‘It Was Such a Great Party House’ — Marilyn Hoffman’s Landmark Lakewood Estate Hits the Market

From the early morning hours of Thursday, May 23 through the entirety of Memorial Day Weekend 2024, hundreds of savvy shoppers — myself included — formed a queue that serpentined down a prestigious street in Dallas’ Lakewood neighborhood. The temperatures were nearly as high as the hopes for the event at hand: The estate sale of Marilyn Hoffman, the late, longtime Dallasite and luxury real estate agent who once made history listing (and selling) the most expensive home in Texas.

“Keep waiting, it’s worth it!” a benevolent shopper encouraged us as she exited Hoffman’s home, several bags in hand. Indeed it was — the palatial home was overflowing with vintage Halston gowns, fine crystal, and notable antiques. But for others in line, the house alone was an equally alluring draw. “I’m mostly curious to see inside,” the shopper behind me shared. “I pass this home every day.”

Now, weeks after its trove of treasures were hunted, there’s another rare opportunity to explore the landmark Elizabethan estate: 6835 Westlake Avenue has officially hit the Dallas real estate market for $5 million.

Set back from the street behind a large, lush front lawn and a trellised gate, the home’s unique, asymmetrical exterior doesn’t reveal its quirky charms — including a mass of decorative bricks— until you get up close. Originally built in 1926 for Arthur Kramer, president of the department store A. Harris and Company, the home was designed by Sir Alfred Charles Bossom, an esteemed British architect who contributed to such notable Dallas projects as Uptown’s landmark Maple Terrace Apartments, the original Magnolia Building on Akard, and the original Adolphus Hotel. In the 1970s, the 9,200-square-foot home (7,700 for the main house and 1,300 for the guest house) fell into the hands of Marilyn Hoffman, who hosted many a grand affair — including one of the Dallas Ballet’s first performances — on its palatial grounds.

“It was such a great party house,” shared Hoffman’s daughter Gina Miller, who grew up in the magical home, located just a couple of doors away from two filming sites for the 1980s television show Dallas. “I used to sneak downstairs to watch the night shoots,” Miller reminisces. 

The notable, eight-bedroom home has lived a vibrant life thus far, and though it could certainly use some updates, those Bossom bones are absolutely priceless. Take a tour of the estate with our slideshow.

6835 Westlake Avenue is listed for $5 million with Clifton Kessler of Allie Beth Allman & Associates.