Armed with a degree in Construction Management, Grant Lockhart entered the real estate market in early 2008 looking for a true fixer-upper. After searching through Five Points, North Hills and Oakwood, in June of 2008, he found exactly what he was looking for in Forest Hills at 2507 Van Dyke Avenue.
The colonial style brick house was built in 1942 and had been owned by Kenneth
andHelen Stallings until 1995 when it was bought by Peggy Reese. Last remodeled in 1960, the home certainly met Grant’s criteria and was in need of some serious TLC. Ironically knick-named “The Manor,” because of its great bones but state of disrepair, the house had great potential and Grant was excited to begin work on the home with his girlfriend Emily.
Throughout the past three years, they worked on The Manor in stages. Grant wanted to complete each project himself, but had limited time, as he started his own business in early 2009. The kitchen was Grant’s first project, installing new tile flooring, cabinets, appliances and granite countertops with the help of friends and family. He removed dated carpeting to reveal original hardwood flooring throughout the remainder of the home. Lucky find! Refinishing the hardwood floors was the next step, as well as restoring the plaster walls, the mantel and original trim work. After that, he renovated both bathrooms in the home, adding full marble flooring and tile in the shower.
In early 2010, he began work on the exterior of the house, with a fresh coat of white 
paint, and a new front porch, front door, retaining wall, gravel drive and landscaping. Grant, who you’ve probably seen around the Forest Hills neighborhood, owns Lockhart Property Services – a full service landscaping, home repair and property management company with many clients in and around Cameron Village. His girlfriend Emily is the director of development for the statewide nonprofit, Youth Empowered Solutions.
The Manor’s most recent project was the addition of a wood-burning stove, installed in the home’s existing fireplace with a chimney liner – just in time for the cooler temperatures this month. Ever a work in progress, there are many more projects in the works in the coming year. Next up: the back yard!
