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Even more than the fact that they suck the life blood out of a neighborhood by having absolutely no ties to it, they simply destroy wonderful homes with their utterly lame HGTV House Hunters aesthetic.
Another house in my neighborhood is about to be ruined by investors, an absolutely original owner 1940 cottage with gorgeous hardwood floors, amazing Art-Deco plaster detailing (the fireplace is museum quality) pristine small kitchen with original tile counters, linoleum floor, corner sink with wall fixture, nice mix of original painted cabinets, some glass fronted, a sweet little breakfast nook with corner cabinets, all tile original bathroom and great wood windows.
Here comes the slate slapped on the fireplace, ugly ass cherry cabinets and granite countertops, ubiquitous SS appliances and laminate floor, a travertine and cherry bathroom, horrid vinyl windows and stacked stone veneer foundation cladding. ARGHHHH!!!!
Ok, I'm a little selfish as it was a great friend who is dying to buy in the neighborhood who missed out as the house was on and off the market in one day, we saw it one day after it was listed and it was too late. But even if it wasn't him, to see it being bought by investors is so disheartening.
Maybe in downtrodden tract communities around the country, but stay out of our historic, tight-knit neighborhoods where folks are clamoring to invest their lives here, not just their money and have an appreciation for the original architecture.
I pretty much think all those things you listed as hideous look wonderful, with the exception of tiling the fireplace and laminate floor. I would suspect lots of people agree with me, which is why the flippers do what they do. Tile counters, linoleum floor, original tile bathroom(probably thousands of little squares all over the floor)? Now we're talking hideous!
In 2005 you could be dumber than a 2x4 and still flip a house for profit.
In 2010 you would have to be dumber than a 2x4 to even try.
You are referring to people in 2005 who bought a property and
sold it 'as is' for more money in a few weeks/months time.
Flipping, in the context of this thread means to buy a defective
property and correct the defects for a profit. Such a business
has always and will always make a profit.
It's really best to read the earlier threads to get an
understanding of what is being discussed before posting.
I am going to take up for flippers. Here in Houston, if they update a 70's or 80's home and resale at a profit - it helps the whole subdivision, as to value.
If they take a totally trashed home of any decade - and make it marketable - kudos to them. They help neighborhood values - they don't hurt them.
We don't have enough historical areas to worry about here. The city is too new.
There was little unique about homes built in the 70s and 80s. The OP is referring to old houses where flippers remove everything that makes old homes unique and replace it with prefab components from Home Depot. There was a house two blocks from me that a previous owner repaired older hardware, keeping the historical elements of the interior intact. Someone came along, bought it, tore everything out, including the original doors and cabinets with crystal knobs, and tossed it out in a pile on the street as if it was junk. The interior now looks like every other house in suburbia.
If something, for example, the tile counter tops were worn down I could see replacing that with something that fits the interior. I would replace it with something as historically accurate as I could afford. Not a granite countertop simply because that is what everyone else is doing.
I imagine forum posters 15-20 years from now lambasting flippers tearing out the old endearing granite countertops and replacing it with cheap titanium countertops (or whatever is the new rage).
Everyone else should just mind their own business.
Exactly.
If someone is that concerned about architectural purity, then
they should put up their own money knock themselves out.
The alternative is to simply let the old building continue to deteriorate and
eventually become nothing. If architectural purity is that important, then
the next owner or the owner after that can restore it to its old-time glory.
Once the flipper buys it, it is the flipper's PROPERTY.
I'll say it again: Money talks, bullcrap walks.
To paraphrase manderly6: It's none of anyone's business what the flipper does.
There was little unique about homes built in the 70s and 80s. The OP is referring to old houses where flippers remove everything that makes old homes unique and replace it with prefab components from Home Depot. There was a house two blocks from me that a previous owner repaired older hardware, keeping the historical elements of the interior intact. Someone came along, bought it, tore everything out, including the original doors and cabinets with crystal knobs, and tossed it out in a pile on the street as if it was junk. The interior now looks like every other house in suburbia.
If something, for example, the tile counter tops were worn down I could see replacing that with something that fits the interior. I would replace it with something as historically accurate as I could afford. Not a granite countertop simply because that is what everyone else is doing.
It's pretty assinine to just assume people get granite because 'it's what everyone else is doing'. It couldn't possibly be because some people like the contemporary look, huh? I think it's great if people like a retro style and want to keep old cabinets or countertops, but don't just assume people who update to modern stylings don't also have minds of their own.
It's pretty assinine to just assume people get granite because 'it's what everyone else is doing'. It couldn't possibly be because some people like the contemporary look, huh? I think it's great if people like a retro style and want to keep old cabinets or countertops, but don't just assume people who update to modern stylings don't also have minds of their own.
What is really "assinine" is calling people asinine because you disagree with them.
Furthermore, you should really learn how to spell before you jump on someone to imply they are ignorant.
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