozen houses, I will spend the morning or afternoon showing them a wide range of neighborhoods and the nuances of each one.

Highland Park

Old Highland Park is a good example. When one does a Google search for “Old Highland Park,” my website comes up first in the search results above the website for the Township of Highland Park. In fact, when the previous Highland Park town administrator, who served for 15 years, was first hired, he told me he spent the first few months on my website learning about the neighborhoods in Highland Park. Each section and each addition of Highland Park has a distinct personality and character. Everyone knows Highland Park is one of the most beautiful towns in the country, but where, specifically, would you most enjoy living in Highland Park?

Dallas Modern Homes

When the 20th century ended, a broader interest in modern homes emerged. In the 1900s, some great modern homes were commissioned by the avant-garde of Dallas. However, there was always a certain apprehension for buyers considering buying a modern home, that they wouldn’t be able to find another buyer when the time came to sell. Again, from being a real estate broker, I realized that there was more interest in modern homes than there was confidence in buying them. I thought if buyers came to know the names and the history and the architectural significance of modern homes, they could more easily embrace and purchase these Dallas modern homes with greater confidence. My website seemed like the perfect place to do this. I created a Dallas Modern Homes section that quickly became the most popular section on my website. Now it is hard to imagine that there was ever any reluctance to buy a modern home when even spec homes are now mostly modern.

My Website, Architecturally Significant Homes, as a Business Vehicle

While the inspiration for the website was civically oriented, it quickly became apparent that an Architecturally Significant Homes website could be a powerful business source.

International Publications Touting Douglas Newby or His Listings

For the same reason smart and sophisticated home buyers and sellers seek out Douglas Newby, the international, national and local media seek out Douglas Newby for his opinion on architecturally significant homes, the real estate market, the evolution of Dallas, the economic forecast for the city, and topics that range from preservation to aesthetics to architectural materials. Just as Douglas Newby is a trusted source for buyers and sellers, Douglas Newby is a trusted source for the media.

Editorial OpEd Columns by Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby is a Local, National, and International Source for Insights on Dallas, Homes, and Real Estate:

• Is Your Home Your Castle – Or an Obstacle?
• Dallas Should Nurture Home Ownership
• Neighbors Not Renters Foster Community
• Neighbors Stand Up to Teardowns
• Other publications, such as the Huffington Post have featured Douglas Newby articles drawing attention to Dallas: “The Finest Estate Home in America Found.“
• Other OpEds by Douglas Newby. Below are a few examples.

Douglas Newby Op-Ed in Sunday Dallas Morning News Discusses Threat of Eliminating Single-Family Zoning

The Dallas Morning News published a full page editorial on ForwardDallas that became the foundation of information for Dallas homeowners who overwhelmingly opposed this ForwardDallas Comprehensive Zoning Plan.

Douglas Newby Op-Ed in Dallas Morning News Calls for Nurturing Homeownership

The benefits of homeownership should be obvious. However, the Dallas City Manager and many City Council Members are promoting an increase in the percentage of renters in the city. Their viewpoint is in lockstep with the national political movement against single-family zoning.

Shelter in Place Changes How We Feel About Our Home

Prior to the pandemic, Douglas Newby gave a TEDx Talk on Homes That Make Us Happy. At the beginning of the pandemic, Douglas Newby wrote about sheltering in place that made people think about their homes in a whole new way.

Books Authored by Douglas Newby

A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas by Douglas Newby.

Possessing an extensive knowledge of Dallas neighborhoods, you will benefit from the information written about Dallas historic neighborhoods in resources like “A Guide To The Older Neighborhoods of Dallas”.

Reproduction of Original Munger Place Book

The Munger Brothers’ original book explains why Munger Place was the finest residence park in the entire Southland in 1905. Douglas Newby recreated this book, and in the footnotes and in italicized additions, he updated the content to illuminate the revitalization taking place 75 years later.

Articles Authored by Douglas Newby

Architectural Heritage of the Great Dallas Houses

The architectural style and history of Dallas is best expressed and understood through its neighborhoods and individual houses, not its commercial or public monuments.

Legacies: Old East Dallas 1975 – The Nation’s Most Successful Neighborhood Revitalization

For a neighborhood to be considered the most successfully revitalized, it first needs to be considered the most successfully deteriorated. Munger Place enjoys both successes.

Dallas Architecture: Dallas Eclectic Style

Architectural styles of Dallas in the first half of the twentieth century reflected the eclectic styles that swept the country. San Francisco and Dallas are the same age cities and they began with Victorian architecture. Prairie Style might be found in Dallas 10 years later than in Oak Park and Evanstan, Illionis, where it originated or Spanish colonial revival might have taken a few years to arrive in Dallas after it’s reintroduction in San Diego but generally the taste of Dallas reflected the taste of the country.

Dallas Architecture: Dallas Modern Style

The city was new with plenty of room for people and plenty of room for ideas. This is reflected in the modern architecture of Dallas. In the first half of the century, Dallas was being built, the architectural foundation laid, a sense of permanence desired. Classical styles from Europe add a culture and opulence to Dallas during a time that bois d’arc logs were used as pavers on Main street. The modern experiments originated with Texans influenced by modernism in Europe but committed to the indigenous principles of the region.

