The property featured in this week’s Neighborhood Guessing Game was sent in by a reader. Think you’ve got a chance this time? The winner of this round will get a free one-year individual membership in the Rice Design Alliance, courtesy of the RDA!
Y’all remember how to play this game, right? Just guess where the home is located. If you guess correctly, you win the prize! But if more than one of you guesses the correct neighborhood, the prize will go to the player who provided the best explanation for the guess.
If you already know this property, or if you come across it (or the listing for it) while we’re playing, don’t ruin the game for everyone else by giving the correct answer. Instead, send Swamplot an email with a link to the listing — to clue us in — then enter an incorrect guess carefully calibrated to throw the other players off. If you do this well, you’ll get special recognition for your efforts. And if nobody guesses the right location, you could win the prize for yourself!
That’s all you need to know to play the game. . . . Well, that and what the rest of the place looks like:
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Think you’ve got a notion of the whereabouts of . . . hereabouts?
How about you just enter that guess as a comment, then? We’ll have the answer for you — and a prizewinner — on Thursday!
Update, 7/9: Time’s up! Here’s your answer!
- This week’s prize sponsor: Rice Design Alliance
Photos: HAR
I’m guessing the house is of a 1970’s or so vintage, owned (or at least one filled with residents) who love Texas (or at least Texana) and “manly” pursuits, and who likely drive a pick-up or two and have a boat docked somewhere nearby for pleasure cruising and the occasional fishing trip.
I’m going to say somewhere south of the Beltway and west of 288. Perhaps Pearland, Friendswood, Webster, League City, something in that general area. Sorry that I can’t get any more specific than that, but those are the places that come to my geographically-challenged mind.
Kingwoooood, up to no good!
Wow a giant old-timey spinning wheel. Must be the George Ranch!
I am absolutly gob smacked. From the pink Texas door mat to the empty bathroom plant hooks and the ovewrwhelming scent of litter pan – I just look and look again and the mind boggles. I will forever be haunted by the kitty eyes on the toss pillows on the pink leather sofas. Even writing that gives me an out of body sensation. Senses overwhelmed. Must go make dirty martini and try to regain grasp of reality.
Champions Forest!
This place looks like the abode of a highly functional redneck stoner. I’m sure it reeks of cat urine, stale bong water and Ben Gay (Maw Maw escapes from “the blue room” during the day when Jimbo is at work and the Ben Gay leaches into the pink leather sofa). Where do people like that live? Why, along Briar Forest and Dairy Ashford!
Is that a picture of Chairman Mao with a chicken on the bath towels or just more kittens? Yeesh.
Add snark as needed… Meyerland.
I might agree with random poster’s assessment of, “south of the Beltway and west of 288” if it were not for the fact that something intangible about the pool and the vegetation seen in the backyard and other images smacks of “Rundown Braeswood” closer to the Old Spanish Trail.
Not in an area good enough to have been bought up by well-to-do TMC employees and either renovated or demolished, but also the cabinetry and den/game room say this house is not new enough to have been part of the first generation of Friendswood/Pearland/miscellaneous southeastern periphery city developments.
Therefore: “Rundown Braeswood” which I’m sure has a much more flattering actual name.
If not there, then I’d hedge my bet with a guess at somewhere north of I-10 and west of the Beltway, possibly in the Bear Creek area. What throws me off either way, is what appears to be iron bars on the patio door.
Wow. This is a tricky one as it looks like these pictures are taken over a number of decades from a variety of houses and cameras. This is a Quantum Leap of photo collages. Desk with computer circa 1988. Spinning wheel circa 1888…What we know is this “house” contains at a minimum 4 cats and one old guy who may or may not be blind and one childless woman with absolutely no taste and a proclivity for the feline-type. This area has flooded in the past, post computer but pre corner mounted, wall facing TV. Bars on windows keep the unsuspecting criminals from exposure to kitties swaddled in baby buggys from 1967 and a complete lack of opportunity to make a dime on the Pawning of the “vintage” electronics. Because this house can’t possibly exist I am going to guess a place that sounds much nicer than it really is…Clearlake. Narrowly edging out Deer Park.
Well, it’s hard to make me speechless. And I’m speechless. This was probably really something when it was new in 1970. It’s big, and probably has a big lot and maybe even a circle drive (what is all that stuff out the game room window?) There’s a lot of covered patio out there, too. Could be rundown Braeswood, or rundown Meyerland, or maybe even rundown-ish MacGregor Way. But whoever’s been here has been here a long time. I’m going with the ritzy part of Pasadena over around Fairmont Parkway and Young street.
