What makes this week’s Neighborhood Guessing Game different from all the others that have gone before? This time, the winner gets an actual prize!
Thanks to the Rice Design Alliance, the winner of this week’s competition will receive a one-year individual membership in the RDA. If you’re already an RDA member, you can give the membership to a friend. And if you’ve never heard of the RDA, you can learn more about the organization here.
So . . . let’s review those rules then: Pore over the photos in this post, and look for clues! If you can guess the actual neighborhood of the pictured home, you win! If more than one person guesses the actual location, the player who presents the best explanation for the guess wins. If nobody guesses the correct neighborhood, the prize may be held — for next week’s contest.
An important detail: If you already know the pictured property, or if you come across the listing while the game is being played, please don’t ruin the game for everyone else! You’ll still be eligible to win the prize, but only if you follow these specific instructions: First, email us a link to the actual listing. Then post an incorrect “guess,” along with a convincing but deceptive supporting argument. If you do this well, you will win special recognition for your obfuscatory efforts. And if you do it very well — and nobody guesses the actual neighborhood — you’ll win the prize!
So how about a few more of those photos . . .
***
Oh, sure . . . you can figure this place out! No place else it could be, no? No?
Got it? Good! Your guesses go in the comments. The answer — and the prize winner — will be announced on Thursday!
Update: This contest has been held over to Friday Monday, by popular . . . uh, demand!
Later update: Game over!
- Membership [Rice Design Alliance]
Photos: HAR
Ya know, I kinda like this place. Big ol’ trees visible by the pool makes me think either way north or Memorial. The front yard through the bay window looks big, the back yard, not so much. It’s an older place but was nice at the time. I’ll call it a nice ’70s biggish ranch on Wilcrest between 1-10 and Memorial. I just want to know how they got my mother-in-law’s kitchen in this house all the way from Arkansas!
It looks like a neighborhood my parents used to live in off of Beechnut and Gessner. I don’t know the name of the neighborhood, if it even had a name. It backs up to Westwood Country Club. The brick fireplace and the small kitchen remind me of those homes.
marmer stole my Memorial guess, but it made me look more closely at the images. I then noticed that backyard that is not very deep which leads me to guess… Meyerland.
This is a sprawling, traditionally-styled, 2-story early-to-mid-1970s home – the generous Den mirrors the LR, there’s a spacious B’fast area & Master closet – while the bedrooms remain relatively small.
Well used and upgraded (floor tile, trim painted white, the enclosed back patio) as if a large family grew up here. I propose it’s located south of town, Sugarland, and looks like Tudor mansion on the outside. The neighborhood is densely packed; this was a mecca for young families with the means to have a pool and both formals.
This is a hard one! What a surprise! ok, 1960s house with updates in the late 70s or early 80s. Low ceilings. Wooded – but houses appear close together, detached garages, the back room was added on, the bedrooms are small – the whole house is small. This might be two stories, I think I see a stairway in the breakfast room. Nice neighborhood, pool and good tvs, where is it?
so, detached garage, greenery, smallish, early 60s house, nice neighborhood – I’m going to say this is in the Willowbend area.
Do the window coverings, overuse of pillows, and wallpaper make anyone else want to throw up a little bit?
At first I was going to say 1970’s but I think it could even be early 1980’s based on the large bathroom and very large walk-in closet. As previously noted, the small backyard with well established growth leads me a bit closer to the city.
I am going to guess this is somewhere in the 59/610 area. Gulfton Oaks or the northern reaches of Bellaire.
Once the family home, now Mom & Dad’s well-tended empty nest — time to assign Trey and Randy the custody of their high school trophies and guitars, sell all that matching furniture and move to the Hill Country! Updated tile floors, nice popped-out sun porch (made comfortable with air conditioning — see the wall unit off the breakfast area door) improve this 1960’s tract special, but little has been done about the textured ceilings, exposed faux beams and itchy-kitschy kitchen wallpaper. Something about the pool and the backyard say Southwest Houston, say the larger lots off Bissonnet/Braeswood and Fondren/Gessner, say…Braeburn Valley West.