Douglas Newby is a Local, National, and International Source for Insights on Dallas, Homes, and Real Estate

D Magazine Real Estate Issue – September 2020

“Homes have, of course, always been important.” Says Douglas Newby, and agent who specializes in Architecturally Significant Homes. “But buyers are now making the home a greater priority than it has ever been. They’re being a lot more thoughtful about the kinds of spaces they need and about the things that make them happy at home.”

French Newspaper Libération Discusses With Douglas Newby

Douglas Newby spoke with French journalist and United States Bureau Chief, Lorraine Millot, about the Dallas Arts District and Dallas architecture. Here are a few comments he made to Lorraine Millot along with the English translation.

SMU Mustang Magazine – Preservation Cover Story

Read full article about Douglas Newby in SMU’s magazine. It discusses the contributions of Douglas Newby to preservation in Dallas. →

Explore Editorials Referencing Douglas Newby

Backzoning

Some land-planning history is unfolding at Dallas City Hall these days, and it is instructive to observe the process, because if it is successful, it could serve as a guideline for the future. Residents of a 120-block section of old East Dallas have asked the City Plan Commission to backzone the entire area to single-family usage.

Newspaper Interviews with Douglas Newby

There have been over 100 newspaper articles that include quotes from Douglas Newby. Dallas media understands that Douglas Newby is a reliable insightful resource to shed light on or give depth to the story on Dallas, homes, the real estate market or architecture.

Dallas Morning News: A visual guide to the architecture of Dallas’ historic homes

The Dallas Morning News identified Douglas Newby as a real estate broker, historic home specialist and master archivist who maintains a robust site of Dallas’ most significant architectural designs. His contributions to this article are highlighted in yellow.

DHome Features Clients of Douglas Newby

It is thrilling to see one of my favorite clients and their home featured as a cover story in DHome.

Iconic Highland Park Home Discussed with DMN Real Estate Editor Steve Brown

It’s really the most pronounced house of that style in Dallas,” said real estate agent Douglas Newby. “Can you think of any other house that’s more iconic than this one?

What to Expect From Pros

Whether you are remodeling redecorating buying or selling any action involving your home likely requires a trained professional. But with hundreds of choices in Dallas how do you find the right person And what can you do to manage the project without getting in the way of the pros?

Special Interest and Trade Magazines

Dallas History Journal – Legacies Spring 2001

A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, Spring 2001, pages 38-39.

Photos in Legacies Fall 1997

A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, Fall, 1997, pages 51-55.

Books, magazines and newspaper articles that have published Douglas Newby photographs

Often when an author is writing a book on Dallas or architecture, they will request photographs taken by Douglas Newby to illustrate the homes or architecture they are discussing.

Houses of the Park Cities

One of the Douglas Newby photographs in the book published by Preservation Park Cities, The Houses of the Park Cities, is a Douglas Newby photograph of a home that architect Mark Lemmon designed for his own family. This architecturally significant home that Douglas Newby listed and sold has been preserved with deed restrictions.

Douglas Newby on Main Stage at TED

Douglas Newby takes the stage for an audience response during Session 12 of TED 2011, as TED curator Chris Anderson looks on. February 28 – March 4, Long Beach, CA. Credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED

Douglas Newby insights on Architecturally Significant Homes, Neighborhoods, and the Evolution of Cities

Douglas Newby is a national award-winning realtor who identifies architectural significance, value, and homes that make people happy. Insights offered in these articles include the nuance and evolution of neighborhoods, cities and Dallas.

Highland Park Teardown or Architecturally Significant Survival?

A Highland Park teardown is just another old, out-of-date house or it is an architectural accomplishment designed by one of the best architects in Dallas or the country, and the former home of prominent residents.  An insignificant Highland Park teardown makes room for a new architect-inspired home. An architecturally significant home that becomes another Highland…

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Home Value Hierarchy – Hal Thomson

For a perfect illustration of home value and the many factors that elevate a home’s value, consider the Hal Thomson-designed home at 3925 Potomac Avenue. As I’ve shared before, home value is determined by a home’s location, its neighborhood, its site and its historic and architectural significance. All these characteristics combine to make this architecturally…

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ForwardDallas Moves Dallas Backward

If Dallas Loses its Homeowners All of Dallas Loses Perhaps you’ve heard that there is a plan moving forward at Dallas City Hall that will permanently change single-family neighborhoods throughout our city. Whatever you might know about it, it’s actually worse than you think. Not only is there a proposal from five council members to…

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The Myths and Misinformation Promoted by ForwardDallas

This ForwardDallas talk was presented to the North Dallas Neighborhood Alliance of 50 Homeowners Associations. Thank you for allowing me to join you this evening. It is fitting that we are meeting in a church as Sharon Grigsby, a Dallas Morning News columnist who I have admired and considered a friend for many years, wrote:…

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Douglas Newby Interviews Broadcast Locally and Internationally

The Bush’s New Home in Exclusive Dallas Neighborhood

Some Residents Oppose ForwardDallas Land Use Plan

Books Discussing Douglas Newby

Need introduction…

Hidden Dallas by Kirk Dooley

A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia McAlester

Find Your Next by Andrea Kates

Haciendas: Spanish Colonial Houses in the U.S. and Mexico by Linda Leigh Paul

Douglas Newby YouTube videos

Douglas Newby produced videos include internationally famous homes that have garnered over 15 million views and videos of Dallas niche neighborhoods that have received several thousand views. Architecturally Significant Homes YouTube videos provides the viewer a better understanding of real estate and homes.

