Swamplot Archives by Tag:
This weekend, won’t you come visit some long-selling Tanglewood treasures? The lots are big but the lines will be short. Here’s what you’ll find:
Location: 1202 Chimney Rock Rd.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,316 sq. ft.
Price: $499,000
The Scoop: 1953 brick-front single-owner Ranch with carpet and wood paneling, waiting for land prices to increase or a better marketing plan. Listed for almost 3 months; price cut $30K already.
Open House: Sunday, 2-5 pm
Tangle with 4 more homes as the tour continues . . .
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Read more about: Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Tanglewood, Tours
It appears our report earlier this week was a bit premature (although this one was more accurate). Rosenberg will be losing 2 out of its 3 Starbucks locations. And a total of 8 Starbucks stores will be closing in Houston — plus 1 in the Deerbrook Mall, which is technically in Humble.
Thanks to the pioneering work of a last-name-free coffee drinker going by the name Winter, who has been on a 11-year-long “personal mission” to visit and photograph every single Starbucks in the world, we now have a well-illustrated compilation of the 11 Houstonish Starbucks locations the company has decided to close as part of its 600-store nationwide shutdown extravaganza. Ready for the tour?
3821 S. Shepherd at Farnham. On the “other ” Shepherd Curve, across from Amy’s Ice Cream. It’s been hiding there for a while, but did it ever have customers?
More shuttered Starbucks below. See them all!
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Read more about: Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Starbucks, Tours
If you’re looking for a cool, low-hanging Modern home, Glenbrook Valley is your best bet! This week: Glenbrook Valley’s “Mod-palooza,” courtesy of broker Robert Searcy. Three of the homes below are listed as Houston Mod’s Mods of the Month.
Location: 8119 Stony Dell Ct.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,665 sq. ft.
Price: $199,900
The Scoop: 1954 brick L-shaped ranch on actual Houston hill at end of cul-de-sac. Carpet and tile floors; stone patio in back. Wood paneling in Den. Listed for just under 2 months.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm
More moderately Mod-ish moments as the tour continues . . .
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Read more about: 77061, Glenbrook Valley, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Tours
Joni Webb goes on a tear through Bellaire, describing some new builder homes:
Each year, Bellaire builders compete in a Showcase of Homes where they try to out build each other with more and better amenities, more square footage, more details, more windows - more of everything and anything to win the Best of Show. The builder is the star here, architects are rarely if ever mentioned. I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t want to claim one of these “show” houses myself. Is it truly harder to design an attractive house? Is it more difficult to design a home with inviting curb appeal? I don’t think so. I think it actually must be harder to design one of these detailed overloaded showcase style houses.
And then . . . she takes readers on a tour of Bellaire’s baddest spec homes! Here’s Swamplot’s edited version . . . actual addresses, details and asking prices, and links to the listings have been added (and some contrasting homes Webb likes much more have been left out):
Location: 4701 Braeburn Dr.
Details: 4-5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths; 5,076 sq. ft.
Price: $999,000
The Pitch: “Stunning Mediterranean stone and stucco new construction in Bellaire! . . . Virtual grass added to photo!”
Docent Comments: “Is it Mediterranean or French, contemporary or Tuscan? Take your pick, there are elements here of each style. The front loading garage is the focal point. Can someone please explain the two windows lowered on the stone at the front of the garage? Are they lowered for children or dogs to peer out of them? And why are there two faux windows on each side of them? I count FIVE lanterns on the garage alone. The house itself is barely noticeable, it’s so pushed to the back of the garage. The front door is encased in a square stone facade, again, why? Two turrets of different heights flank the front door. The stone work is placed with no regard to design. The left turret has a stone base, the right turret has a stone facade with bands of colored stucco at its base. The windows are contemporary, while the house is not. And why are there three faux windows with a small gable above the right turret on the second floor? There is nothing, absolutely nothing attractive about this house. If someone buys it, it will be a miracle.“
Oh, yes . . . there’s more!
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Read more about: 77401, Bellaire, Home Design, Homes for Sale, New Construction: Residential, Tours
This weekend we venture west of Meyerland to tour Maplewood and Maplewood South . . . where the 1960s come back to life — one way or another!
Location: 6110 Cheena Dr.
Details: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,216 sq. ft.
Price: $259,000
The Scoop: 1965 single-story brick home in Maplewood South. Laminate floors with some carpet. Den has raised, beamed ceiling, window seat, corner fireplace. New appliances and tile in Kitchen; large back yard. Listed since the end of March. Price cut twice, a total of $20.5K.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm
Like what you see? There’s more, this way!
