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flipper

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Posts posted by flipper

  1. I think Toyota realized that soulless and bland sells. Volkswagen has never had terribly flash designs, and that may be one thing that people like about them.

    Speaking of which, the new Scirocco. It looks like a Golf that was left in the microwave a few minutes.

    volkswagen-scirocco.jpg

    volvo C30 much?

    volvo-c30-front-quarter-cosmic-white.jpg

    flipper

  2. So I drive by Darth Vader's house, that's what my kids call it, on the corner of Buffalo Speedway and University, and there is temporary fencing around it. Like its going to be demolished. Anyone know what's going on?

    I meant to start this thread a few days ago after I noticed the same thing. I hope it's not being torn down!

    I think it is 3202 University. I pulled it up on the permit website and I don't see anything.

    flipper

    • Like 1
  3. I'm thinking I would consider a Scion xB or xD. Good mileage, good reliability, and as I've pointed out before I prefer trim boxy shapes over the more modern bloated look.

    08ScionXB01.jpg

    Nice box. Where is the car that came in it? Badum bum. ;)

    I have been drooling over these lately:

    volvo-c30-rdesign.jpg

    volvo-c30-28-08-08.jpg

    flipper

  4. I have a dent in a door about half the size of a fist, middle of the metal basically, not near an edge. My brother-in-law says to use dry ice, rub it on there and as the metal contracts it will pop right out.

    Bad idea? Risk of messing up paint or other stuff? I would hold it in a rag or something, no direct contact, and just rub to cool the area down I guess.

    I would pay a pro. This guy got out a tough dent for me on an Acura TL a couple years ago: http://www.houstondentpros.com/home.html

    flipper

  5. We were in the 2nd row of the mezzanine. That was our first time sitting there and I really liked the view.

    flipper

    Well done.

    I love that view of the stadium. Are your seats Bull Pen Boxes or Mezzanine?

  6. I liked the video. Reminds me of the similar developments in sugarland and pearland minus the high rises. I hope someone builds something similar.

    flipper

    Guys theres a video now of this developement in detail, there are two twin towers, 30-40 possibly 50 stories with spires.

    The video also includes metrorail, palm trees, mid-rise towers etc.

    The towers are very similiar to renderings I saw before yrs ago (Im looking for the rendering); are different than the others on the website.

    (Its on the right very small)

    http://crosstorian.com/southpointe

  7. The elementary and junior high schools in the area are good. Bellaire HS is great, but Westbury HS is not, and perhaps that is what that coworker referred to.

    As far as topping out of resale at some point, in theory this applies to all areas. Willow Meadow's limit is Meyerland; Meyerland's limit is Bellaire; Bellaire's limit is perhaps West U and Memorial. It goes on and on. There is always a better area for "just a little more," but at some point the rule of diminishing returns applies. If your friend can afford $500k, then Meyerland might be a better bet, but in the $300-450k price point, in the city, there aren't a ton of other options (Woodside/Woodshire is nearby and worth considering as well).

    Great analysis.

    Keep in mind, you just have to be in the section north of W. Bellfort in W.M. to go to Bellaire High.

    flipper

  8. We looked at the Formica House today and love it. I remember when it was built! We are interested in buying and restoring. Liked the idea of a "green" house restoration. Could possibly pay cash, but have no idea how to even begin restoration. There are foundation problems and we are going to have that checked out first. Wondering if there were help available if we get to restoration. We are not planning on flipping this house. My son would manage the restoration for us and live there. Any ideas would be appreciated!

    What kind of help do you mean? Before you get too far along I would get in touch with the COH planning department and see what the guidelines are for repairing a house in the 100 year floodplain.

    All the best!

    flipper

    ps. if you have a savvy realtor, they might be able to get you copies of the many inspections already done at this house by all of the previously interested parties.

  9. Sounds cool! Why don't you buy it and do it?

    flipper

    I still wish someone would buy the house and turn it into a 'house of green.'

    Leave the space the way it was, but change all the formica finishes to green finishes. Of course make it LEED.

    The cool thing is that it could be marketers of green products, and the Houston design Center that covers the cost.

    I guess you could call it adaptive preservation. Sort of like the dream I had a while back for Saarinen's TWA Terminal at JFK airport. I thought they should restore it back to the original, and then use it as a Supersonic terminal (for Concorde flights). It'd mimick the use the building originally had, when airports only saw a few well-heeled travelers.

    (And could you imagine how sexy a Concorde would look parked outside that building.)

    But then they axed the Concorde, and bastardized Saarinen's building.

    God I hope that doesn't happen to the House of Formica.

  10. Hmm... so this house isn't lacking for interested buyers, but nobody can swing financing for it. Are people eveyrhwere just having a hard time getting financing for houses (given the fact that we're in a recession), or is there something about this house (foreclouse, too much fixing up required, whatever) that is scaring banks off?

    It's the house, the location and the flood map.

    flipper

  11. How about this - taking an existing ground-level garage and finishing it out as a studio-apartment-style guest house? Say one of the little older 1-car garages in a pre-war bungalow in-town.

    A little, but not a lot of rewiring - repositioning some outlets, adding one or two more

    Plumbing - putting in a bathroom - toilet, standup shower, sink, as well as putting in a kitchenette with a sink. Not putting in a dishwasher, so no need to plumb for that.

    No nat gas - water heater would be a 30 gal electric

    Cut a couple of holes and hang two sash windows

    Put in some insulation, hang sheetrock on the outer walls, plus some studs and sheetrock for privacy for the new bathroom area.

    No central AC - go with a window unit.

    About how much would that cost?

    More than you'd think if you think to install a window you cut a hole and hang the window :)

    PS. You don't save any money by not putting in a dishwasher besides the cost of the dishwasher and a water supply line. The dishwasher drain can tie into the sink drain and the water supply can come from under the sink too.

    flipper

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