TheNiche

I wouldn't consider it normal for you to have to fax over a pre-approval letter, but it isn't uncommon either. If there were tenants already living there, then I'd consider it entirely reasonable, so as to avoid disturbing them with every prospective buyer that wants to take a tour. As far as the price, always remember that EVERYTHING is negotiable. You can offer any amount they like, and it is up to them and the owner to accept or decline. It is common that you can either ask for or be offered a price reduction for using their Realtor; I've done that in the past and made out like a bandit by carefully playing off of some conflicts of interest. I do vaguely recall having heard that if there is an official listing price, and you submit an offer that meets or exceeds it, they can't turn you down, but I'm not confident that that is true. The Realtor's commission should be baked into their contract with the seller, so whether it is true or not, it doesn't make the least bit of sense for the price to increase if you get your own Realtor. I wouldn't say that what that Realtor did was necessarily an act of intimidation, but they're definitely playing hardball. I realize that the real estate transaction process is complicated enough without having to deal with the incompetent, dishonest, or hardball practices used by many Realtors. Don't let it phase you. Take your time to understand every process that is gone through, how they all interrelate, and what your options are before making a decision. If you have questions, post them on the forum and one of our honest Realtors will undoubtedly offer assistance. Welcome to the forum.

Sure are a lot of drunk HAIFers for it being a Sunday night.

Most of the properties with garage apartments in the East End were grandfathered in long ago.

Relevent news story out of North Carolina: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/johnston/story/748608.html

If you only frame out and sheetrock the space, using hardiplank siding, it isn't too bad. But if you install a bathroom and kitchenette, and use the same siding as the main house, the price tag starts going up. ...and if matt can do it for $30k (labor & materials included), then he needs to PM me, as I may have a job he'd be interested in.

http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/nbhd_svc...ap_w_links.html

I'd think that the cost would be the primary factor in keeping them out of new construction homes under $300k. Garage apartments aren't cheap, with the cost being driven largely by plumbing and fixtures. Demand for them increases as the price of the property goes up because such households can afford to keep maids and would prefer that they live nearby or on-site.

I've had the discriminee experience several times. It didn't really endear me to the group to whom the individuals belonged. It didn't make history richer. It was unfortunate. That is all.

I think that when there's a talk of racism, any indication that someone is defending it for any reason at all--or even just looking for a silver lining--is bound to take some flak. Treating anyone differently on account of their skin color isn't just morally wrong, it is stupid. There's no excuse. No defense. No silver lining. There should be no need for him to understand what others have gone through in the past because--moving into a predominantly black neighborhood--he's almost certainly not the type that would be inflicting such discrimination on others, were the roles reversed. But your response loosely implied that he might learn a lesson from this experience. It comes across as insulting and preachy. Unfortunately, your failure to understand the impact of what you were saying is why individuals from different racial backgrounds that are in perfect agreement about matters related to racism and discrimination aren't able to come to work together toward mutual acceptance, respect, and understanding.

Yeah and, the problem seems pretty confined to the section east of US 59 and north of the MMP parking lots, fortunately.

I've done that before at MMP. It only took a half-inning with rapid intake. Easily saved $10 or more and enjoyed the same effect. Still, I agree that the argument is fishy. If that were the only problem, the Texans and Rodeo could just require that prices in the hotel match or exceed that which they're providing while the events were in progress; problem solved.

I know that in some cases, I've seen such buildings also cater to lawyers or accountants, but how do you mean?

What's the problem with that? Sounds like its just a mechanism by which the weak ones are thinned from the herd.

'Professional office' usually translates to 'medical office' oriented to family medicine, dentists, optometry, and sometimes chiropractors, physical therapy, and other similar firms that are very consumer focused.

Yep, I noticed that effect a couple days ago while shopping; although I personally wouldn't call it ominous. And the views of all the cranes from along Cambridge just south of OST (behind the Kroger) are also breathtaking.

They haven't, and won't. Living space is elevated above the flood plain.

I usually avoid boofays because the food sucks. To my knowledge, that goes for sushi boofays too...but if anyone is aware of good sushi boofays, well I might just give it a shot.

Not that I'm defending any pretentious Central Market/Whole Foods concepts or anything, but when was the last time you heard about a fire in a grocery store?

It's just training by one of HPD's SWAT units. The owner gets a little money for it when they use it, and they've been using it for at least a couple years.

A good part of that rail yard was torn out earlier this year. Apparently every section of track gets taxed pretty heavily whether it is getting use or not, and although UP would like nothing more than to rip out every bit of track from their main line, down Commerce, across Navigation, and into their rail yard, and then sell the rail yard's land, they are also required by law to provide service to their last remaining customer on the bayou, which is a huge warehouse owned by Weingarten Realty Investors. So they removed what they could and left what they had to. The Commerce Street tracks will stay until Weingarten determines that their industrial property along the bayou has a higher and better use. My crystal ball says 8 to 15 years.

There was talk about something similar to this years ago, I think when Lord & Taylor moved out of their space. But nobody said anything about height being similar to Williams Tower, and I'd cast serious doubt on any rumors to that effect.

What 'kid-friendly' really means is that schools are packed with kids whose parents are socioeconomically homogenous.

I'm speechless. Think, man. Think.

35

There wouldn't be anyone complaining about speed bumps messing up their cars if they weren't taking speed bumps at full speed to have something to talk about. With or without speed bumps, impatient assholes (myself among them) will continue to speed. Of course, depending on the design, I might just take an arc through the center of the street or shift over to the far opposite lane to at least avoid having the driver's side tires having to hit the bump. If you suspect that someone making severe course corrections at high speeds on neighborhood streets makes your kids/pets/yard safer, then speed bumps might be for you. Personally, I prefer it when the City installs sidewalks, even if it results in slightly narrower streets. Granted, its more difficult to get them to do, but it might at least have the desired effect and not annoy the hell out of whoever is unfortunate enough to have to live next to one.