The wood, wallpapers and window treatments all say Jersey Village to me.
The trees are a tough one. I’m not convinced this is in a heavily treed neighborhood, they just have some mature landscaping in the area. I’m guessing the bedrooms etc are upstairs, although its hard to confirm this is a 2 story. It does look 70s-ish construction although obvious changes have occurred since then. I’m going to guess the part of Houston that sits around the Dairy Ashford/Briar Forest area.
I’ve been in a house that was very much like this in the neighborhood just west of BW 8 along the north side of Memorial Dr. That’s my guess. As an aside, I’m struck by that big TV in front of the window in that one bedroom? That makes me sad … I’d much rather look out that window than at that TV.
Tanglewilde. From the mature trees and a pool that fills the back yard, and this house looks about the right age. I’m guessing 60’s.
A lot of indoor greenery in this one. Looks like they might have a bunch of frequent shopper points from Garden Ridge.
I was guessing empty nesters until I saw the giant TV in the son’s bedroom. Then I started thinking empty nesters whose 30ish son has returned.
The layout is strikingly similar to a house I’ve visited in the Candlelight Oaks area, so that’s my guess. Age of the house and size of the backyard are about right for that area I think.
This could be anywhere Houston from the late 60’s to 70’s! The lot seems small with the pool wedged up along side the house, but it could be in a neighborhood where the developer added to the lot size in later phases – I’m thinking Walnut Bend. I initially was leaning toward Afton Village (I think it’s Village) directly north of Ikea on the east side of Antoine between I-10 and Westview, but I’m going to throw my lasso around Sharpstown. Maybe with RDA offering a grand prize this week its location is part of an upcoming or past cover story? Plus, I’ve never guessed there – it may be my last. I must say that enclosed porch is sharp!
Everything about the house and yard looks alot like my friend’s house in Memorial Northwest up in the Champions area.
I think this looks like Shepherd Park Plaza; a well hidden neighborhood gem between Shepherd and Ella, Tidwell and W. 43rd. The late 60’s kitchen makes the house the right age.
Coming out of semi-retirement with the lure of a prize, I offer my less than astute analysis/comments.
I would guess this house to be from around the time the “music died” or saw the birth of our current president.
I too have been in a house similar to this one. The house was located on one of my favorite named Houston streets, Electra. It just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?…but I digress. I would say this house is in or around the subdivisions of Rustling Oaks or the collection of Memorial Plazas/Bends.
I’m going with Spring Branch. Lots of trees on a small lot.
This could be all over the place. I can’t see evidence of a 2 story. I’m going with ranch. I kind of like the add-on by the pool. I am also placing the date of construction in the 70s. Let’s go with Sharpstown.
I’m getting the mid to late seventies feel here, and somewhere a little out there, too. Maybe one of those neighborhoods around Webster near El Dorado, El Camino Real, Highway 3…
Based on the dated cabinetry and the small lot, I’m also thinking Southwest side. Let’s go with Meadows Place off of Dairy Ashford.
It does look like my aunt’s house in Clear Lake off of El Dorado. This one is tough, even for me for whom they all are.
This could be anywhere, but I’m guessing a Candlelight Forest with add-ons.
I’m going to guess Olde Oaks or Oak Creek, off FM 1960 near Stuebner Airline.
Somebody said Clear Lake which was my guess,based upon the mass-market decor. So how about South Pasadena instead?
No one has guessed Timbergrove Manor so I am gonna go with that.
There is a prize?!?!?! My choice of location is NW, near Louetta Rd. just west of 249.
I don’t know the name of the neighborhood, but it is near Clear Lake golf course in clear Lake, off of El Dorado at Clear Lake City BLVD?
Marc a designer? who would have guessed, I’ll go with Champions, say Huntwick
OK, I’ll take a second shot and call it an updated Museum District ranch, maybe over off Banks or even near UST. There are some trees over there and the nearby houses and small back yard would maybe go along with that.
Wait, what was I thinking? Big old ranch, upscale, trees, small back yard… Afton Oaks.
