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2016 Main Condominiums


JustMefromLA

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I'm thinking of purchasing a condo at 2016 main. How is the neighborhood? I'm hoping that someone can post pics of the building, besides the ones I've found online. The condo is very small (under 400 sq. ft.) but for that price, I think it is worth it. Maybe pics of the neighborhood? the building around this building or the people or the wild-life! something, anything. I'm moving from L.A. and will be studying at UH main campus. Thanks "y'all" (do people say that is Texas?) :D

2016main.jpg

Here's one I found online, but it doesn't say much as to how the neighborhood is.

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It's certainly an up-and-coming neighborhood. I wouldn't be surprised to see your investment multiply. But there are, of course, growing pains. Read other posts on this forum about the troubles Midtown has been going through lately. You take the good with the bad.

Also, I don't know how the building, itself, is but it's pretty old by Houston standards. You might want to have a professional inspect the apartment you're interested in.

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:o Thank you!! I can't wait! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

I'm gonna love living in Houston! The bayou looks like a keeper! and those cars... sheesh, I thought I was gonna have to settle for public transportation! but man! have I got a choice or what? Looks like I even get free child labor! Talk about being lucky!

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dont worry my man... like i said... i have the pics at my parent's house but i will post them up....

just to let you know... at the time i was living with an exgf... and we always used to throw some parties...

but i'll post what I can. ;)

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Guest danax

It's right across from the Greyhound Station but Midtown is becoming a cool place. Keep in mind that half of the building is right on top of the Pierce Elevated freeway, sort of like the Harbor Fwy in L.A.

Also, 400 sq ft for 70K? The location is great but you can get a 1000-1500 sq ft older home 5-10 minutes from U of H for 80-100K in many neighborhoods on the East End. I live there and it's fine. Sort of like East L.A. except very little graffiti and showing signs of improvement and redevelopment.

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i agree with danax on the price (plus it is the size of a walk-in closet!) - and i personally would hate to live by the hound station :o

edit - i went to UH for undergrad, and it seemed to take the same amount of time to get there wherever i lived!

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Didn't Kirzania (sp?) live at 2016 Main, might try and PM her.

Why, yes. Yes, I did. I've got a post over on some other thread.. Here it is:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...st=entry33055

Although I would like to make an addition to my "Smoking's up to the owner of the unit, so if your neighbor smokes, you'll most likely be smoking too." statement. The reason for any smoke coming into your apartment is most likely because your neighbor will sit on their balcony and smoke, or sit in the apartment and smoke with their balcony door open. The sliding glass doors on most (most) apartment have never been replaced - I imagine it would be very expensive given their dimensions - and the seals are ancient, cracked, or non-existant. If you have the extra cash to spend, spend it on new sliding glass doors EnergyStar rated and better seals, and then on replacing the old cabinets.

There are lots of efficiencies for sale in there... Just be sure you see the apartment before getting any illusions about the dimensions of the place. I hope you're going to look at the one that has the Texans logo over the kitchen sink. That one's my favorite. :P

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$79k is very steep for a 400sf apartment. This is not Tokyo people this is Houston where everything is big and the land is plentiful. I live on the East Side of town in a subdivision named Broadmoor and it is great. It has a rought spot here and there but plenty of revitalization is occuring.

Just for a point of reference when my now wife and I moved over there she bought a ~1300sf home with updated kitchen and whirlpool bath (2bd, 1bath) large rooms for $78k. This location is closer then 2016 Main to the UofH Main Campus and you get 3x the living space.

Another note there are currently 31 Active Listings (28Sale/3Rent). You can rent a 400sf apartment for $695/month vs the cost of the mortgage and the approx $300/month maintance fee. This maintance fee appears to include all utilities so the rental above would be a great deal plus when your done with the apartment there is no pain trying to sell the unit for what you bought it for wishful thinking more.

Rent a unit or steer clear is my .02c, Good luck and welcome to Houston,

Scharpe St. Guy

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Closer to UH? That's sounds good to me. My parents definitely don't want me to rent, so a purchase it must be. Where did you see these listings? (28sale/3rent) I've gone to the HAR website but it's hard to find a house/condo close to UH. The area used in HAR extends out very far, too far from the school. I've contacted a couple real estate agents, but seems like they don't really want to make any money. Weird, people in L.A. would kill to have someone purchase a condo from them. Ideally, I would like a condo, because I don't want to deal with maintaining a yard or paying so many different bills. I thought 2016 would be good, but maybe I'm wrong. I really have no idea how Houston is or how any areas are. :unsure: Thank you guys for all the help.