Finest Estate Home, Crespi Hicks Estate

Turtle Creek Park, a Hidden Downtown Dallas Neighborhood

Dallas Modern Home Selected by AIA

Volk Estates is a Prestigious Neighborhood Enclave of Architecturally Significant Estate Homes

Greenway Parks Represents the Best of Dallas

Homes That Make Us Happy

See Douglas Newby Articles

Highland Park Teardown or Architecturally Significant Survival?

A Highland Park teardown is just another old, out-of-date house or it is an architectural accomplishment designed by one of the best architects in Dallas or the country, and the former home of prominent residents.  An insignificant Highland Park teardown makes room for a new architect-inspired home. An architecturally significant home that becomes another Highland…

Continue Reading

Home Value Hierarchy – Hal Thomson

For a perfect illustration of home value and the many factors that elevate a home’s value, consider the Hal Thomson-designed home at 3925 Potomac Avenue. As I’ve shared before, home value is determined by a home’s location, its neighborhood, its site and its historic and architectural significance. All these characteristics combine to make this architecturally…

Continue Reading

ForwardDallas Moves Dallas Backward

If Dallas Loses its Homeowners All of Dallas Loses Perhaps you’ve heard that there is a plan moving forward at Dallas City Hall that will permanently change single-family neighborhoods throughout our city. Whatever you might know about it, it’s actually worse than you think. Not only is there a proposal from five council members to…

Continue Reading

The Myths and Misinformation Promoted by ForwardDallas

This ForwardDallas talk was presented to the North Dallas Neighborhood Alliance of 50 Homeowners Associations. Thank you for allowing me to join you this evening. It is fitting that we are meeting in a church as Sharon Grigsby, a Dallas Morning News columnist who I have admired and considered a friend for many years, wrote:…

Continue Reading

See Douglas Newby Instagram

Season Starts @SandoneChristmasTrees

My Christmas season starts with a trip to the Sandone tree lot to reconfirm my standing order for a 10 foot Blue Spruce tree with strong layered branches allowing it to hold handblown glass ornaments. Blue Spruce trees are what I grew up with and remain my favorite. In a 120-year-old house, a Blue Spruce […]

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Iconic

The 1950 Keller’s sign is iconic, but for me the Sandone Christmas Tree sign below it is meaningful as well. How could one not go by the Sandone Christmas Tree lot to kick off the season and not be tempted to stop by Keller’s for a No. 5. Scroll through and you will see a […]

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Highland Park Inspiration

Once every several years there might be a home built in Highland Park inspired by its original architecture and history and that also conveys the prominence of Highland Park. On a one-acre site framed by Armstrong Parkway and Belfort Place, the timeless grace of this perfectly executed Spanish Colonial Revival style home reflects and perpetuates […]

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Preservation Victory

Dallas has had sad moments but many preservation victories. Preservation writer Karen Eubank called 3925 Potomac that Hal Thomson designed for his family, “the most important home in Highland Park.” It will be preserved! The owners of 44 years, Dan and Cookie Owen, have been longtime lovers of architecture, Highland Park, Hal Thomson and preservation. […]

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Proponent of good design. Broker of Architecturally Significant Homes. Encouraging architecture as public art, believes a home is your greatest design decision.

The Impetus of Douglas Newby’s Master’s Thesis

Douglas Newby’s passion for and success in contributing to Dallas had been propelled academically, vocationally, and professionally through a series of achievements. Every project reflects a keen understanding of people, the environment, and the community.

An  innate desire to redirect a neighborhood from disaster to delight spurred the academic genesis of his master’s thesis, “Economic Incentives to Reverse Migration in an  Inner City Neighborhood.” The established economic argument of the thesis won the day when multi-family property owners actually petitioned the city to rezone their apartments to single-family zoning in this redlined area. Douglas’s efforts, garnering widespread support from the property owners, lenders, businesses, schools and the developer/pro property rights mayor, resulted in the largest multi-family, zoned area to be rezoned single-family in the country and the first single-family zoned historic district with historic guidelines in Dallas.

In the heart of this rezoned area, Douglas co-founded the revolving fund for the Historic Preservation League. The goal was to secure 23 options on divided up rent houses that could be purchased over a two-year period and resold to homeowners.

There was still a missing ingredient for the neighborhood to be revitalized: a real-estate agent to negotiate these options contracts and to make a market for slum landlords to sell to artists and urban pioneers who could convert these divided up rent houses into single-family homes.

Douglas Newby solved this problem by becoming a real estate agent. The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) solved the redline problem of no home loans here by selecting the rezoned single-family restoration area for their first National Inner City Lending Demonstration Project.

However, the question remained, how does one restore a home to live in? Douglas addressed the problem by founding the Restoration House of the Year Award, the first in the nation. To attract a successful critical mass of homeowners, though, a neighborhood needs to have a sense of place. Understanding this need, Douglas wrote the first book on Dallas neighborhoods. This Dallas best-selling book, A guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas, was published when only few neighborhoods in Dallas were previously recognized. Now Dallas has hundreds of neighborhoods that have a strong identity.

Those passionate about preservation in the restoration area recognized the importance of history and architecture. To entice and educate the rest of Dallas, Douglas initiated and coordinated the first community survey of architect-designed homes in Dallas which, in turn, was the first community-based survey of architect-designed home in the country.

