CyKat

Is it a legit practice to install this. Or just a passing fad?

I would like to put in a very nice backyard playset that is a total of 14' high. I want it to be something that my son will enjoy for a long time, rather than outgrow it quickly. The Cinco HOA has a high restriction of 12'. I can't even get a midlevel playset without it being 13'. My home's backyard isn't really visible from any direction. So, the question is, is that a hard and fast height restriction? Or, would a Request For Modification Approval form submitted to the HOA have a chance of getting approval, or would I just be spinning my wheels? Anyone know this or have any first hand experience with this?

Have enjoyed keeping up with this forum for quite some time. I know it focuses mostly on new places going up, so I hope this isn't an inappropriate place to post this question.

Thanks for any insight.

Ask for a variance.

Sign of what's coming and well already here. Just saw this listed for auction December 2/08 for $339,500, but shows its worth $185,000. Probably won't even get that.

12834 Tosca is still listed as the same owner as last November. I don't think anything in the Bend has sold for less than $200K during that time. Care to revise your statement?

There were 18 sales in 2009 in Memorial Bend for homes built before 2000. The average sales price was 174 sqft. 339,500 might be a good starting price. Has it sold yet?

Prices in this neighborhood have gone from 118 per sq ft in 2005 to 179 per sqft in 2009. Seems to me that the areas prices have held up pretty well.

CyKat

An audio sample of of Sam and Maria in the morning, but from when. About a 1/3 of the way through, Sam clearly says 96.5 (With the phone number 713-212-5965)?!?!

When did Sam and Maria work at 96.5?

So Sam left KHMX, went to KRBE, ditched Maria and returned to KHMX? Sorry if this has been posted before.

They joke of Roger Clemens (07-08) in front of Congress and make a Lewenksy reference (95-97).

I thought that the links in the last line of your post were going to contain some more audio. Posting a Wiki entry there was a very lame thing to do. How dissappointing. Wikipedia entries???????? What was your point?

CyKat

North of I-10 between Fry and Greenhouse there is a freshly plowed road. that leads to a huge cleared area where there is a lot of construction activity going on. Does anyone know what is going on there?? By looking at the size of the land it must be a pretty big project maybe housing or a large industrial project??

Are you talking about the Greenhouse extension? Or is there more construction other than the road clearing project?

CyKat

Interesting...

retromodernjeff, Where does it say that the opening bid is 358k?

CyKat

Sign of what's coming and well already here. Just saw this listed for auction December 2/08 for $339,500, but shows its worth $185,000. Probably won't even get that. May be a good buy for someone but most likely just as re-muddled on the inside. Look for the Memorial Bend McMansions to be next on the forclosure lists, and all that drops the property values just as quick as they were propped up. The crazy inflated property values are over. Just like California and Nevada, big time double and triple jumps in values are not sustainable. Prices will go back to around -4 or so years.

The positive twist is that this should effectively kill the McMansion building in MB. Read a great book (Long Beach Architecture) on this very thing happening in Long Beach CA years ago. A downturn saved a whole lot of real architecture and therefore minimized Faux Chateuxs.

And on that topic, here is a great article on McMansions http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/subprime

Who are you trying to fool? Without even seeing it, I'd say the lot value alone is probably worth more than what you say.

I know, I know, you're one of those guys,who knows someone who bought a house once, or maybe you even did,

and now you are an expert. Carlton Sheets anyone?

I get "experts" like you all the time trying to tell me about homes, and I've been in the new home business for about 10 years and I for sure aint no expert, not like you.

CyKat

The story continues...

This one is a REO now owned again by Compass Bank. Opening bid on this is $358,000, but could go lower easily. They hope to get $358,000. The interesting point in that price is that they can't even sell it for the lot price. And funny enough there is a broker on HAR still trying to sell it for $619,000. Nice little trick there. This one should be on Wikipedia under re-muddling.

How do you know this info? Do you know someone at Compass Bank? You imply that you have inside information, but it appears you were getting your info from the tax rolls.

The buyer's loan amount listed in the tax rolls is $358,000. I'm sure that's what you are basing your comment on.

It seems to me that the list price might be based on the tax appraisal, not always the best strategery. Although I don't know the market in that area and Compass Bank was probably relying on the Realtor's "expertise".

