Lucinda Buford, originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, arrived in the Park Cities in 1990 after finishing college. In 1989, she had traveled to Dallas for a wedding where she sat next to a stranger who would become her future husband. She attended Rhodes College in Memphis because of its beautiful setting, close community, and rich history that bridged past and present. She studied psychology, which she credits with helping her understand how different personalities react to stress and decision-making—an invaluable skill in her real estate career.
Lucinda’s husband, Barry, began building homes in Preston Hollow in 1998 and has continued steadily ever since. Before entering real estate, Lucinda worked in corporate training. After she and Barry had twins, she stayed home for a decade and assisted him in starting a home-building company. She eventually got her real estate license to help locate lots for his projects. “I would push my babies around the neighborhood, talking to people who might want to sell their lots,” she recalls. “I also saw listings in the newspaper and told friends, ‘Hey, this is the kind of house you’re looking for,’ and they ended up buying. It dawned on me I could do this professionally.” As her children grew older, she officially launched her real estate career in 2008. Having lived in University Park, Preston Hollow, and now Highland Park, she is able to bring firsthand knowledge of the area’s history. She has also handled transactions in Frisco, Plano, East Dallas, and other parts of North Texas.
Today, Barry and Lucinda’s twins are 27 years old. Their son, Harrison, graduated from Dallas Baptist University and now works for Gartner Consulting, and their daughter, Anna, went to Amherst College in Massachusetts and is currently in her fourth year of medical school at UT Southwestern. Anna’s husband, Luke Nguyen, works as an attorney for Haynes Boone.
Lucinda and Barry often take quick getaways to Santa Fe and plan more extensive trips to Italy when possible. They have traveled as a family to France, Italy, and Mexico, and have a trip scheduled this month to Gasparilla Island off the west coast of Florida. Locally, you can find them at the Dallas Arboretum wandering the gardens or at a Cool Thursdays concert, or you might see them at a baseball game cheering on the Texas Rangers.
Volunteering is also important to them, and they are involved with The Magdalen House, a recovery center for women struggling with alcoholism. “We really felt there was a need for men’s programming, too, and pushed to make it happen in 2024,” Lucinda explained.
The couple share their home with Gus, a Bichon who joins them on the Katy Trail most Saturdays. In addition to walking the trail, you can also find Lucinda donating her time to Preservation Park Cities. In 2008 when they purchased their current home, they were living in a house Barry built in University Park, assuming it would be their forever home. One day, Barry took a wrong-turn down Versailles Avenue, saw a for-sale sign, and the couple decided to buy the property despite its many issues. On neighbors’ advice, Lucinda got involved with Preservation Park Cities, serving on the board and eventually as president in 2017. That same year, their renovated home received historic landmark status. “I love the sense of community that comes from everyone working together to benefit the neighborhood,” she says.
She refers to the Park Cities as “a small town within a big city,” offering a tight-knit community alongside easy access to all that Dallas has to offer. “It’s an incredible place to be close to everything you might want in a vibrant urban area, yet still benefit from services like cross-trained medical, police, and fire departments. And about 33 percent of the real estate here is devoted to green spaces.” Lucinda’s familiarity with every pocket of the Park Cities allows her to anticipate each client’s unique needs. “Every area here has its own rhythm and vibe,” she explained. She believes that talking early in the search process helps match clients with places that suit their lifestyles perfectly. “It’s not only about price per square foot,” she said. “It’s about the life you’ll live, and I can speak to that from different vantage points in these communities.”