All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

Touring the Dominion Hills in 78257

While touring the Dominion Hills Condominium Subdivision with a client, we ran across an interesting property that seemed a bit out of place. Typically, you’ll find that homes for sale in the Dominion Hills currently range from $329,000 to $2,099,999 or $158.50 to $362.06 per square foot. They’re condos with a residential home feel; Gated community with the option to join The Dominion Country Club. HOA amenities include landscaping, irrigation, pest control, and domestic water for daily use.

After completing our tour, my client asked me if I knew what the white house that seemed so out place was doing right in the middle of all these nicer homes. I jokingly replied, “I’m not sure, but I would assume the developer will be tearing it down as soon as possible.” Not satisfied with my answer, I stuck around a while after my client left. I walked over to the house and found several men working cautiously inside. I continued to ask, “Sorry to bother; but what is this older home doing here?” They replied that “This place has historical significance and it use to belong to the Lucchese family. As in Lucchese boots.” I never would have guessed. The next few minutes talking to these guys really helped put it into perspective. 

They proceeded to tell me a story they heard from the current owner of the property. Turns out this home was built back in the day in the middle of nowhere. They said it belonged to one of the Lucchese brothers and served as a safe house for the gangster brother. An artist friend by the name of Peter Hurd also took up residence there for a time. While a tenant, he produced several sketches, decorations, and hand painted tiles that are thought to be priceless.  This was the answer to our question of why this otherwise non typical Dominion home was there. I’m not sure what they plan on doing with the home or its treasures but it’s discoveries such as that keep me excited to do my job in real estate.

This proves that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Some things are more valuable than you’ll ever know. The new Dominion Hills homes are fortunate to be surrounding such a unique property. You can find additional information on the Lucchese family history and Peter Hurd online.

Oscar Felan

 Looking for someone who goes the extra mile to find out as much about a neighborhood as they can for their clients? Call me! 

                          Oscar Felan, Realtor / River Valley Real Estate Co.

(210)-793-3493 / oscar@rvreco.com

www.rivervalleyre.com