If you have even an inkling about the location of the home featured in today’s game, you’ll want to go ahead and take the time to make a guess. It’s worth it.
Why? Because the prize this time is being sponsored by “Houston. It’s Worth It.” And it is! This week’s winner will receive a gift box of Houston. It’s Worth It. merchandise worth $100. Namely: The HIWI book, a HIWI coffee mug, a HIWI T-shirt, a HIWI baseball cap, 10 or so “afflictions†postcards, and yes: HIWI bug repellent. You can see more details about many of these items (and shop for a few others) at the HIWI online store.
So, then: A quick review of the rules. Guess the neighborhood of the home pictured here, by adding a comment to this post. If you guess correctly, you win the prize! If more than one person guesses the location, the player who provided the best explanation wins.
But: If you already know this home — or if you come across it while we’re playing the game, don’t blurt out the answer and ruin it all for everyone else. Instead, send an email to Swamplot with a link to the actual listing (so we know what you’re doing). Then post an incorrect guess, but make it sound real smart — just to throw off the other players. If you do this well, you’ll earn special recognition for your efforts. And if nobody guesses the actual neighborhood, you might win the prize!
On to more photos:
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You know where this is, right? C’mon, of course you do!
That’s all the clues! Study them carefully, then add your guess. We’ll announce the answer — and the prize winner — on Thursday.
Update: Stop yer guesses! The answer is in!
- This week’s prize sponsor: Houston. It’s Worth It.
Photos: HAR
The Heights of tomorrow!
Meyerland off South Post Oak near 610. Great mixture of the typical “original” type homes featuring colorful carpet and “remodeled” pieces – TV cabinet and stovetop.
Neighborhood between Westwood CC and Beechnut.
Allegro Homes lot line Victorian in the Heights?
Actually, after frequent floodings the last few years, Floyd and his wife finally decided to quit buying more flooring at Home Depot and just move from the old place in La Porte.
Jersey Village?
Chris basically took my guess, I’m going with Willow Meadows. That neighborhood has a lot of interior exposed brick, 60s design elements, and a lack of high-end renovations and surfaces. Small bedrooms too indicate older construction.
I don’t quite get those interior doors, they must have been replaced over the years but why do they look so out of place?
Maybe it’s near the bayou off Braeswood in a flood zone; that would explain the tiled floors in the bedroom.
This house belongs to a couple in their early thirties. Dad is probably skilled labor. I am guessing welder working in the refineries/chemical plants around the ship channel. Mom is pink collar or stay at home. Probably the childhood home of one of them or inherited from grandma. They fixed it up a little, and it was fine for a while, but they’ve got a new baby and have completely outgrown it. Prosperous times (lots of turn arounds) and current low home prices means a move up.
This is in an older neighborhood (1940’s-1950’s construction) that never gentrified. It’s been remodeled, but the quality of the remodel says the neighborhood is still solidly working class. I would guess somewhere on the east side of town, between 610 and the beltway, near the ship channel. Jacinto City, Denver Harbor. Maybe Pasadena or Galena Park. Something makes me want to go as far east as North Shore/Clover Leaf/Channelview…
There are a bunch of ranch style houses near Antoine, south of Tidwell. They pretty much all have that brick divider for the kitchen.
Well, this one is interesting. Small, but with what look like some reasonably pricey upgrades through the years. Double sink in that little bathroom, new cooktop, built-ins for the 1996 big TV, maybe even that corner fireplace. But you can’t forget the burglar bars and tiny bedrooms. Mid-century style brick half-wall.
I’m guessing that this house is off Griggs or Scott, in that neighborhood. Built about 1960, probably owned by a builder or contractor who is nearing retirement age. That would explain some of the upgrades (like the contractor-grade doors) sort of making financial sense. I’ll bet his grown son helped install the big TV and the sports bedroom is for the occasional visiting grandkid. His wife loves the kitchen re-do he got her for their fortieth wedding anniversary but her pride and joy is the dining room. But they’re getting on in years and they want to retire and move to a smaller, easier to maintain place in a safer location.
I agree this is East End, and, there’s no nice views out those windows.
Helen & marmer have spoken.
This place seems more like a larger townhome to me. Overstuffed furniture and opulence scream they were spent from a trader’s bonus check. I’ll guess the townhomes in the Energy Corridor. Off Dairy Ashford close to Stratford High School.
I’m with Helen & marmer, cept I think this is more towards the Pasadena/Houston line. I’m thinking somewhere along the 225/Allen Genoa/Allendale area. I’m not really sure what that neighborhood is called.
Saw two homes in that area when we were house searching a few years ago and they had a lot of the same features.
North of Braes Bayou, west of Buffalo Speedway, East of Wesleyan/Stella Link. Hasn’t been torn down yet.