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I've contacted a couple real estate agents, but seems like they don't really want to make any money.

There ARE units in 2016 for low to mid $50's. As always, be sure to check Craigslist.

As far as realtors are concerned, don't ever tell them you're a student. From experience, they usually don't even want to talk to you. When I was looking to buy in Lexington and, after explaining EXACTLY what I wanted with one realtor, I was sent a "list" (if you can call it that) of two units - not single family homes - a duplex and an apartment. She never returned my emails either. Of course, even if you don't tell them you're a student, but a doctor teaching at the local college, and they brush you off, forget 'em. Don't waste your time. Your realtor should be a boot-licking, spit-shining person who wants to do nothing but please you. If anything, suggest you're getting married (they love that one) or you've been transferred by your job. It's probably not best to mention that Mom and Dad (if they are) are paying the mortgage; just say you've been pre-approved and try not to speak of it again until you've found a place you really like.

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My parents definitely don't want me to rent, so a purchase it must be.

i would come here first before you make decisions (although i would say it takes years of just living here before you get a real sense of the city and its diverse areas).

maybe your parents can send you here? hehe

edit - WAIT a sec - if YOU are coming here and YOU have to decide where to live, why can't YOU decide to rent for the first little while?

buying somewhere like houston from a computer can be treacherous!

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maybe your parents can send you here? buying somewhere like houston from a computer can be treacherous!
I was hoping this wouldn't happen. I plan on going for 1 week this month - Aug. 22-26. I was hoping that would be enough to see how the neighborhood is around UH and downtown/midtown. The closer to UH the better for me, since I won't have a car.
if YOU are coming here and YOU have to decide where to live, why can't YOU decide to rent for the first little while?

I don't want to rent either. But then again, the longer I think about, the better it might be for me to rent. On the other hand, Houston doesn't seem to have appreciated as much as the Los Angeles, so purchasing, IMO is a lot better option there than it is here. ????????????????????? :unsure:

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plan your trip carefully when you come here (since it is alot to take in)...

i am not saying purchasing is a bad option...you just might not want such a commitment to one place until you are settled in.

how long do you plan on being in houston? are you undergraduate?

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One thing about Condo's & Townhomes if you purchase is the maintance fees that can get pretty high. It is a great feeling at first to not have to mow the grass but finally you do the math (#of units*$Maintance Fee$ = $$$ where the heck is all that money going!!!) moments especially when the grass has not been cut and maintence at your building has been defered for no clear reason and you would have to attend the bickering / infighting of the association meetings to find out.

Does anyone concur on this or disagree?

Here in House there is plenty of labor with much of it being cheap labor. I pay a fellow $20 a cut to mow my grass every two weeks. He does a great job cutting, collecting the grass and removing, and edging.

How are you going to get to school / survive in Houston with no vehicle? Are you planning on walking or biking? As you must know it get's pretty hot here during the summer months. There are those in my neighborhood who walk, bike and catch the bus either on the street or down at the Eastwood Bus Center for a ride into the University or other parts of Houston.

As far as a realtor is concerned there are quite a few on this Forum including myself. As far as my wife's house that we purchased for $78k we sold it last month after 18months ownership for $105k. So there are deals out there to be found but even at $105k it was a great deal for the new owners and would have suited the majority of your needs nicely I would wager.

Let me know if you want any more info on the area or want help,

Scharpe St. Guy

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Check out MLS #7969613.

This is a standard type home for the area. Pull the map on www.har.com to see the proximity to UofH. It's a pretty good price however they would sell for less. Good neighborhood right off of Park St.

Not sure what price range your looking for but if you have a buddy or don't mind renting then with patience you can find this type of home with a Garage Apartment which you could lease out to defray cost if needed/wanted and at the very least it would impress your folks I would imagine.

Good luck and I will post any other intresting homes close to UH that pop up.

