Previously remodeled and recently tidied, a Norhill cottage is attempting a flip with a twist — and a big finish. Having last sold in mid-October, for $416,000 after a $369,900 listing, the 1928 property popped up again over the weekend with an asking price more than $200K higher: $640,000. Could the price escalation be an example of how frighteningly frothy the local housing market has become, a reader asks? See if you can spot the updates . . .
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Efforts appear to have cleared out much of the front landscaping and replaced the cracked front stoop, adjacent side patio, and driveway.
Here’s how the home front looked in the previous listing:
The transformation of the living room encompassed the removal of some vintage wooden blinds . . .
which really opens up the 14-ft. by 18-ft. space:
HCAD indicates a 2005 renovation to the 984-sq.-ft. home, located east of Studewood and a block or so south of Hogg Middle School.
The stainless-steel-finish stove and refrigerator appear to be new; they replace the recent stainless-steel-finish stove and refrigerator shown in the previous listing.
Window blinds also came down in the 2 bedrooms, both of which measure 12 ft. by 12 ft.Â
Front (above) and back bedrooms . . .
share this bathroom off the interior hallway:
Living space extends out back, where a wooden deck fits across the full width of the home:
The garage also appears to have been freshened up a bit (above) from its previous state:
The laundry room anchors a workspace within it:
This house is located in the Woodland Heights, and is zoned to Travis. That explains the price. Next?
Also, this house is appears to being listed for a delusionally perceived lot value… and the realtor knows nothing about the area (not suprising, check out his website: http://www.callvolley.com/). Volley is listing a house located on Highland (in the Woodland Heights, one block from the Norhill Esplanade, zoned to Travis and within walking distance of the Glass Wall and Antidote) as being close to Norhill??? Huh? Why people don’t hire local agents (Greenwood King, Martha Turner and Boulevard Realty are good examples) to list their heights area houses is beyond me. If you are willing to pay a comission, why not hire one of the scores of realtors who actually work and live in the area? Bizarre!
Well that ceiling fan had to cost at least $39.
if you’re throwing down half a million for a small 2bd/1 bath i’d wonder if school zoning is even a factor. that’s not a house people buy to raise families in these days. regardless, at these prices you could rent right next to a park, put your kid in a private school and throw the rest in the market and still come out ahead. with price fundamentals that far out of line I’d certainly be worried.
$650/sq. ft. Are there any other similar sales nearby that went anywhere near this? Just wondering and too laZy to look it up…
And what else was improved? Let’s watch this one walk it (offering price) down.
I knew that this would end up on Swamplot when it listed at $640k. The El Zapata at Good Dog is pretty tasty, but not quite $640k tasty.
As someone who lives in the Woodland Heights (in the same subdivision as this home, Norhill Addition), this price is absurdly high even by inner loop crazy housing market standards. I’ve seen fully renovated 1100-1200 sq ft 2/1 homes go for well into the 400s possibly low 500s, but that was in the summer when (imo) the housing market peaked. Also those 2/1 homes had full commercial grade appliances, frameless or inset cabinetry, etc. This home appears to have builder grade house-flipper friendly (aka – cheap) items installed. With the price of oil dropping like it is and the fact that this is a slower time of year for home sales, I’d be surprised if this home sells for any more than it did in October.
I agree on the agent issue. People love these bungalows, however to get that ridiculous price, you need to be in Norhill and zoned to the correct elementary school. This is priced for Norhill.
Shannon– this house is located in the Woodland Heights, and is zoned to Travis- both of which being highly, if not the most, desireable neighborhood and school in the “heights” area. That said, $640K for a 2/1 5000 sq foot flipper remodel is Southampton-priced, not Heights-priced. In fact, for a mere $150K more than this house is priced, the buyer could instead get a 3/2 bungalow in Southampton.
one bathroom? what about closets and storage ? while cute, its too tiny. The kitchen is kind of small. I’d take my 640K and look elsewhere.
I live in a Southampton bungalow, so I’m aware. This isn’t the greatest street, I’ve been down it, I guess it’s good for The Heights. As I understand it Travis is hardly West U or River Oaks or even Poe Elementary, plus where is your kid going to middle or HS? I don’t get paying for an elementary of that caliber, save your money and send your child to a private school. This price is silly for that size on that street full of less than great houses. I guess it has that bullshit “old world” charm—whomever buys this for anywhere near that is a fool.
Put that crack pipe down. And let’s see what’s up in that attic.
No offense Shannon, but Poe is not a good elementary school anymore. Very surprising, but it is pretty bad (probably because most people in the area send kids to private schools). Travis is better. Easily. All that said, this price is crazy. Travis is better, but now worth anywhere near this price (plus HS and MS I assume are awful).
Travis is neighborhood school with Vanguard program. Its gotten overcrowded in some grade levels. The have great parental support. The school draws students from well off, and educated folks and also some very low income, minimally educated people. Pretty typical of the Heights – inner loop. Still can’t imaging paying over 600,000 for 2 BR house with one bath, that’s just off the wall. No public school is worth that price, well to moi anyway.
Shannon, the great thing about Travis, or Harvard, Elementary is that your kid gets a great education, easily as good as West U, and approaching River Oaks (the main G/T elementary in HISD) without any of the stuck up, “we’re better than you because we live in West U/RO/Southampton” attitude you ooze.
I agree, Poe has really not a good school anymore, not great news for me I can assure you. When I see the parents picking up kids at Poe, I’m like, where in the hell are they cominj from? Frankly all of my neighbors kids go to St Johns, I don’t know any that go to schools in HISD. I’m sure that’s why Poe draws from who know where, it’s not a neighborhood school anymore, I really have no idea where those kids come from.
If this sells north of $540k… my 2/1.5 1300 sq. ft (6,350 lot) bungalow in Woodland Heights will be hitting the market.
FWIW I am in boulevard oaks and it seems about 50/50 Poe versus private. The significant difference for the Poe area is IB Lanier and IB Lamar are about as good as MS and HS options get in HISD (excl CVHS, etc). As commented earlier the MS and HS options in the Heights are at least today not really viable for the type of person spending $500k plus on a home.
Based on anecdotal information, I’d still take Poe (which is also Vanguard) over Travis or Harvard. Albeit all are at minimum decent schools. Poe’s issue versus ROE or WUE is a mixed demographic from zoning north of 59 in that area.
Travis is an amazing school (with amazing teachers, staff, principal and kids) and any kid that gets to go there is lucky. That said, if this realtor knew anything about the area, he’d drop the price by $200K and have a pretty quick sale.
Very warm and friendly home. I liked the interior and exterior designs.
Sorry but for the price tag, it seems like a rip-off. Standard Home Depot upgrades to the interior although it is nice to see some small brick tudors around. I’d take the so called attitude of a similar house in greater Southampton where the neighborhood as a whole is better kept rather than live amidst a mish mash of run down properties and the rampant petty crime in The Heights.
My kids went to Poe and Lanier. Wonderful schools. Ironically, many of their friends in school were from the Heights (attending Poe and Lanier via the magnet program). All other opinions aside (thanks Shannon and Htownproud for your insight!), I can’t come up with a better anecdote than that.
I’ve given up trying to convince some people to try HISD over private schools, but we’ve had nothing but good experiences with Poe and Lanier. Lay off.