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Read more about: 77096, Homes for Sale, Maplewood, Maplewood South, Open Houses, Tours
Just outside the Beltway, just north of Ellington Field: Homes in this weekend’s tour are in Pasadena, but zoned to Deer Park schools! (Except for the one in Baywood Oaks West, which has found its way into the Pasadena school district.) Follow below as we wander through Baywood Oaks, Baywood Shadows, and Village Grove!
Location: 4727 Baywood Dr.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 1,662 sq. ft.
Price: $169,900
The Scoop: Late (1981) custom “contemporary” in Baywood Shadows. Clerestory windows, brick fireplace, wood paneling, and sloped ceiling in Family Room; private “loft area” in Master. Marble tile in entry and Kitchen; carpet everywhere else. Covered porches along back of house and side; 6-foot-high brick wall encloses back yard. Hot tub and gazebo available separately! On the market since the end of May.
Open House: Saturday, 1-3 pm
The tour continues this way . . .
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Read more about: 77505, Baywood Oaks, Baywood Shadows, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Pasadena, Tours, Village Grove
Houston design blogger (and Swamplot Neighborhood Guessing Game veteran) Joni Webb takes her readers on a tour of the many recent hôtels particuliers that line her daily café run. She explains West U’s new pseudo-Euro look:
When the rebuilding started, most people opted for red brick Georgian styled, two storied homes. Now, the trend is to build with stucco instead of red brick and French instead of Georgian.
Today, while driving to Starbucks and snapping photos of my favorite homes along my route, I noticed that I am very partial to the new, trendy kind of home: stucco, French inspired, with a straight facade.
After the jump: more wisteria and arched French doors, from Joni Webb’s West U Starbucks galerie!
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Read more about: 77005, Home Design, Theming, Tours, West University
Greatwood. Where the builder floor-plan numbers are still fresh, and the sellers are eager to exit their mortgages. Stop by for a visit this weekend — maybe you can help! Here’s our tour of 7 Greatwood homes:
Location: 6614 High Knoll Dr., Sugarland
Details: 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths; 2,185 sq. ft.
Price: $174,549
The Scoop: 1992 brick 2-story by Ryland Homes in Greatwood Knoll. Tile floors in Entry, Kitchen, and Breakfast Area; carpet everywhere else. Covered back patio with built-in gas grill. Listed since the beginning of May; price cut more than $14K.
Open House: Sunday, 2-6 pm
The tour continues below . . .
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Read more about: 77479, Fort Bend County, Greatwood, Open Houses, Sugarland, Tours
Southern ranches almost as old as air conditioning itself! This week’s homes are low slung and and unsung, but still have room to party in back! Woodside, Braes Terrace, and Knollwood Village hook into the bottom of the Loop, between Stella Link and South Main.
Location: 8714 Bevlyn Dr.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,955 sq. ft.
Price: $329,900
The Scoop: Expansive 1953 brick ranch in Braes Terrace. Featured here back in August, for $55K more, before all that beautiful wood paneling was painted over. Game Room, Study; Sunroom leads to backyard deck and pool with changing rooms and half bath. Just relisted.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm
More dressed ranches this way . . .
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Read more about: 77025, Braes-Terrace, Homes for Sale, Knollwood Village, Open Houses, Tours, Woodside
Briargrove and Briargrove Park are 5 miles and (to judge from this weekend’s open houses), about $700,000 apart. But both feature homes so eager to be sold that they’re giving up a good portion of their Memorial Day weekend just so you can visit.
Location: 10335 Lynbrook Hollow St.
Details: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths; 2,958 sq. ft.
Price: $410,000
The Scoop: 1976 brick home on cul-de-sac in Briargrove Park, built around brick courtyard. Two bedrooms, including Master, downstairs. Partial second story. Partially covered deck in back. On the market since mid-January. Price cut $25K last week.
Open House: Sunday, 3-5 pm
More Briargrovian homes below:
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Read more about: 77042, 77057, Briargrove, Briargrove Park, Open Houses, Tours
Just west of Pine Brook in Clear Lake — and draped loosely around the Bay Oaks Country Club and Golf Course — is our latest tour venue: Bay Oaks! Here’s a preview of four neighborhood open houses open this weekend:
Location: 14418 Lofty Mountain Trail
Details: 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths; 3,538 sq. ft.
Price: $425,000
The Scoop: 1990 Georgian-like home across from golf course. Windows have simulated keystones and shutters, thin sashes. Kitchen recently overhauled. Listed for a little more than 3 weeks; price dropped $4.9K today.