CyKat

One of my coworkers who lives in Southgate told me today that Cervelle Homes, the other builder in Southgate, has purchased the empty lots from Royce. So the subdivision will continue to grow under Cervelle.

Speaking of Royce Homes, Here's what a couple of the former Royce folks are up to.

www.greenecobuilds.com

"George Kopecky founded Greeneco Builders in 2008. Mr. Kopecky has over 30 years of experience in the homebuilding industry. He has started three homebuilding companies as well as been involved in numerous large land development projects. In addition, Mr. Kopecky also founded his own non-profit, needs based scholarship foundation - the Royce Builders Foundation for Youth; Mr. Kopecky still serves as an active board member. He also had an extensive career with US Home Corporation. He began working for US Home Corporation as a Construction Superintendent Trainee shortly after receiving his Bachelors Degree in Building Construction from Texas A&M University. He eventually became a Division President, with his last division being in Tucson, AZ. After leaving US Home Corporation, Mr. Kopecky started two building companies. One, Texas Colonial Homes, merged with Royce Builders in 1999. At that time, Mr. Kopecky came onboard to assist with overall management. Mr. Kopecky is now bringing his vast expertise and experience to Greeneco Builders."

Hopefully, these guys won't just close up shop and screw everyone in their path like Royce did. Allegedly.

CyKat

it's in the long katy freeway thread. they are issuing tags where you have to be registered as a carpool vs single occupant.

Thanks,

CyKat

How are the going to charge cars with one person, but at the same time allow cars with more than one occupant to ride at a lower rate, or no rate? How will they monitor it?

CyKat

All's I can say is most of the married guys I know are not faithful. They mess around more than the single people I know. Too much flirtation abounds... everywhere. Just a hint of advice, do not marry an attractive, fit, outgoing person. Unless its a business deal. lol

You know Vertigo, that comment says a whole lot more about YOU, then it says about married men.

CyKat

Not that I'm complaining because I love the forum. But this forum has got way to many sub-forums, which makes it hard to navigate, unless you're committed. The casual reader probably will post on a certain sub-forum and not go anywhere else. Just an observation.

To me, the sub-forums are the best part of HAIF.

CyKat

Does anyone know what is going on with Pulcinella? For several weeks after Ike they had a "Temp Closed" sign on the door. Now, there's no sign and their phones are disconnected. Thanks!

Never heard of it, and I live in Katy.

When I saw your topic I thought maybe it was some new disease discovered in the wake of hurricane Ike.

Cykat

Really? How have I offended him? I haven't attacked his personal character, judgment, intelligence or anything. I just want him to get off my case.

You are entitled to your opinion of my believability and credibility and I respect that, but I'm positive that at least one person has read this thread and had second thoughts about going with Lovett. Just read some of the posts.

Oh, and I hope I never buy a home next door to you either. Sheesh, now the real characters are coming out of the woodwork.

Somehow, I think you would have had the same problems with any builder.

Some people are complainers, and just need a cause.

Some people see problems everywhere and when something happens to them, they think they are special and that everything should be perfect.

Some people take their little problem or concern and use that as an excuse to create a bunch of drama.

Cykat, not sayin' you would, just some people.

When I was younger I worked at a restaurant as a busboy that will remain nameless since they are still in business. Under strict orders from the manager I was trained to remove the dinner plates from the tables and then "sort" them in the backroom. Now I'm not sure if this sort of stuff still goes on but in the backroom there were several gray rectangular tubs.

In one went uneaten meat, in another untouched rolls, in another untouched potatos and in the last untouched fish and shrimp. The cook would grab the rolls, spray a little mist on them and heat them up a bit to be good as new. The shrimp would be chilled again, potatos reheated and the meat reheated. That place did a fairly brisk business so the turnover was quite fast but I would always wonder about if this roll or that shrimp had been through the ringer 3 or 4 times.

Perhaps this was quite common back then because I still remember the maids at Kolter elementary sitting by the garbage cans that would segregate the trash into paper/plastic products, general food and meat. I won't even speculate as to the why of the sorting. But some of those low paid maids were rather plump.

Every single former and current employee, had to be in on that, and that's why I a bit sceptical of your comment. Why not name the restaurant? If you're telling the truth, you have nothing to loose.

Cykat

Oh my!!!

Team-------W--L--GB

Milw--------82 63 0

Phil---------79 66 3.0

St.Lou------78 66 3.5

Hou---------78 67 4.0

CyKat, scared to even think about it.