The subdivision Cleo is talking about is most likely Forest West, and there are parts just north of Pinemont, as well as south of Pinemont on the west side of Antoine. The other homes on 43rd and south of it, as well as on the east side of Antoine, both north and south are in Oak Forest. Most of Forest West was constructed in the 70’s and is of meager design and build quality. The majority of that part of Oak Forest was built all the way from the late 50’s on into the 70’s for sections 20 and 21 (There are a total of 21 sections to Oak Forest with the first ones dating back to just after WWII when Frank Sharp developed the subdivision with deed restrictions prohibiting “colored people”.)
This could be in that area, but I’m not sure the arched doorways fit into the mix of that neighborhood or time. I could see the place as being an older house from the 30’s or 40’s on the east side of town or near northside. The east side locations could be as said earlier could range from south along the I-45 corridor all the way to the South Houston area and the older Pasadena area haunts, but yet encompassing various older hoods like Harrisburg, Magnolia, etc. all the way out to Shannelview y Baytown man. North inside the loop around Irvington and continuing north to the Airline area. Ok, I think I’ve covered enough areas.
It looks a lot like Sagemont to me. It’s obviously been remodeled, with the late 60’s to mid 70s touches removed for tile floors throughout and features like the flat top range in the kitchen. Those doors also seem like something somebody who lives in this area would think was a good idea.
Based on the exposed brick, the glossy, textured, low ceilings, and the smallish bedrooms I think this was built in the late fifties to early sixties. The hard tile floors, new doors, new built-ins and kitchen updates appear to be from the eighties and nineties. The burglar bars and staleness of some the updates tell me it’s not in a great neighborhood. I am going with the Westbury/Willowbend area. Another possibility is the Briarmeadow area. Hmm – on second thought, maybe it’s in Sharpstown.
Obviously south of Braeswood near Buffalo Speedway. Last time the bayou flooded they were forced to put down tile in some rooms and replace the carpet in others. They chose a magnificent shade of fire engine red I might add.
David W is dead on with the construction year. it would be neat to see what that is when the listing is revealed.
based on the carpet and sparse decorations, it is a 3 bedroom 1 story rancher. that was built in 1960, renovated (kitchen and bathrooms in 1980), and through the magic of wills, trusts, and estates….someone died in that bathtub and the place is is now being sold by the kids. Near UH, making the flooding entity Braes Bayou (twice? three times?). Perhaps a bigger place damn close to Southmore.
This place looks nothing like your typical Heights bungalow. However, I feel that it must be near me, because I have put most of that decor out by the street or sold it in a garage sale. (Then again, it’s all been sold to every other poor schmuck that ever walked into Home Depot, Sears, and Garden Ridge.)
What an HGTV nightmare. I just keep hearing one neighborhood in my head — Lazybrook, Lazybrook.
Early 90’s Pearland subdivision.
I’m surprised the smell of dimsum/kimchi/curry didn’t clue everyone in that this house is in the Sharpstown area near Gessner/Bellaire…not too far from Little Saigon. The second clue would be the red carpet and the third clue is that bizarre mirror-table in the dining room. The house may even be close enough to Braeswood Bayou that it’s prone to the occasional flood. It was built in 1970 and never really upgraded other than a new (cheap) bathroom vanity and a sorry attempt at a kitchen sink. Alas, the girls aren’t happy sharing a room anymore and the brother is tired of sharing the bathroom with them so it’s time for an upgrade. The views from this single story are nothing to write home about so the realtor wisely left them out of the photos. It probably took a lot of effort for this family to get rid of the excess crap that is normally lying around and stage the house in this manner. Unfortunately, nobody told them that the hideous wallpaper borders and window valences need to go too!!
Oh, Grandma, what big…furniture you have! And Grandma, what big…draperies you have, too!
But wait…something is a little too contemporary here. That multi-generational dining room suite with seating for eight plus baby’s high chair. Those ornate mirrors and chandelier. Those overstuffed living room pieces, straight from Gallery Furniture…or could they be from the Harwin/Fondren furniture nexus? Hmmm.
Miz Brooke Smith, after a very long day, was at first in general locale agreement with either helen…or marmer…or thatgirl. But something about the Emperor red paint in that foyer, the Chinatown kitsch painting scenes barely detectable by the naked eye in these photos, the bigger bricks of the kitchen divider (off Allen-Genoa they would be the skinnier 1950’s types), and the generally overwrought decor typical of hardworking arriviste 1st-generation Americans leads me to concur with biggerintexas that this domicile is indeed a late 1960’s single-story 3/2 in the Sharpstown/Chinatown area. The realtor probably insisted that the family’s shoes parked neatly outside the front door be put away in a closet for the staging. And are those in fact carefully placed bottles of Coca-Cola in the kitchen vitrine?
The practical floor tile, 85% kitchen re-do, bathroom cosmetics and door replacements may have happened before the family moved in, or perhaps they did it themselves. But whatever the case, they have come to America and prospered. Now perhaps it’s time to move into a bigger house in Fort Bend, one with better feng shui and a bedroom suite for…Grandma, coming from China to live with the family. What big hugs you have!