The culmination of successful endeavors in revitalization, rezoning, restoration, real estate, neighborhood and architecturally significant homes have resulted in Douglas Newby’s triumphant understanding of homes that makes us happy.

include d magazine article, hinsdale nomination, hinsdale acceptance speech

D Magazine Profile

Douglas Newby understands how architectural significance, neighborhoods and nature are the foundation of homes that will make people happy and go up in value . He understands the short- and long-term perspectives. In the short term, will the buyer love living in the home? In the long term, will the home increase in value? While the real estate industry is trained to look at comparables, Newby looks beyond the obvious. He looks for real value—the aesthetic and economic potential of the home. His prescient insight comes from his instinct, training and passion.

After graduating with a Social Science Degree – anthropology, religion, psychology, studio art – he obtained another interdisciplinary degree, a master’s in public administration. His thesis: “Economic Benefits of Single-Family Rezoning to Revitalize an Inner-City Neighborhood.” Acclaimed artist friends encouraged his move to Munger Place. Others saw a distressed neighborhood; Newby saw towering trees, a sense of community, and historic homes that were added to the National Register. Putting his single-family thesis to work, Munger Place was rezoned single family; Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) made its first inner-city loans here, calling it the most successful revitalization in the country. Munger Place prices have gone up 10,000% since Newby first shared his vision.

His insight is even more significant in expensive neighborhoods. When REALTORS® and appraisers valued land in Mayflower Estates at half the value of land in Preston Hollow, Newby took the position that Mayflower Estates had more intrinsic value and went on to sell the most expensive Dallas home there. Land began selling for more in Mayflower Estates than Preston Hollow. Munger Place and Mayflower Estates are opposite extremes, but the result is the same – Newby has consistently sold properties for record-setting prices. A buyer who is the first to recognize the distinct attributes of a home, site or neighborhood can pay a record-breaking price and enjoy investment returns that outperform the market.

“Global real estate companies follow a generic approach to marketing properties,” Newby says. “My bespoke approach brings global attention to the attributes of each architecturally significant home and neighborhood, enhancing values, helping sellers command the best prices and buyers to find homes they love.”

Specialization

Architecturally significant homes in Highland Park, Preston Hollow, Volk Estates, Greenway Parks, Turtle Creek neighborhoods, and White Rock Lake

Designations, Affiliations & Awards

Best Real Estate Agents, D Magazine: Platinum Top Producer, D Magazine: Best Property Marketing Campaign, Wall Street Journal

Douglas Newby Nominated to Hinsdale Hall of Fame

Noted biographer, Gordon Imrie, who has written books, produced film and recordings, is a high school classmate of Douglas Newby who nominated Douglas Newby to the Hinsdale Hall of Fame that included this biography with the nomination. This nomination carried additional significance as Gordon Imrie was a Hinsdale High School class president, editor of The Hinsdale Courier high school newspaper, a star athlete, the brother of a Hinsdale Hall of Fame inductee, and a graduate of Stanford and Harvard that launched his multifaceted career.

Gordon Imrie’s Nomination of Douglas Newby for the Hinsdale Hall of Fame

Biographer Gordon Imrie wrote this biography of Douglas Newby as one of the sections required for a Hinsdale Hall of Fame nomination. Here is Gordon Imrie’s introduction to his nomination:

Can Hinsdale ever forgive Doug Newby for moving away?

My own Hinsdale tenure is eighteen years in two blocks separated by twenty-eight years at Stanford, Harvard, and (mostly) Manhattan. Much of my experience after HC (1970) has been in real estate, big city and suburban, and especially Old Stuff—buildings over a century old. Newby’s turf. When I began hearing what he had accomplished in Dallas, I was busy spending years trying unsuccessfully to save the Hinsdale Theater as an arts center in the early 2000s. But it was Hinsdale’s struggle with teardowns where Newby’s magic could have saved many harsh words and lost antiquity. I hope we can forgive him for adopting Dallas, where he managed, as I shall demonstrate, to thread-the-needle of free-market real estate transactions, charm-preservation, and fresh construction in neighborhoods hauntingly similar to Hinsdale’s beleaguered best. I estimate he’s saved a billion dollars of present-valued homes from destruction without onerous (pun intended) regulation. Newby’s success has been by a thousand cuts from skirmishes involving policy, positions, ideas, efforts, and initiatives that changed how people thought about neighborhoods, preservation, architecture, revitalization, and real estate. He, his clients, and his neighborhoods have all prospered. But let’s enjoy how and where this conciliatory and realistic attitude and skill were hatched: Newby is Pure Hinsdale.

Biographer Gordon Imrie Profiles Douglas Newby and His Background

Can Hinsdale ever forgive Doug Newby for moving away?

My own Hinsdale tenure is eighteen years in two blocks separated by twenty-eight years at Stanford, Harvard, and (mostly) Manhattan. Much of my experience after HC (1970) has been in real estate, big city and suburban, and especially Old Stuff—buildings over a century old. Newby’s turf. When I began hearing what he had accomplished in Dallas, I was busy spending years trying unsuccessfully to save the Hinsdale Theater as an arts center in the early 2000s. But it was Hinsdale’s struggle with teardowns where Newby’s magic could have saved many harsh words and lost antiquity. I hope we can forgive him for adopting Dallas, where he managed, as I shall demonstrate, to thread-the-needle of free-market real estate transactions, charm-preservation, and fresh construction in neighborhoods hauntingly similar to Hinsdale’s beleaguered best. I estimate he’s saved a billion dollars of present-valued homes from destruction without onerous (pun intended) regulation. Newby’s success has been by a thousand cuts from skirmishes involving policy, positions, ideas, efforts, and initiatives that changed how people thought about neighborhoods, preservation, architecture, revitalization, and real estate. He, his clients, and his neighborhoods have all prospered. But let’s enjoy how and where this conciliatory and realistic attitude and skill were hatched: Newby is Pure Hinsdale.