I wonder if Maw Maw (blue bedroom, per “wilfâ€) doesn’t still remember the homestead on the original Spanish land grant, along the Brazos. There are a few nice antiques in the house. So now, she still lives nearby, but with a daughter and son-in-law, in Lake Olympia, Missouri City (the trees look right to me.) This was a posh, spacious home back in 1977.
For some reason I think I have been in this house … the fireplaces and the tchotckes look eerily familiar … I’m guessing Sharpstown.
This Grandpa & Grandma house is in the part of Sugar Land south of Highway 90 and northwest of 59. Grandpa worked at Imperial for decades and Grandma stayed home with the kitties and did volunteer work with the Fort Bend Rotary Ladies Auxiliary. In the ’70’s, partway through Grandpa’s career, they moved up from their first house north of the sugar plant to this place. The patio door bars are there because you never could be too careful about escapees from the P farm, and retired Grandpa wanted to keep his prized TV’s and computer safe.
My first impression (other than yuck) was of Alvin, or perhaps Pearland. Then Pasadena came to mind. Old town Katy would work too. Definitely cheesy 70’s decor.
I’m guessing this less than humble ranch is located in Humble.
Spring Branch. North of Longpoint – between Gessner and Campbell
East Side. 70s, suburbs, likes fishing (and cats), no updates, some crime probs, easy living. Deer Park.
Also, I love the cat face pillows on pink leather couch!
There’s something that makes me feel like it emulates a subdivision home, but is not in a subdivision. I would say some more rural area of Fort Bend County.
Speechless as well!
Almost all tile downstairs tell me it has flooded, more than once. They got a heckuva deal on the tile for buying enough for the large kitchen, eating area and formal living/den area.
The cabinetry in the gameroom and kitchen remind me of Kickerillo. Same goes for the stone fireplace.
I just can’t place this. I rub my eyes and it doesn’t change.
Count me in for Baytown.
I’m back. It actually took two martinis and an episode of the Sopranos but here goes. Pushing in all the chips and betting on LaPorte.
My swordfish spirit guide told me so.
Well I am sure this place was the toast of Lake Jackson in 1973. Marge and Fred relocated from the Northeast to kickstart the career ladder at Dow Chemical. The kids had a pool and a gameroom and exercise equipment when those were not common and Marge tooled around in her metallic brown Electra 225. They added the saltillo tile when the no wax vinyl gasped its last breath in ’88 and painted Fred’s office then too. Her always hated those damned cats but it was a small price for tearing Marge away from her family up north.
I don’t care where this is….if they throw in the furniture – I’ll take it. I’m really crossing my fingers for Pasadena though. Also, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen 70’s porn filmed in this house You know, starts out in the pool and then moves to the yellow and brown bathtub before finally ending up on a lime green shag rug (which sadly has been removed) in front the fireplace. Then the next scene in the game room…..you get the picture.
Gosh, depth of lot lead me to believe generically that it’s not so far beyond Loop 610. Vegetation in the yard, lugustrums and day lilies, not been attended to other than water since the 70s likely, I’d say North, Northwestern, Western regions. Hmmm. Coupled with swank 70s style, I’m going with Meyerland. Near Westbury High School. Between Bellaire and South Braeswood. A stereo enthusiast and fixer-upper type in that neighborhood fixed my 1965 Fisher tube stereo there…GREAT resourse. I think his house had bathroom tile like that! He was near Chimney Rock and Bissonnet. Retired or “Mature” neighborhood, not so interested updating these days. The nighborhood likes their old timey things. 30 somethings when they purchased the house. Now 60 somethings…that sounds about right.
Let’s see, I agree with the 70’s comments. The tile is either due to flooding or a dislike of carpet with pets around. Looks somewhat like the house some friends of my parents had in Inwood Forest, but I’m guessing it’s further out 290 near Jersey Village.
This house has a little of everything… from the Yellow Yose of Texas stained glass entry to the massive swordfish that was lovingly mounted high enough to avoid getting soot-stained (these fireplaces have seen a lot of action). The one thing that concerns me, though, is in the blue bedroom: the obscenely tall headboard looks like it’s poised to crash down and kill someone careless enough to take a nap — Maw-Maw should be cautious.
Anyway, the home’s age, tile flooring, big yard, and spinning wheel make me think it’s in League City, east of I-45.
This can’t be Meyerland or Bellaire as some have guessed — the interior design would be against deed restrictions ;)
I’ll echo the Pearland guess, somewhere off of Telephone/Main St in the old section.
I am guessing the Champions/Spring Area. When looking for a home last year we looked at several houses in that area. A few definitely had this look.
