They knew it was a good fit from the start. "I loved the Austin stone and the shape," Trish Sheats explains. "This was not your run-of-the-mill house, and we could see it had the character we were looking for--under the burglar bars." What a good description of the 1,300-square-foot house she and husband Morris purchased when they first moved to Dallas.

At first glance, however, most people would have passed it up. Window units were still in place (although central heat and air had just been installed); the roof had seen better days; and the burglar bars hid the home's cozy, cottage appeal. But for Trish and Morris, this house had lots of potential. Along with a convenient address and a delightful shade tree, it had the most important attribute any young couple looks for--a big backyard. "We knew we could add on," Morris says.