Before Hinsdale Central High School

His father came back from a dinner where athletic director Harvey Dickinson said he was having trouble finding kids who could throw and catch a ball. Dickinson was already coaching eight-year-olds from banquet podiums. Also, Newby and friends were going to high school football and basketball games in grade school. He watched the Guards make a homecoming float at a neighbor’s home. Many took swim lessons in grade school from Hinsdale Central High School Guards. While Newby wasn’t a competitive swimmer, he was competent. At the beginning of his freshman year in gym class, when everybody was timed, Newby did an off-the-side of the pool open-turn 50 yards in 31.9 seconds. His freshman year at SMU in an intramural dorm swim meet off a block, he did an open-turn 26.6-second 50 yards. These times weren’t fast enough to be a competitive swimmer, but were fast enough that Newby could say he was from Hinsdale. As he learned from my Harvard roommate Kinsella: old swimmers never forget their times.

Summer junior-high basketball camps were run by HC varsity coaches. When Newby was still in grade school, Hinsdale high school students would be the Boy Scout troop leaders. He was also a patrol leader in Troop 10 of the Boy Scouts. He achieved all of the hard merit badges (the hardest was a physical fitness merit badge because it required three chin-ups, not pull-ups, which were near impossible for what he describes as his spindly arms). In many ways Hinsdale Central permeated kids’ lives from an early age and set an aspirational bar for achievement in citizenship.

Hinsdale shaped Newby’s interest in sports

Athletics is a big part of growing up in Hinsdale. (My own Dad referred to HC as a “juggernaut” as Imries took home eight varsity letters.) In grade school Newby was the age-group speed-skating blue ribbon champion for three straight years at the annual Burns Field contest. In the fourth year, rather than have his age group just go from one end of the rink to the other, they had to go around the rink for four laps and Newby miscounted the laps, pulling up after the third and losing his title.

However, he may have reached the pinnacle of his athletic career in fourth grade when he was one of only two players on the team to play on both sides of the ball in six-man touch football. As an end and defensive back, he helped his team win fourth and fifth grade league Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills Junior Chamber of Commerce football championship. In Boys League baseball, less competitive than Little League, one year he might have batted a thousand. The manager never let him swing at the ball as he counted on Newby to walk or bunt. Of course, he started his career in right field; his athletic career descended from there.

When he made the seventh-grade basketball team as a fourth-stringer, he was actually the last man on the team and the last team member to score a point that came in the last minute of the last game. He maintained his fourth-string position as an eighth grader, but got into games a bit earlier. Coach Hymes made Newby’s later varsity success possible. The junior high team was only supposed to have 15 players and he kept on a couple of more players, which allowed Newby to be on the team, and he said the lad had potential,

Freshman year the two best players from the junior high team were placed on the Hinsdale sophomore team. The next-best 15 players were put on the freshman A team. Newby had the distinction of being one of the 20 players on the freshman B team, and in the first game he was the last person on the B team to get into the game. He made some progress during his freshman year (grew taller) and as a result made the sophomore basketball team as a sophomore. However, there was only room on the scoreboard for 15 players and Newby was the one player left off the board, once again designating him as the last man on the team.

Fortunately, the varsity coach asked if Newby wanted to be practice-fodder for the JV and no longer suit up on Friday nights with the sophomore team, but be relegated to Saturday mornings when the JV played. Under Coach Dave McGann, Newby progressed enough his junior year to travel with the varsity team to its opening game at Proviso East against the eventual state champions led by Jim Brewer. (Brewer also went on to win MVP in the Big Ten and played as an L.A. Laker.) In an interesting twist of fate, Newby was a fourth string forward, so the coach moved him to third string center in case of an emergency. When playing against Jim Brewer and Proviso East, emergencies happened: Red Devils’ first string center fouled out, the second string center was embarrassing our coach, and in disgust McGann grabbed Newby by the jersey and sent him into the game, saying “even Newby could do better than that.” He actually held his own against Jim Brewer and became a starting forward in Hinsdale’s next game. By senior year Newby was Honorable Mention All-Conference and Hinsdale came in second place in the WSC to La Grange, the eventual state champions.

Newby’s other athletic passion was tennis. In summer tournaments he played against eventual two-time NCAA champion Billy Martin (Newby lost) and played in tournaments featuring notables such as Evanston’s Cale Carvel, who beat Jimmy Connors (in three sets) in the state tournament semifinals. Newby went on to letter in tennis as well as basketball at HC.

Hinsdale shaped Newby’s thoughts about neighborhoods, community and architecture

Newby lived on both ends of Park Avenue from nursery school until graduation from HC. In grade school he lived at 18 South Park, which had a profound impact on how he continues to think about idyllic neighborhoods. He loved the bucolic atmosphere and nature of the towering Dutch elm trees creating tree-tunneled streets. He also enjoyed being able to walk to the library, Schweidler’s, Soukup’s, Schoen’s, Hartley’s Bike Shop, Rapp’s Bakery, and the Hinsdale News Agency. Where else would a boy want to go? Being able to buy school supplies in grade school and put them on his family house account at Schweidler’s shaped his feelings about the sense of intimacy, family, community and the interaction with shops. Now at Newby’s favorite restaurant, he’s one of just a few with a house account, established because it reminds him of a much more civilized time he enjoyed while living in Hinsdale. The Village created an environment Newby talks about a lot now: nature and vibrancy.

