IT’S THURSDAY, APRIL 16TH. WHERE’S THAT RIVERSIDE TERRACE MOD WE CAN SMASH UP? 
This was the appointed day we were all supposed learn the address of a certain 1950s Mod “tear-down” estate sale somewhere in Riverside Terrace where all would be welcome to bring hammers and crowbars to wrestle loose a few well-installed vintage items. So where is it? Sorry — gotta wait 1 more day to find out, the listing from JBD Estate Sales tells us. On account of the weather, the sale has been postponed until this Saturday and Sunday, April 18th and 19th. Accordingly, the big location reveal will have to wait for tomorrow. But 97 photos of the wares offered have now been posted, and they include a few crowbar-worthy items, such as the custom cabinetry pictured here. What’s the occasion? “Desiring a change of lifestyle and design, my clients sold their old home in Old Braeswood and bought this house to tear down and build a new smaller contemporary home for retirement,” reads the copy. “Furnishing for sale in this 4000 sq. ft. house are a combination from both houses plus some consigned items.” [EstateSales.net] Photo: JBD Estate Sales
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I know the “but but but LAWSUITS”.. “What if someone stubs their toe!” people are cringing at this plan, but I LOVE IT!
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“Before we demo this house, we’re going to let people come and and rip out whatever they want”. I wish this was done more often. While it shouldn’t be needed, I’d hope a simple signature stating that “you know of the possible dangers, bla bla blah” would be sufficient to cover themselves in case someone gets hurt.
i’d take that tv, but it’s the size of my couch. crazy how long you end up holding onto things until you move.
This is your typical estate sale. Not sure why there’s so much interest in this particular event because it looks like what you see at every estate sale these days. Clever idea to market it though.
The estate sale company will allow you to buy ANYTHING from the house: appliances, architectural features, bathroom and light fixtures, etc. for a 3-day sale, typically, Thursdays are for the estate sale company’s favorite clients and other dealers who come in and cherry pick the house and items. Then the regular estate sale opens on Friday. On Saturday they mark down everything slightly (like 15%) and finally on Sunday, everything is 50% off. This estate listing is a 2-day sale but perhaps they don’t have as many “smalls” to deal with (small household items, jewelry, toys, knick-knacks, and dishes).
Nowadays the serious estate sales are all carefully staged with lots of photos posted online in order to showcase items and pull customers in. The estate team will not publish the address until late Thursday, partly to drum up enthusiasm but possibly to discourage theft of the house contents (i.e. burglary the night before).
I sort of like the funky front door, but it’s hard to rehang a door like that. I’d rather pay to have a new door made.
I subscribe to daily emails from http://www.estatesales.net for estate sales/auctions happening in the Houston area. This morning’s email (which is delivered around 9 a.m. daily) stated the address is 3701 Parkwood Dr. Houston, TX 77021. A link to the sale is provided in the email, but when you click the link the address remains hidden.
http://www.estatesales.net/estate-sales/TX/Houston/77021/826254?utm_source=gmail.com&utm_medium=email&utm_term=77035&utm_content=Houston-TX&utm_campaign=2015-04-16-1DaysBefore
Gosh, that wasn’t difficult. Took about 3 minutes on a local RE site to find the address. Search for sold, 77021, 4000-5000sf, built 1950+, and then look at the pictures for the handful that are actually built in the 1950s. The front door is fairly distinctive.
Found the house…. this is the address
3701 Parkwood Dr, Houston, TX 77021
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.707315,-95.360971,3a,46.4y,59.34h,81.38t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1smoJmoORbm2UNDdPviCl_Kg!2e0
http://search.har.com/site/3701-parkwood-dr-_SITE56512044.htm
What do you think those vintage flowers in the back yard will go for?
Any idea who the architects might have been? Cool looking house.
Kind of odd to see the flat, pebbled roof on it — wasn’t that usually done for commercial structures?
Nikolas, Are the prices on the furniture priced high usually?
It’s lovely, and architecturally significant. The pebbled, built-up roof was a common mid-century detail (and a maintenance nightmare that has probably led to the demolition of more mid-century houses than anything else (except maybe the desire for McMansions). I have to say, I had an estate sale at my mother’s house when I inherited it and if people had tried to take light fixtures and cabinetry and anything they could get loose from the wall I would have considered it theft. Maybe because this house will be torn down, is that why they do that? But I would not have expected it as the default, and it wasn’t when I did it.
@ Robin V: Furniture prices depend on the people running the sale, but I’ve seen some really great bargains on old furniture. Also, if you go the last day, then prices are always marked down (but the piece you wanted might be gone). Estate sale prices do run higher than garage sales though.
BTW, I have seen two other eclectic-looking houses in Houston that probably had the same architect and/or builder, and I am also curious who the architect was.
3801 GRAMERCY (1948) — I looked into buying this house at one time. Same flat, orange Mexican brick, wraparound windows, same odd home footprint w/ low-angled roof-line but with a Usonian-style balcony. Same bathroom colors as the Parkwood house (jade green and yellow/blue-gray) with the same Deco-styled tubs, sinks, and toilets. The kitchen had a similar type of cabinets and bar. FYI: the now-demolished 1947 Harvey Houck Modern Streamline house was located across the street @ 3780 Gramercy.
3405 N. MACGREGOR WAY (1957) — Located across Brays Bayou, north of the 1951 Parkwood house. The home has the same orange Mexican bricks, same odd footprint, low roofline, wraparound windows, and balcony. Interesting how all three houses are painted the same shade of aqua (which compliments the orange brick color). A 1950 Sherwin Williams paint guide lists that aqua color as “Burma Jade.”