Crespi Estate returns to market with lower price — but remains most expensive D-FW listing

If any property is revered and regarded with awe in Dallas, it is the Crespi Estate, which went back up for sale this month with a $47 million price tag. It is, and has previously been, the most expensive home on the market in North Texas — and among the most expensive in the state.

Originally built for the Italian count Pio Crespi in 1938, the home was designed by Swiss architect Maurice Fatio. Celebrities, presidents and dignitaries have been guests at the estate, and it has had no shortage of notable owners. The Crespi family owned the original property until 1997, then it changed through the hands of Dallas investor Tom Hicks, banker Andy Beal, and developer and investor Mehrdad Moayedi. Since 2019, the estate has been owned by a trust associated with the prominent Cox family of Dallas.

In the early 2000s, under the direction of the second owners, the Crespi Estate was renovated and expanded with the expertise of builder John Sebastian and architect and interior designer Peter Marino. Today the estate has both original and updated architectural elements plus newer amenities. Inside the 27,092-square-foot main house, you’ll find 10 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and five half-bathrooms. There are additional structures on the property: a 4,800-square-foot recreational complex and pool house, a 3,300-square-foot guest house and a greenhouse.

It is difficult to summarize the extensive and luxurious details throughout the main home — after all, it’s 27,000 square feet — but a few standout elements are the library with 1820s paneling from France, silver-leafed walls in the wet bar and a chandelier sourced from The Statler that hangs over the staircase. The primary suite alone is approximately 3,000 square feet and includes two full bathrooms, two dressing rooms and a study. Along with the nine other bedrooms, the main house contains an exercise room, massage room, home theater, wrapping room, trophy hall, media room, office, two wine cellars and a panic room, where emergency oxygen can sustain four people for 24-plus hours.

Consistent with the home’s history as a host to newsworthy figures, there are plenty of interior spaces fit for entertaining: a luxurious kitchen, two dining areas, a family room, a conservatory and a ballroom, to name a few.

The 4,836-square-foot pool house has a commercial kitchen, wet bar, great room, two changing rooms (both with full bathrooms) and a one-bedroom suite on the second level. Tucked in the basement of the pool house, there’s a 19-seat theater, a reel room and a concession counter, plus bathrooms and a laundry room. A full kitchen, dining room, living room and office take up the first floor of the 3,347-square-foot guest house, and there are two bedroom suites on the second level. The home’s extensive grounds are grand, with meticulous landscaping as well as a pool, greenhouse, garden and courts for tennis, basketball, bocce and petanque.

There’s a waterfall and a creek on the property, too. Should you want to avoid Dallas traffic, just park your helicopter on the lighted helipad.

The estate was previously 25 acres, and some 10 acres were divided off during Moayedi’s ownership to create a community of homes along Walnut Hill Lane. Crespi Estate was then listed in 2023 for $60 million; a previous offer did not come to fruition, and the home was taken off the market last year during the holidays. The new, lower list price corresponds to the latest change in acreage offered with the estate. Listing agent Michelene Galbraith with Allie Beth Allman & Associates says the home sits on nearly 12 acres, those that are currently listed for sale. There are three other lots at roughly 1.2 acres each that are not presently listed.

“The owners wanted the flexibility to do something with the remaining acreage so decided to remove it from the listing while they evaluate all their options,” Galbraith says. “Of course, one of those options is to sell the estate and the three lots to a single buyer. Should someone wish to make that offer, the owners would consider it.”

See more of the Crespi Estate at 5619 Walnut Hill Lane, Dallas:

10 images

View Gallery

Love homes, design and real estate? Get more good stuff from Abode by following us on Instagram and Facebook.