What's the appeal of the new homes in the H-town area that all basically look the same? (Houston: city hall, rent)

[warpedhybrid232]

I'm just curious what is appeal ing about the new homes that are usually made of lesser quality materials and constructed quickly? I'm just more into the older, renovated houses that don't have the cookie-cutter appeal and would like to know why...

[Guerilla]

You can find this in any city across the U.S. Cookie-cutter homes exist in the suburbs. If you want those older, renovated houses that don't have the cookie-cutter appeal, check out inner Houston. There is a bunch there.

[modster]

Don't get me started....

[Yetti0]

Many homes in the inner loop are often built by architects with one of a kind plan. But the costs go up... Many people cannot afford architecturally designed homes. Builders can build cheaper with mass building.. Its all about $$$.

[modster]

Originally Posted by Yetti0

Many homes in the inner loop are often built by architects with one of a kind plan. But the costs go up... Many people cannot afford architecturally designed homes. Builders can build cheaper with mass building.. Its all about $$$.

That is not entirely true. For those who have to have a certain type of school district, it can be more difficult to obtain in suburbia, but for those that want to live in the city, it is easier than you think.
I deal with a lot of what I would describe as "architectural buyers" who are more concerned with quality of the design rather than what brand the dishwasher is and whether the countertops are granite or silestone.

It often involves going into transitional neighborhoods, but the designs are there. The Architects that Realtors tout in their ads for home in River Oaks and the Museum District, names like Katherine Mott, Bailey Swenson, John Staub & others, also designed many in the MacGregor area. Joseph Finger that designed City Hall, among a number of other noteworthy buildings, designed a slew of houses in the Riverside area.

Robindell, further out Braeswood offers modest but well designed mid-century moderns by William Floyd, one of the noted Architects of the period. Floyd, along with Lars Bang, A. Carroll Brodnax & William Jenkins designed a number of modernist houses in Memorial Bend and Memorial Plaza. Unfortunately the architecturally ignorant will tear them down in a heartbeat in favor of building a fake Tuscan Villa that looks like it would be more at home as the centerpiece of a Florida amusement park.

There is one house in Simms Woods, near Idylwood and Houston Country Club that is a circa 1950 architectural jewel, featured in the hard-cover book called Atomic Ranch, as well as spreads in 002 and other magazines, I think the owner paid in the low $100's just a couple of years ago.

On the "where to live near U of H thread" there are pictures from Glenbrook Valley where most of the homes were originally custom built one-of-a-kind works by named Architects. Even some of the smaller ones. One of the ones on the picture thread was designed by E. Kelly Gaffney, who designed the streamline moderne Knapp Chevy dealership on Houston Ave. It was based on a design by Parent's Magazine and was part of a model home program promoted by the Greater Houston Builders Association in 1956. If that one went on the market today it would be in the low $100's.

It boils down to priorities. If it is a priority to have a well designed unique property, they can be found. You do not have to settle for cookie cutter if you do not want to.

Edit: (I warned you not to get me started...)

[Yetti0]

Originally Posted by modster

That is not entirely true. For those who have to have a certain type of school district, it can be more difficult to obtain in suburbia, but for those that want to live in the city, it is easier than you think.
I deal with a lot of what I would describe as "architectural buyers" who are more concerned with quality of the design rather than what brand the dishwasher is and whether the countertops are granite or silestone.

It often involves going into transitional neighborhoods, but the designs are there. The Architects that Realtors tout in their ads for home in River Oaks and the Museum District, names like Katherine Mott, Bailey Swenson, John Staub & others, also designed many in the MacGregor area. Joseph Finger that designed City Hall, among a number of other noteworthy buildings, designed a slew of houses in the Riverside area.

Robindell, further out Braeswood offers modest but well designed mid-century moderns by William Floyd, one of the noted Architects of the period. Floyd, along with Lars Bang, A. Carroll Brodnax & William Jenkins designed a number of modernist houses in Memorial Bend and Memorial Plaza. Unfortunately the architecturally ignorant will tear them down in a heartbeat in favor of building a fake Tuscan Villa that looks like it would be more at home as the centerpiece of a Florida amusement park.

There is one house in Simms Woods, near Idylwood and Houston Country Club that is a circa 1950 architectural jewel, featured in the hard-cover book called Atomic Ranch, as well as spreads in 002 and other magazines, I think the owner paid in the low $100's just a couple of years ago.