This one might be over in a neighborhood off of Navigation?
The abundance of tile & wainscoting tell me it’s been flooded. But because it is a split-level, lower level rooms flooded, while upper level rooms did not. The doors had to be replaced as well, as did cabinetry. It’s weird how the furniture doesn’t fit – like the red bed’s bedspread (say that 3 times fast) is way too small – the box spring is showing! Can the closet door behind it fully open?
They’ve ditched their original furniture & we’re seeing the furniture that’s going to house #2 for this growing and economical family. Maybe they used the flood insurance money to remodel as cheaply as possible while buying the best furniture they could, because the plan was to offload this bad-luck house ASAP.
I’m not familiar with the names of all the subdivisions (is there a subdivision map anywhere?) so I don’t know if I’m trampling on someone else’s idea. Looks like late 40’s-50’s construction to me (those arched doorways), but those big windows look later…something just feels Meyerlandish about it too. hmmm – lower Westbury?
I have to agree about the Chinatown/Sharpstown comments. It just reminds me of a place in Sharpstown where an Asian friend lived back in high school near Sharpstown. I also would like to add the comment…..I think they may have taken the plastic off of the dining/living room furniture for the photos.
But, since that choice has been taken already, I will go with what no one else has taken….I’m going to randomly guess something not yet taken….the area south of the med center/Reliant. Not sure why, but I also get a weird older condo/townhome vibe from this place…something about the window placement. Lots of those in that area.
Well this place screams Southwest Houston to me. A circa 1960ish ranchette with what I will guess is a front entry attached garage.
The kitchen set up gives it away with the single wall oven, partially open overlook into what was originally a family room and that little bend in the counter.
It is stating the obvious that the furnishings leave something to be desired but someone nailed it with the Fondren corridor lower end decor. At least they tried……
Oh where oh where, not nice enough for Willow Meadows or Briarmeadow so lets say
the southern part of Graeter Westbury.
I’ll say a little west of Sharpstown, towards Alief where there is more of an Asian influence. Bellaire between Wilcrest and Dairy Ashford.
The posts have covered a large area of the Houston metropolitan area. Alone,I think CK covered one third. My spirit guide spoke to my last night and told me it is in an older neighborhood around Friendswood.
I agree that the house has seen some water in it, but this was more than a flood – the great tornado of ’88 hit this place. Too bad the owners weren’t insured.
The red carpet and (sometimes mismatched) tile were what was on sale at Home Depot, as well as the fake granite vanity in the bathroom and the weird sink and cooktop over what used to be drawer space. Just for S&G, I’ll say this is in the east end, maybe over by the Georgia addition in Eastwood (sort of near Evergreen Cemetery maybe). If not, then it’s way over west in Larkwood, near Bissonnet and Fondren.
Spring Branch…Conrad Sauer area
I remember being inside a house, with bones just like we see above, about 45 years ago. It backed up to a drainage ditch (“bayou”), so might well have flooded in subsequent decades. It was in Sharpstown.
I agree that there is definitely some flooding bayou love going on here. But due to the decor and burglar bars, I’m not thinking Braes Bayou or White Oak, but instead prolly Sims or Greens. Maybe somewheres in Windsor Village or elsewhere in the Hiram Clarke area along Sims, or maybe out east in Riviera East or elsewhere along Normandy north of I-10 by Greens. Or, maybe even perennial Channelview area flooder Sterling Green by Carpenters Bayou. All feature 1960’s or 1970’s General Homes type tract specials.
I thought it might be in Maplewood, you know, between Braeswood & Beechnut.
But then on second glance, I thought the brick, low ceilings, and ceiling fans reminded me more of that area near Hobby Airport that’s tucked away. As you get off from 45S, you pass the post office and the you get to a light at Santa Elena. I guess it’s northwest of Bellfort & Broadway. The remodeling was done by putting tile (not sautillo, but ceramic) instead of hardwoods. I was puzzled by the dark grey walls in the secondary bedroom as the sports pennants are fairly recent. The dark enamel sink & lack of built in microwave suggests mid 80s remodeling, so the kids are grown now. Of course, since the house is on the market, they’ve updated with a new faucet in the kitchen.
I’m going to push a bit farther south and east than Andrea C’s Glenbrook Valley guess…hows about Meadow Creek Village? Perhaps the house backs up to Berry Bayou?
I agree with Kimmer and would say it’s Alief, somewhere bounded by the Westpark Tollway to the North, Beechnut to the South, Dairy Ashford to the West, and Wilcrest to the East. The decor just doesn’t fit with what you’d find in Sharpstown/Chinatown, and this is definitely not an Asian family’s house (having grown up in one, I know). For example, the bottled Cokes in the kitchen cabinet, an Asian family would NEVER pay a premium for coke in bottles, and they certainly wouldn’t have them around as collector’s items. Decorative plates on the wall in the formal dining and floral patterned spice jars are also big-time HELL NO items in an Asian household.