I think we're getting a tad off-topic here. The Politics forum would be a better area to discuss.

You say we're getting "off topic"? Well this is the "off topic" forum.

CyKat, always ready and willing to point out the obvious.

Why don't you ask Time magazine, why it is so wrong meme ? Perhaps Obama's wife can explain it better?

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/...1718255,00.html

Michelle Obama's view:

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics...hussein_is.html

Gaydolph Titler, funny stuff.

CyKat

Place the Bong at your feet and step back, because you have got to be high!

If I'm wrong about that, I apologize. I thought I read a post by you defending him and I really didn't want to go through a 30+ page thread. My bad.

CyKat, who hasn't been high like that in nearly 20 years.

The really funny thing is that Obama is either a Muslim or.......a faithful follower of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Now that's a hoot.

You folks sure got yourselves a heck of a candidate there.

What's that noise????? It's the sound of the Obama presidential run imploding,

......and he's doing it all himself.

Chicago democrat campaign motto, "vote early and vote often". Now that's what we need in the white house.

CyKat

Again, what are you talking about? Has Obama said there's something wrong with his middle name? What "muslim heritage" has he disassociated himself from?

I don't know, ask him what he was denying when he brought it up in the Stephanopolis interview.

His handlers should have told him that "it is better to be thought of as a Muslim, than to speak and remove all doubt".

CyKat

Okay I am going to try the spoon feeding technique for a change.

Let's use common sense, all your BS partisan politics aside. You can do a search on McCain over the past 20 some odd years and he's used this very line over thirty times.

In comes Palin and puts Lipstick on a Pit bull to get a laugh, and it's a hit, and she's identified with lipstick in the general public. And she it the only person in this race that actually wears the stuff.

Now comes Obama a week later and uses the lipstick on a pig metaphor and it's blown up in his face. You can search his entire career and see that he's never used that metaphor in his entire life, that can be found in a recorded public forum. So why does he chose to use it now. I'll tell you, not a damn clue to how timing works, and his speech writers should be fired on the spot for letting it happen. Metaphoric or not, it's out of character for him, and it's gives the appearance of a direct shot at Palin, whether it is or not. The damage is done. That my friends is inexperience at it's finest. No one with any common sense would have gone there. Plain and simple. You think I am wrong, keep watching. McCain doesn't even have to address Obama's comments of this morning that it's something the McCain camp has done to distract from the issues. What a literal dumbass, McCain is not the distraction, YOU are the distraction. Quit trying to be cute and comedic and stick to your original policies, and quit changing your stance on issues daily. No offshore drilling, well maybe some with limitations, Get out of Iraq, well maybe get out in due time, The surge was a failure, Oh it work better than anyone expected. Jesus H Christ make up your mind. McCain is not going to have to beat Obama, his handlers will implode him if he doesn't start thinking for himself.

And to think, He's still your guy.

Cykat

What are you talking about? Where is he trying to portray himself as something he isn't?

Okay, I'll give you that, it's a lousy question, and not the point I was trying to make. I regret asking it.

But......"what's so wrong with being "painted" as a Muslim anyhow? Obviously he's afraid of something. And, what's so wrong with having Hussein as a middle name? Why doesn't he just own it. Why does he try so hard to disassociate himself from his Muslim "heritage".

CyKat

You're kidding, right? Why would he be ashamed of being a Muslim when he's not a Muslim. The logic fails.

Having the name "Hussein" doesn't make him Muslim. I know someone who works in Harris County government whose name is Muhammad, but is Roman Catholic, and has been all his life. People get named after people (relatives, distant and otherwise). I don't know if that's what happened to Obama, but it happens.

Not to derail this topic any further, but the people who are so desperately trying to paint him as a Muslim are really poorly informed. And I'm not even an Obama fan.

Sure he claims to be a christian now, if that's what you want to call Rev Wright's religion. But what's so wrong with being "painted" as a Muslim anyhow? Obviously he's afraid of something.

And what's so wrong with having Hussein as a middle name? Why doesn't he just own it. If he's not ashamed, why does he try so hard to disassociate himself from his Muslim "heritage". You can't deny that he does have a Muslim "heritage", even though he tries to deny it.

Could it be that he needs to portray himself as something other than what he really is in order to get elected?

BTW, I never said he is a Muslim, as you have accused me of saying.

CyKat