Nothing like a quick shower in the morning smack dab in the middle of the bathroom and hop on the weight scale as you’re stepping out … I’m guessing Fondren SW … the burglar bars in choosen, prime windows is a bit unusual. I remember going to Sharpstown High School in the early 80s and all the COOL kids came from Fondren SW … the ones that couldn’t get into Bellaire High School.
To AmyHM: I have to tell you my first instinct was Michael Pollack’s “beautiful southwest Houston!” of the 70s. They probably still have the free VCR from their apartment-dwelling days.
Ewwww. This place needs a ton of work. Older couple, hasn’t done much with the property in years. Old outdated tile, paint, etc. Part of me want to call this Alief, but I think it dates well before that. I’m going to go with the area around south post oak, way down past 610 south. Is that Meyerland?
I’m guessing this is in Sagemont – floor stands ready to be hosed off after the next 4″ rain day. I like the spirit of the (former) residents – though we have dramatically different taste. They look like they’ve taken a bite outta life. Every thing looks well-used and enjoyed. I’ll bet there’s a big ole fryer in the garage, used for fresh breaded fish and turduckies. Good for them.
I’m almost certain we are looking at a
SAILFISH on the wall, probably snagged off
Texas or Mexico – maybe a 80-100 pounder.
For the masses of you who identified the fish as a SWORDFISH, I respectfully refer you to the movie “The Perfect Storm” where the pursuit of swordfish is addressed in some detail – set off the coast of Gloucester, MASS. Just sayin’.
Wow, the bathroom tile is a horrible design. If there ever is one I would like to be at the estate sale. My spirit guide likes the saltillo tile and told me the home is in Atascocita.
In the dark and sinister rumjungle of streets between Hwy 6, 1464, and Bissonnet, and all south of George Bush Park. The kind of neighborhood you drive into and get lost because all of the streets double back and curve and lead into other endless circling, meandering streets, some of which are afraid to cross bayous, others suddenly veer left or right and offer only a selection of dead end “Courts” to turn into.
Ambulances and Pizza Trucks just pull over to the side of the street and consult maps with nervous drivers idling for a clue. the USPS gave up on trucks a long time ago and postal workers sulk along stirring barking dogs in the endless summer heat that entice the ciadas into an orgy of ..ah! sorry I got caught up in the romance of it all. I bet the place across the street has an Alief High Cheerleading yard sign….
I can’t get past the cheerleader photo that’s oddly placed on a little desk. Gotta be the granddaughter, right? Don’t imagine that she’s living far away, but the photo is too small to make out the school.
All of the good guesses have already been made, so I’ll take Stafford.
Kempwood and Gessner.
Clear lake, owned by a mechanical/computer engineer named John (late 50s) who has two grown kids.
Omg, I am a crazy person, b/c I kinda like this house!?! Dear homeowner or home purchaser – when you get ready to gut this place I would like to buy some of your cabinets and the tiles from the bathroom. Not joking. Oh, and the green velvet curtains so I can make a Scarlet O’Hara costume. I will pick them up at your place – which I’m guessing is near Knob Hill Park near Gessner and Hammerly.
Oh, and the marble(ish) table. Please Thank You :)
Lake Jackson is too far away. And this doesn’t look like it to me, anyway. It’s hard to put into words, but the people who would have this kind of money in the Lake Jackson area would either live in an older, more MCM-style house on a very large lot, or in a nicer, newer house.
Southeast Tomball
I know exactly where this home is; it is the real-life version of the home on ‘King of the Hill’! The Yellow Rose of Texas front door is clearly thier prized possession and will most likely be an exclusion in the sale. Interesting photo of downtown Houston placed in honor next to the fireplace. I guess they need the picture to remember what downtown looks like, since they don’t get there too much these days from thier retirement haven in Baytown.
What sort of perverted designes are scribed into the windows in the game room?
Is this place owned by Persians?
I completely agree with posters 5 and 27 (Champions Forest/Spring) and 16 (Spring Branch N of Longpoint.)
The decor/accessories remind me of my cousins’ house in SB (except there would be some A & M stuff around) and my interior designer friend’s house in Champions. Oddly enough, although the desingner does a fantastic job with other people’s houses, her own house looks similar to this one!
It looks like a high-rise we see out the bathroom window (or is that mirrors?). Then there’s the espalliered ivy along the fence outside the cheerleader-pic room. Strange as it may seem, it feels like Tanglewood. The eyes on those cat pillows keep following me!!!
And how cometh this thpinning wheel here? Surely she doesn’t make homemade yarn toys for the kitties? What goes up must come down, spinning wheel got to go round…can’t wait to find out the litter-scoop on this one.
Marilyn Estates/Braeswood
To marmer & biggerintexas: It looks to me like the game-room window panes are etched with Picasso’s version of the 3 graces. Either that or a balloon art installation in the flower bed.