Because there is a prize and this hasn’t been guessed, I’m going to go out on a limb because I think this is a townhouse somewhere from the 70’s/early 80’s. The house is still lived in by the original owner. There may be a few too many bedrooms, but the backyard is so cramped. I guess inside/near the loop Midlane area (the old townhouses there) or Bissonnet in West U. Or N. Post Oak Rd area just north of the Houstonian and Woodway.
The back yard, which I think is fairly big in spite of the pool abutting the fence on the side, looks piney to me and that, with the age of the house says “Spring Branch” to me, but that was already guessed and didn’t win, so that’s not it. I think it’s probably in one of the earlier white-flight neighborhoods (HISD’s “integration” plan was implemented in 1970, I think), and there’s definitely a Bed, Bath & Beyond nearby….Friendswood, maybe Pearland.
Ok,
This is an early 1980’s special. The kitchen features a brown decorative tile grout that screams “I was buit in 1982!.” All of the kitchen and bath fixtures sing the backup vocals.
Since there already are some awesome guesses on here (candlewood, champions), I have to go with another early 80’s suburban boomtown of Kingwood.
The use of a sunroom with mulitple cieling fans tells me it is not on or near a major street or highway. So kingwood – a dense part!
Is it Spring Shadows?
My second guess is Memorial/Gessner area….somewhere around Bunker Hill and Town&Country.
early woodlands decor – definitely a Kirkland’s nearby. Definitely the most southern area of THE WOODLANDS.
My spirit guide tells me…… Humble!
thought it had to be Piney Point until I saw that tiny back yard. Forget it, this is nowhere close to Memorial. Bathroom screams 1982, kitchen screams 1972. Smallish house, let’s try further south. Walnut Bend?
Wow – I think someone has guessed just about evey neighborhood possible! Process of elimination: I am going to say either out NW in Copperfield or Hearthstone Country Club area, or out east in Northshore / Woodforest Blvd. area or in one of the nicer neighborhoods in Baytown north/west of 146 and south of I-10. I dunno – sounded good to me…….
Among the possibilities not eliminated, I get the Vossiest vibe from this vista. Cathy guessed Tanglewilde, but houses there often have attached garages (the neighbor when I look out the windows has a detached one).
So for the right built density I’m looking a superblock or two to the east, in Voss’ vicinity, and finding Briarmeadow and (north of Westheimer) the Briargrove area which falls between the bayou and Tanglewood. Although this is a largish swath there are just few enough backyard pools that I don’t want to look too closely in bird’s eye view or I could get to where I have to recuse myself.
Someone else has said the Dairy Ashford/Briar Forest/Kirkwood area so I’ll say Mission Bend. the tall slanted ceiling cries late 70s/early 80’s.
Low ceilings, wood beams, louver doors, burnished brass hardware, mature trees. To me, this screams Nottingham Country in Katy.
Yes subprimelandguy, this could be the older part of Copperfield! Everybody has a pool with little privacy on tight lots. I recall a Halloween party in ’87 with constant neighbor-complaints…
Quail Valley
Away out there in Champions/Champion Forest, maybe in the old part.
Every neighborhood I would’ve guessed has been mentioned. Atascosita? Or… Is that neighborhood behind Deerbrook Mall considered Humble?
Briarcroft
The Meadows. A simple suburban house that has been smothered with loving enhancements. Probably one of the nicest homes in its neighborhood.
How about Westbury area near Hillcroft and Belfort?
I’ll take a second guess, but this time a little closer in. Maybe it’s in the Chimney Rock/Willowbend area – Maplewood/ Marilyn Estates/Parkwest/northern Westbury
Larchmont
Candlelight Forest north of 610 and between Shepherd and TC Jester. Updated early 70’s.
OK, Gus, take us out of our misery!
Gus!!!! I’m with EMME… stop the game.
Oh, how about the area South of Sawdust off Sawmill behind the Walmart? The High Oaks Circle and Dreamweaver Circle areas…
Westmont…I’m getting cranky!