Hinsdale as aesthetic foundation

Newby’s summer paper route allowed him to go every morning to the front door of every home between Garfield and County Line. He recalls admiring and memorizing the architectural detail of each house. A later route, closer to Oak School, had him delivering papers to houses he’d walked or rode his bike by for years. Triangle Park on Park Avenue and Fourth Street was his early neighborhood playground. Later, when the family moved to 930 South Park, it was the field behind the Methodist church on Garfield that connected all the back yards of the homes on Ninth Street and Park Avenue. Here, the neighbors would spill out and play softball in the summer or touch football in the fall. Organized sports were intense and competitive, but these neighborhood recreational sports with players of different ages were constant fun.

The softball games would continue both in college and after college with the annual 4th of July softball game with all the neighbors. Hinsdale has one of the best 4th of July parade-and-celebrations in the country–kids would always walk or ride bikes in the procession, and then when older would join the rest of the Hinsdale families lining the streets of the parade. Afterwards, many small neighborhoods would have back yard gatherings to continue the celebration. Christmas in Hinsdale extended his affection for the community as Newby returned for the holidays for 20 years after high school.

The time-honored provincial proclivities of Hinsdale shaped Newby’s thinking about neighborhoods. When he was in high school in Hinsdale, he found it very interesting that Hinsdale turned down what would have been the first-in-the-nation Colonial-style McDonald’s with no arches! It was proposed for the edge of town on a corner shared with three gasoline stations at the mouth of the toll road. McDonald’s, at the time, had its world headquarters in Oak Brook and sponsored Hinsdale’s number-two age group swim club in the country. They were a good corporate citizen, and many loved McDonald’s hamburgers, but the village elders said Hinsdale will never have a fast-food restaurant. Newby’s later Dallas efforts in a neighborhood with many established horrible uses was much-influenced by the strong stand Hinsdale took about what many would consider a benign use. When well-liked neighborhood homeowners proposed to put in a restaurant in a little neighborhood service retail building across from a pocket park in Newby’s Dallas nabe, he joined a few other neighbors to object and the request was denied. In the short-term, a nice restaurant would have enhanced the neighborhood, but it would have created a precedent for additional commercial uses when we were trying to eliminate all non-single-family zoning in the area.

At the same time, when Newby was in grade school, Oak Brook was not big enough for their own post office but had polo fields, Oak Brook Shopping Center (the nation’s most successful), golf courses, and many other projects bringing national attention. The contrast of two neighboring suburbs feeding into the same high school gave Newby a huge insight: cities are like a garden. Some parts of the garden can have tall trees or robust growth, and other parts of the garden are more delicate and need more protection. Both styles of community are good and have advantages. Often, city planners think that every neighborhood, village or community should be designed or zoned in the same way. Newby recognized that every neighborhood has its distinct characteristics that should be cultivated.

The aesthetic of Hinsdale, with brick-paved streets and historic homes, shaped Newby’s senses and appreciation of architecturally significant homes. The sense of community and neighborhood shaped his appreciation of neighborhood identity and cohesion. Walking or riding his bike to school allowed him to savor the scale, setback, and architectural distinction of each home. At the time Newby didn’t consciously realize the absorption underway–he was unconsciously admiring the homes without any awareness of the historic or architectural significance.

While Hinsdale was removed from Chicago, the rail line or expressways gave it quick access so one growing up could feel the enormity of a big thriving city. When Newby’s father took him to the top of the Prudential building, where they looked down at the Chicago Board of Trade, he told his son that when he was the boy’s age his own father took him to the top floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, which at the time was the tallest building in Chicago.

When Newby first visited Dallas, he felt like it was a minor-league city about to become a major-league city. It was and it has. Now, in the next few years the metropolitan area of Dallas is projected to become larger than the metropolitan area of Chicago! The neighborhood in which Newby made his home after graduation from SMU, was Munger Place. In 1905, Munger Place was developed first as a streetcar suburb of Dallas much like Hinsdale developed as a rail line suburb of Chicago. The difference was that Hinsdale remained among the nicest suburbs of Chicago while Munger Place had deteriorated to become the worst neighborhood in Dallas. Newby’s inspiration was to capture some of the magic of Hinsdale for Munger Place. Now both neighborhoods have become historic districts.

The might of Chicago also gave Newby the vision of a major city. “If you can make it in Hinsdale, you can make it anywhere,” one might say. Fresh out of college Newby felt he could confidently exchange ideas about Dallas with its mayor, owners of large companies, and CEOs. Having attended high school in Hinsdale, he was raised around CEOs, industry leaders and iconic families from an early age.

Newby’s father, William H. Newby, served as the Hinsdale Caucus Chair helping select the village leadership, as well as serving as the president of Union Church. He also received the Chicago State University President’s Award, the Puerto Rican Congressman of the Year and a scholarship named for him at the Hispanic Institute of Law Enforcement. While downtown Chicago was beyond his day-to-day life, the younger Newby was made aware of the importance of civic city involvement along with involvement in the local community. In his father’s obituary, a Chicago Tribune writer emphasized that the elder Newby is credited with keeping the Jewel Food Stores open in the city. At the time, the younger Newby didn’t realize how affected he was by seeing how public sentiment could be changed by clearly articulating ideas.