On the "where to live near U of H thread" there are pictures from Glenbrook Valley where most of the homes were originally custom built one-of-a-kind works by named Architects. Even some of the smaller ones. One of the ones on the picture thread was designed by E. Kelly Gaffney, who designed the streamline moderne Knapp Chevy dealership on Houston Ave. It was based on a design by Parent's Magazine and was part of a model home program promoted by the Greater Houston Builders Association in 1956. If that one went on the market today it would be in the low $100's.

It boils down to priorities. If it is a priority to have a well designed unique property, they can be found. You do not have to settle for cookie cutter if you do not want to.

Edit: (I warned you not to get me started...)

I have to agree about the Mc Gregor area and Meyerland as well... Many beautiful homes as well as Heights. I disagree about just wanting a design alone and not quality applliances and the type stone they use its a part of the entire design concept. It a pesonal choice... As for schools Too many feel they have to go to the burbs..we encounter this all the time and there are excellent school inside the loop. One just has to do their homework on school choice.

[warpedhybrid232]

Originally Posted by modster

That is not entirely true. For those who have to have a certain type of school district, it can be more difficult to obtain in suburbia, but for those that want to live in the city, it is easier than you think.
I deal with a lot of what I would describe as "architectural buyers" who are more concerned with quality of the design rather than what brand the dishwasher is and whether the countertops are granite or silestone.

It often involves going into transitional neighborhoods, but the designs are there. The Architects that Realtors tout in their ads for home in River Oaks and the Museum District, names like Katherine Mott, Bailey Swenson, John Staub & others, also designed many in the MacGregor area. Joseph Finger that designed City Hall, among a number of other noteworthy buildings, designed a slew of houses in the Riverside area.

Robindell, further out Braeswood offers modest but well designed mid-century moderns by William Floyd, one of the noted Architects of the period. Floyd, along with Lars Bang, A. Carroll Brodnax & William Jenkins designed a number of modernist houses in Memorial Bend and Memorial Plaza. Unfortunately the architecturally ignorant will tear them down in a heartbeat in favor of building a fake Tuscan Villa that looks like it would be more at home as the centerpiece of a Florida amusement park.

There is one house in Simms Woods, near Idylwood and Houston Country Club that is a circa 1950 architectural jewel, featured in the hard-cover book called Atomic Ranch, as well as spreads in 002 and other magazines, I think the owner paid in the low $100's just a couple of years ago.

On the "where to live near U of H thread" there are pictures from Glenbrook Valley where most of the homes were originally custom built one-of-a-kind works by named Architects. Even some of the smaller ones. One of the ones on the picture thread was designed by E. Kelly Gaffney, who designed the streamline moderne Knapp Chevy dealership on Houston Ave. It was based on a design by Parent's Magazine and was part of a model home program promoted by the Greater Houston Builders Association in 1956. If that one went on the market today it would be in the low $100's.

It boils down to priorities. If it is a priority to have a well designed unique property, they can be found. You do not have to settle for cookie cutter if you do not want to.

Edit: (I warned you not to get me started...)

Nice posting. I liked the relic article you had put up. Checked out Glenbrook Valley because I just admire looking at homes even though I'm tapped out and can't buy any more at the moment. Perhaps in a few years these jewels and others like it will still be in the affordable range that they are now once I shed myself of the boring, cookie cutter house I bought in the burbs of katy and chose to leave + rent out while I live in an older, newly renovated home that once was a houston chronicle model home in the 50's (not a touch of sheet rock, single story, 3k sq. ft. on 1/2 an acre w/ a meadow and sweet, quiet, elderly neighbors) in the much balked at "poor" side of pasadena. It reminds me a lot of san jose, ca before it became all trendy...anyway, do you think interest in these older homes w/ such potential is rising/it's always been a small group interest thing like classic cars? Also, you seem to be a bit passionate about the topic of architecturally well designed homes, may I ask why?

[Yetti0]

Inner loop including memorial... I constantly hear young people from the burbs comment on how beautiful our neighborhoods are and how different in design due to architectual individualilty. They describe the burbs as boring and the same.... From the mouths of babes.

[mpope409]

I never had a problem with cookie-cutter homes. Just become your home may look like someone else's it doesn't mean that you can't make it into your own on the inside. With enough yard space and no restrictions, you'd be surprised with how much you could make your home individual.

[mpope409]

This was actually the lifestyle of the 1950s. Everybody being the same. I'm noticing that it's seemingly becoming the ways of today.