By Sarah Mitchell
Meredith, a native of Dallas, grew up in a home on Stanhope, (just a stone’s throw from her current residence), while her husband, Corby, hails from Tyler. Their paths crossed at Camp Longhorn in Burnett, Texas, when Meredith was in high school, but they didn’t begin dating until later after both graduated from the University of Texas. Meredith, armed with a degree in advertising, ventured to San Francisco to pursue a career in her field. During a return trip to Dallas for the wedding of mutual friends, she reunited with Corby. Six months later, she made the decision to return permanently to Dallas, and the rest was history between the two. Corby works for locally-owned Benchmark Bank and loves the bank’s commitment to the community.
Transitioning from her role in advertising, Meredith has found fulfillment in her career in real estate. Reflecting on her journey, she recalls the influence of her mother’s entry into the industry during a challenging period in Dallas’s history. “When I was in third grade at Bradfield, my mom went to work for Allie Beth Allman,” she explained. “I witnessed her success and achievement in receiving the Rookie of the Year award her first year. I admired her ability to balance family and her career and that she had her own thing that she loved.” Meredith formed connections with industry leaders like Robbie Briggs and began her own real estate journey at the age of 24 with Briggs Freeman. Two years later, her mother came back to work, and they enjoyed a long and successful partnership. Over two decades later, her passion for homes, architecture, and, above all, people, continues. After 15 years at Briggs Freeman, Meredith made the leap to Compass five years ago and now leads the Meredith Ferrell Group.
Meredith and Corby are proud parents to two wonderful children. 15-year-old Madison, their oldest daughter, is a freshman at Highland Park High School and enjoys playing soccer. Meanwhile, Gigi, their youngest daughter, is in fifth grade at MIS and participates in competitive cheerleading.
When it comes to family vacations, their adventures often lead them to Telluride where they enjoy skiing and hiking. Equally loved are their travels to the different beaches of 30A.
Residing on Arcady, Courtney shares the same passion for community and renovation as Meredith. Originally from Lake Forest, a suburb of Chicago, Courtney went to Vanderbilt University and then the University of Virginia for her master’s degree in business. Her journey then took her to New York where she began a career with Goldman Sachs before moving back to Chicago and joining JLL. Her husband, Charlie, began his career at Compass Leasing and Management before also joining JLL where the two met. It was Charlie’s career with JLL that landed them in Dallas 10 years ago. “The draw of Highland Park was that it was similar in feel to Lake Forest,” said Courtney. “We knew it’s where we wanted to be.” Charlie now works for Cushman and Wakefield and has been in commercial real estate for over 30 years. They have two daughters, Victoria and Eliza. Victoria, 20, is a sophomore at the University of Texas, and Eliza is in fifth grade at MIS with Meredith and Corby’s daughter, Gigi. “Gigi was Eliza’s first friend in Dallas, and the girls met at Fairfax Park playing on the playground,” shared Courtney. “We got to know Meredith and her family and realized we have the same passion for community and preservation, so not only did our daughters bring us together, but our passion did as well.”
Recently retired from the corporate world, Courtney is now focusing on interior design with her business, Courtney Petit Design. “As a working mom, I had been on the road travelling frequently and always thought I would retire from my corporate job and then pursue my passion – decorating,” Courtney shared. “My mom was a decorator and had an antique store with her friend, so she was certainly an influence on me. She would frequently decorate and shift things in and out of our home showing us the art of the possible and how slight modifications in a home can make it feel new again.”
Courtney has first-hand experience when it comes to renovating and decor. The first house they moved into in Dallas, on Fairfax Avenue, needed work and remodeling. After successfully completing that project, they realized they didn’t have the right space to configure a pool. “We started looking for another home that had a pool,” explained Courtney. “We renovated and redecorated that next home as well on Beverly Drive. Later, I was on a walk and came across our current home and called Charlie and said, ‘This is the next one and the final one!’ It had that pre-war feel and room for a pool. We ended up renovating three houses in a six-year period, all within a four-block radius.” Courtney’s work has been featured in D Home and House Beautiful. Friends previously approached her about projects but until now, she hasn’t had the time to focus on it, but ultimately said, “Life is too short, and my time is now to be doing this.”
Vacations for the Petit family include excursions to Europe, with their favorite destination being Florence, Italy. They pick a city and immerse themselves in the culture saying, “We look at architecture, visit museums, and shop for antiques to incorporate into our home.”
Joining forces as Co-Chairs for Preservation Park Cities Home Tour, Meredith and Courtney look forward to giving back to the community that they love. “We want to make the history and architecture of the Park Cities relevant for our age group,” said Meredith. “The organization as a whole has received a lot of attention recently, and more clients our age are buying and renovating. There’s something about the emotion and feeling you get in an older home.”
They say it takes a village, and supermoms Meredith and Courtney couldn’t agree more. “We both have rockstar husbands that are present and involved. We also have really wonderful parents that step in to help out.” Meredith’s parents live a mile away and both commented on the importance of living so close to their children’s friends for carpool and playdates. “You have that amazing support all around you, just down the block. The kids can run down the street and have a playdate that doesn’t have to be pre-arranged or organized. Putting family first and staying true to family values is so important to us. Being in this community makes that easier. We are very humbled, fortunate and blessed to live in this community that provides that for us.”
The upcoming annual Park Cities Home Tour takes place on May 10th and features some of the most beautiful homes in the Park Cities. The tour is a tribute to those who share in the appreciation of historic architecture. Meredith and Courtney look forward to seeing you there!