Newby’s mother was also a Hinsdale “doer” role-model. As a social worker, she became head of the Hinsdale Community Service–Newby had no idea until then how many Hinsdale families were in dire circumstances. She also initiated the Luminaria fundraising that lit up Hinsdale on Christmas Eve, another symbol of community. This participation reinforced the idea that people band together for a good idea or vision. Most profiles or biographies of Newby mention rearing in Hinsdale since this experience still permeates how he thinks about communities. In his TEDx Talk, Homes That Make Us Happy, Newby used Hinsdale as the lens for what people are looking for in a home.

Hinsdale shaped Newby’s college career

As the boys’ social chairman of the Hinsdale High School Varsity Club, Newby was co-chair of the Homecoming. This position also put him in charge of the pep rallies. Speaking into a microphone in front of 2,000 people in the high school gym, announcing coaches, teams, and Homecoming Queen candidates motivated Newby to become a freshman cheerleader at SMU, holding freshman pep rallies, announcing coaches, teams and freshman homecoming queen candidates. He was then elected as a sophomore to be the head SMU cheerleader–now speaking into a microphone, leading cheers in front of 20,000 people at the Cotton Bowl. He had a natural inclination to lead chants of a raucous crowd: his senior year at Hinsdale High school Newby initiated a dues-paying school-authorized cheering section of over 100 junior and senior male students called Sons of Satan. This cheering section survived for many years.

Writing for several sections of the HC newspaper (sports, teacher profiles, op-ed columns) gave Newby the confidence to occasionally write for the SMU Daily Campus newspaper and to continue writing an occasional op-ed column for the Dallas Morning News after graduation. He recalls that classmates at SMU would often come to him if they had a question about SMU procedure, organization or where to go to take care of a matter.

At some point, he realized that his deep understanding of the hierarchy and inner workings of the academic bureaucracy came from working for the infamous Helen Raymond in the Hinsdale Central bookstore. He worked for her during the two weeks before school started and then one hour a day at the bookstore in lieu of study hall. For four years at Hinsdale High School, Newby was the Planning and Leadership Home Room Student Representative. At SMU Newby was on faculty/student department committees, oversaw a sizeable budget at the Student Activities Directorate, and was one of the twelve in his class to be tapped for the Knights of Cycen Fjodr, an honorary society and the oldest senior society at SMU, founded in 1920, recognizing leadership.

After his SMU degree, Newby enrolled in the SMU Master’s of Public Administration program. This is basically a city manager program in which classmates became future Dallas city managers (and one classmate a congresswoman). Adjunct professors were often assistant city managers. The (precocious?) emphasis of his master’s thesis and position papers was on the economic advantages of single-family zoning: Economic Incentives to Reverse Migration in an Inner City Neighborhood. When still a graduate student, the mayor of Dallas would call in an assistant city manager, sometimes even one of Newby’s professors, and tell them to assist him and provide the support Newby needed for his neighborhood rezoning project. Newby has met with every subsequent mayor, not as a donor, but to exchange ideas on the city. Several of these mayors, at Newby’s request, would present the Dallas Restoration House of the Year Award, an award Newby created, and the first award of its type in the country.

Newby’s Dallas blast-off

The first award Newby received after college came from the Historic Preservation League for successfully initiating and rezoning one hundred blocks (2,000 lots) of Old East Dallas from multifamily zoning to single-family zoning. This remains the largest rezoned area in the history of the city. This single-family rezoned area became the foundation for the revitalization of Old East Dallas. The Federal National Mortgage Association selected this sector as its demonstration area for its first inner-city loans in the country. Simultaneously, Newby initiated the first single-family historic district in Dallas, the neighborhood in which he still lives.

The shopworn approach of many preservationists is to stand in front of bulldozers, trying to prevent a building from being torn down. From the beginning of his preservation interests, Newby approached it as a property rights preservationist. Most preservationists take the approach that preservation is beneficial to everyone even if not to the affected property owner. Newby’s refreshing tack is to have the affected property owner also benefit. Realizing he was in a city that at a DNA-level embraced property rights, he proposed changing the zoning of a multifamily-zoned area made up primarily of apartments to single-family zoning by not making aesthetic or preservation arguments, but by making it about economics. He researched and developed the argument that single-family rezoning would benefit apartment owners, vacant lot owners, retail owners, schools, renters, banks, businesses, and homeowners. His case-making won the day and received 80% written support from property owners including apartment owners.

While others just out of college were playing…or seriously starting their careers, Newby decided that since the Vietnam war was over, he had two or three years during which he would have been in the miliary which he could spend on civic activities. He also saw that most nonprofit boards were made up of citizens in their 40s or 50s or older. They devoted time to civic activities after they had been successful in their careers and could then afford to volunteer time to nonprofit work. Newby decided that while he was in his 20s and early-30s he could make a greater impact in the nonprofit arena than he would be able to make at a firm or a corporation.

So he served on the Historic Preservation League board, the Old East Dallas Design Committee executive board, founded the Munger Place Homeowners Association, and then in his late 30s and early 40s served on the executive committee of the Dallas Historical Society, was a founding advisory board member of Preservation Park Cities, and served on the board of the Greater Dallas Planning Council and the Dallas Architecture Foundation. He was Everywhere.