Scharpe St. Guy

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Check out MLS #7969613.

We looked at that home back in April, and while it's on a great street, near a park, centrally located, across the street from a church, etc., the owner is asking WAY too much for the amount of work needed. He brought it down from $120K a couple months back, after an option pending failed (I'm sure because of the amount of work required).

As others mentioned, I would suggest renting when you first get here, get a feel for the city and it's widely varying neighborhoods, and then make a more informed decision. I've lived here most of my life, and I'm still learning every day!

Welcome and good luck!

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Not sure what price range your looking for
I think that's my biggest set back. It's only $60,000. On the other hand, it's cash.
MLS #7969613.
It looks good, but I think it's too much home for me. I'm thinking more of a bachelor pad, I guess that's why 400 sq. ft. doesn't really bother me. As for roommates, nah....been there, done that, don't want to go back. :lol: Are there any Condos around UofH? If not, maybe a little farther out. I definitely don't mind taking the bus to school...that's what I do now. It can definitely NOT be worse than L.A. Then again, I hope the public transportation over there is realiable. 1/2 hr - 45 min. would not be that bad to travel on the bus. I'm going to see how far I can get from UofH to areas around, in that time frame... unless someone already knows?

How is the area here? Looks like there are some inexpensive condos in that area, is there a particular reason?

houstonsatelliteimage.jpg

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This is the best deal that I have found. Would anybody agree? It is near Greenway Plaza neighboring Edward's Cinema for $62,900 and the inside seems like it was recently renovated. I think it is a better deal than 2016 Main personally. If you need any help on how to live in the area without a car, don't be afraid to ask.

http://har.com/search/engine/indexdetail.c...=0&backButton=Y

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Cummins St... Cummins St... Why does that sound familiar? ... Oh! Hey, that's the street over from my building, that's why. :P Eh. I dunno. The area immediately to the north of Greenway Plaza is a bit shady. You'd be extremely close to the hospital and Edwards is within biking distance (maybe walking distance in the dead of "winter.") You'll never be far from the bus line in that complex, which is a BIG bonus. You could, of course, call up Cambridge about some pricing (and a frickin' timeframe!) about The Metropole. ;)

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Just north of Greenway isn't bad. The proposed LRT an larged mixed-use development at the old HISD complex will make the area great.

I don't think it is great for going to UofH unless the LRT was completed. That's several years away.

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When is the Light Rail scheduled to be completed? Is it even under construction right now? That would be so cool if it was completed within the next couple of years.

You'd be extremely close to the hospital
Why would I want to be "extremely" close? :o
maybe walking distance in the dead of "winter."

Those comments scare me. Is Houston really that hot and humid? I wonder how people in downtown work, or anywhere for that matter, wearing suits? Are people always drenched in sweat? :unsure: scary....so it really seams like Houston is not a walking town.

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It's not that bad. We just say that to scare away the wimps. Plus, it is August, so we are in the middle of our worst 2 months. I wear a suit and only 6 or 7 days are so hot AND humid that I get wet. And most buildings are so cold that within a couple of minutes, you are back to normal.

Now, our other 8-10 months...nice.

Oh, and the hospital comment? Don't worry, that's just Kirzania...she's nuts. Something about a motorcycle accident without a helmet. Pay her no mind. B)

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Why would I want to be "extremely" close?  :o

Hey, you never know when you might need a hospital fast. It's always good to have one close.

Is Houston really that hot and humid?

Yeah, but seeing as you're from LA, I doubt you'll have a hard time with it.

Oh, and the hospital comment? Don't worry, that's just Kirzania...she's nuts. Something about a motorcycle accident without a helmet. Pay her no mind.

I only wish I could blame it on something like that. :P

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You could, of course, call up Cambridge about some pricing (and a frickin' timeframe!) about The Metropole.
I tried e-mailing them, but their e-mail address is wrong. I got it from their website.
Yeah, but seeing as you're from LA, I doubt you'll have a hard time with it.

LA can get hot, but it never gets humid. But usually it's neither hot nor cold.

I've noticed many fixer uppers very close to UofH and they're priced very very low. I take it the neighborhood isn't that good? For some reason, I'm picturing something like South Central L.A. But in south central, the area changes drastically from block to block. Is it the same there?

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