Open House: Sunday, 3-5 pm
More Bay Oaks fun below!
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Read more about: 77062, Bay Oaks, Clear Lake, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Tours
Champions has a golf course, Cy-Fair schools, and FM 1960. What’s not to like . . . unless you’re a loser? Plus: tall trees, and neighborhood names like Champions Park, Champions Place, Champions Colony. This weekend’s tour of open houses includes a home in nearby Barrington Woods. It’s a winner too!
Location: 5907 Lookout Mountain Dr.
Details: 3-4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths; 2,335 sq. ft.
Price: $169,000
The Scoop: Late-seventies 2-story home on large cul-de-sac lot next to Champions Golf Course, in Champions Colony. Mostly tile floors; partial brick exterior. Beamed-ceiling Living Room has adjacent Bar. On market for 2 weeks.
Open House: Saturday, 1-4pm
More Champions . . . after the jump!
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Read more about: 77069, Champions, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Tours
Westhaven Estates is patio-home heaven! There are no wasted yards, and all homes are carefully protected from the streets. This weekend: Tour some freestanding homes for sale here!
Location: 2323 Potomac Dr.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths; 3,018 sq. ft.
Price: $584,900
The Scoop: 1999 Dollhouse Mediterranean in 8-building gated compound. Carport fronts 2-car garage. Master retreat has gas fireplace and bay window; adjacent Media Room with wet bar and balcony is next to separate Study. Hardwood floors on second-level living areas. Has been on market for 2 months already.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm
More patio homes this way . . . !
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Read more about: 77057, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Tours, Westhaven Estates
Pedestrian scribe John Lomax and Marfa City Council candidate David Beebe have, by this time, earned the right to make a few sweeping statements about various Houston neighborhoods. And Lomax exercises that right in his chronicle of the pair’s latest adventure on foot, along Richmond Avenue from Mission Bend to Midtown:
. . . the epicenter of H-Town cheese is the corner of Fountainview and Richmond. A four-story, day-glo, red, white, turquoise, and tan building looms over the southeastern corner there, and it houses a Sprint shop, a little downstairs bar with the godawful name Identity, a scalper’s office, a massage therapist, and a huge Darque Tan outlet.
Sure, Westheimer’s got some cheese, and is a little tattered around the edges in spots, but there’s a veneer of gentility as expressed by old-line businesses like Christie’s Seafood. Richmond, by contrast, used to have that sub-Landry’s fried seafood emporium King Fish Market, which despite the incessant awful commercials that polluted local airwaves circa 1999, is now out of business and practically in ruins. The whole lot of it is a great vat of rancid Velveeta.
As is much of the Richmond Strip. That giant sax outside of Billy Blues is looking more and more like the torch sticking out of the sand at the end of Planet of the Apes.
After the jump: how’s the nightlife?
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Read more about: 77027, 77042, 77056, 77057, 77063, 77082, Afton Oaks, Nightlife, Pedestrians, Richmond Ave., Richmond Strip, Streets, Tours
April 25, 2008 – 11:51 pm
In this episode: Bellaire east of Newcastle, aka Southdale. Close to parks, schools, pools, and trains! Our open-house tour features new homes, newer homes, and an actual Bellaire original.
Location: 4340 Valerie St.
Details: 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths; 4,048 sq. ft.
Price: $809,000
The Scoop: 2005 “great party house” on corner lot designed “to maximize liveable space.” More is . . . uh, more! Mudroom, Game Room, Sewing Room, wine bar; Pantry has second refrigerator. Master Bath has double doors. Listed since February; price just chopped $6K.
Open House: Sunday, 2-5 pm
On with the tour!
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Read more about: 77401, Bellaire, Homes for Sale, Open Houses, Southdale, Tours
April 18, 2008 – 11:53 pm
Welcome to Lazybrook, a sleepy little northwest corner of the Loop that really only gets riled up when White Oak Bayou decides it wants some action! These four lazy homes will be open this weekend . . . if you feel at all like stopping by. Or not. Whatever.
Location: 1811 Tattenhall Dr.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 1,652 sq. ft.
Price: $288,000
The Scoop: 1957 ranch with selective updates, including Lone Star pattern in leaded-glass front door, ceiling fans, crown molding, and “marbleized look formica” countertops. Back yard has small wooden deck on top of pavers; sprinkler system. On market since mid-January; $7K price cut in March.
Open House: Sunday, 2-5 pm
Want more like this? This way . . .
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Read more about: 77008, Homes for Sale, Lazybrook, Open Houses, Tours