Newby also served as president of the almost 100-year-old organization, SMU Town and Gown. For the Dallas Preservation League he initiated and was a principal writer of the number-two best-selling nonfiction book in Dallas: A Guide to the Older Neighborhoods of Dallas. For the Dallas Chapter AIA Newby initiated and chaired the first architectural survey of Dallas for the Chapter’s 50th Anniversary. He also reproduced the Munger Brothers’ original sales book that articulated the first planned development in Dallas. Newby wrote several articles for publications including the historic journal Legacies, and D Magazine. Several publications have featured him in articles on architecture and preservation.

Newby served on the mayor’s Southern Dallas Task Force in 1986 and today serves as a real estate and zoning consultant for the Southern Dallas City Council District 3 in their efforts to bring more quality single-family home development to their district and to stop being the dumping grounds for low-income tax-credit apartments. For over 45 years Newby has organized, promoted and helped sponsor dozens of home tours across the city. In addition, he has spoken to neighborhoods seeking to become a conservation or historic district.

Jumping into Big City real estate on a shoestring

Newby’s real estate business was developed to support and augment his civic interest in neighborhoods, preservation, architecture and revitalization. With Virginia and Lee McAlester, who wrote the book A Field Guide to American Houses, Newby initiated a Revolving Fund in Munger Place to purchase 22 options coming due over two years in the twelve-block Munger Place neighborhood. Once the organizational structure was set up and the committees filled with volunteers, there was a realization that there were no realtors working in the area who had the interest or knowledge on how to secure these options. The McAlesters suggested Newby was the best candidate to do this and asked him if he would be willing to obtain a real estate license to do this task. Newby realized this was the only way the Revolving Fund would be successful, so he agreed to get the license. Note well: the sales agent commission on a $10,000 house was about $150, less than the commission for selling a Kirby vacuum cleaner at the time. Newby made more money in his Hinsdale summer job as a janitor in the Jewel warehouse than he made in a year as a real estate agent selling four-unit apartments to buyers that would turn them into single-family homes.

Newby recalls speaking to Hinsdale friends who were horrified that he would specialize in a neighborhood where prices were 100 times lower than Hinsdale’s. Since then, Newby has sold probably the least expensive home in Dallas and the most expensive home in Dallas (one that out-priced anything in Hinsdale). At the Luxury Conclave, a convention made up of the most-successful luxury real estate agents from across the country, Newby won the Best Property Marketing Award three times in a row. The last time he was announced as the winner they said they were giving the award to him as a “Hall of Fame” winner (hmm) … and Newby could no longer enter the contest! The winner of the award was selected by the Wall Street Journal and a New York advertising company specializing in real estate.

Originally Newby specialized in a deteriorating neighborhood that became a historic district in which the prices of the homes became one hundred times higher. His real estate business expanded to the most expensive residential corridor of Dallas where he still specializes in historic and architecturally significant homes. Besides registering the trademarks for ‘architecturally significant homes,’ ‘significant homes,’ and ‘architecturally significant,’ Newby introduced the concept of the term “architecturally significant homes” to Dallas and across the country. Twenty-five years ago, realtors were generally only mentioning the builder, not the architect, when they sold a home. Feature writers for magazines and newspapers never used the term. Now, one sees homes being described every day as architecturally significant in legacy media, social media and in the real estate industry.

Newby loves antiquity, but in a thoroughly modern way

Newby’s Facebook business page, Architecturally Significant Modern Homes https://www.facebook.com/modernhomes, was the first architecture or real estate Facebook business page to have over 500,000 fans. This made it the largest architecture/real estate Facebook page in the world. His YouTube channel, Architecturally Significant Homes https://www.youtube.com/c/ArchitecturallySignificantHomes, has 25,000 subscribers and one of his videos has over 11 million views. Newby’s ArchitecturallySignificant Homes.com website comes up first when anyone in the world does a search for “architecturally significant homes.”

Only a small percentage of his own website is devoted to the homes he has for sale https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/featured-listings/. He’s dedicated most of the site to education on architecture, neighborhoods, preservation and cities. In the Neighborhood section he features 173 distinct neighborhoods, providing photographs and information on an average of 10 homes
as an example of each neighborhood. The website includes almost 20,000 images! It introduces 223 architects who’ve done work in Dallas and provides photos of their work. It also features 54 architectural styles. The website has over 20,000 unique visitors a month.

Newby’s TEDx Talk, Homes That Make Us Happy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19Q6CFMpgAc, has 2,000 views. His Instagram account has almost 2,000 followers, and 400 posts with an average of 200 words of text commenting on Dallas history, architecture and aesthetics. The Douglas Newby blog https://douglasnewby.com/ has 114 blog articles averaging 1,500 words apiece, discussing organic urbanism, architecture, Dallas, preservation, neighborhoods and real estate. These articles are read by 12,000 people a year.

In his spare time, Newby served on the board of directors of the Metrotex Association of Realtors and chaired the Dallas Association of Realtors Breakfast Caucus. The latter is a speakers’ forum where, for example, Newby introduced Governor Bush just before he announced his candidacy for president.

In conclusion

Douglas Newby is a giant in his field, and credits much of his inspiration and finesse to Hinsdale Central. If he is selected for this honor, I think it will give fresh impetus to the peaceful preservation of spectacular historic homes in his Hometown, as well as providing more “good company” in the Hall for present and future occupants.

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