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Post by Bearcata on Jan 4, 2019 0:47:30 GMT
Laugh didn't bother me, there were times when she would just STARE into the camera and NOT BLINK. The island color was blue to contrast with the white shaker cabinets. She was going for a black, white, grey, blue palette and bit minimalistic. I though it was a bit off in the living/dining area she had this great front door, a fireplace of the same period and put in these horrendous self made pantry doors that were not even the same brown black color as the other pieces. The pantry door did not look as if it belonged. Overall better than I had expected. Blue and white? Okay, I think I watched the very first episode they had On Demand...Bucktown Rebuild. Apparently I've missed the more recent one you're talking about! I need to go check if they have it available to watch yet... And I see there's a new season of Flip or Flop Nashville starting tonight, one of my least favorite ones. Blah. The premiere episode which aired January 1, 2019 was "Windy City Rehab Episodes S01 E01 · Wabansia Made Wonderful". I do believe it was in the Buckhall neighborhood and the host mentioned that they have several ongoing projects in the area.
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Post by Kao on Jan 4, 2019 5:27:10 GMT
It's the Bucktown neighborhood in Chicago. Very nice area with loads of lovely A-Line houses, older brick buildings, and with a smattering of really mod houses. It's especially beautiful in the summer as the 606 Trail runs through Milwaukee Avenue and many of the homeowners have amazing gardens.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 4, 2019 7:13:39 GMT
I watched a bit of a Flip or Flop Nashville from season 1 and they were discussing how to make a 2 bedroom one bath house that was 894 sq ft a 3 bedroom as a 3 bedroom would sell for more. Two of the bedrooms would be 10x10 and the master would be under 12x12. That would be tight.
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Post by waywyrd on Jan 4, 2019 16:51:14 GMT
Finally caught the newest Windy City Rehab (the one I watched was apparently from last July, according to HGTV) - I agree with everyone about the weird pantry doors, they didn't match. Everything else looked a million times better, it really did look like an 80's prison. Flip or Flop Nashville - ugh. Nothing really stood out to me, except the lovely stain that was left on the hardwood floor right as you walked in and the very dark shower in the basement. I hope there was a light that just wasn't on when they did the final walkthrough, it looked like a cave. At least they did pour a new sidewalk...but nothing really wowed me about the house.
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Post by nennie on Jan 4, 2019 17:09:56 GMT
Finally caught the newest Windy City Rehab (the one I watched was apparently from last July, according to HGTV) - I agree with everyone about the weird pantry doors, they didn't match. Everything else looked a million times better, it really did look like an 80's prison. Flip or Flop Nashville - ugh. Nothing really stood out to me, except the lovely stain that was left on the hardwood floor right as you walked in and the very dark shower in the basement. I hope there was a light that just wasn't on when they did the final walkthrough, it looked like a cave. At least they did pour a new sidewalk...but nothing really wowed me about the house. There was no designated dining area and I have seen that a lot recently on these shows. That little area wasn't a real dining space to me. I agree the floors looked good and was glad they were salvageable. Not a big fan of this couples design and I can't imagine a house selling for that price in that area. I guess real estate is more expensive there than I thought. I know the Hendersonville, Franklin and out lying areas of Nashville the prices are astronomical. I know someone who is a realtor in Hendersonville and he is making big bucks in commissions. He works his butt off and has for years building up his business.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 5, 2019 20:55:07 GMT
Season 2 Episode 1 - Flip or Flop Nashville - Jan 3, 2018
3 bedrm, 1 bath, 1204 sq ft. Added AC, vaulted the living room, new stairs to basement, had to remove front hall closet, needed new joists and floors in kitchen and upstairs bathroom. Finished basement, added new bathroom and bedroom. Overall the colors of the walls, floors, and tile were nice as was the staging. However it seemed tight to me. Also don't call that extra eating/workspace you put in the kitchen an island. It is a peninsula. An island is something you can walk around, this is attached to a wall. I also HATE it when they don't put in a refrigerator and when the refrigerator is placed next to a wall so you can't fully open the doors. The outside looked nice with the painted brick and soft green shutters and door.
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Post by waywyrd on Jan 9, 2019 13:56:33 GMT
I'm on the fence with Windy City Rehab - I just really don't like the hosts. A contractor that doesn't like to get dirty and has anxiety attacks every time things go wrong? Maybe he should have chosen a different line of work. But I do like the old houses, they're so different from the architecture down here. The only things I didn't like from the quad they did last night were the rose gold fixtures in the one apartment (I'm trying, they're just not growing on me) and the frayed, painted burlap they put on the wall. Yuck. The faux painting on the other three was nice, though. Loved the tile in the bathrooms.
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Post by nennie on Jan 9, 2019 15:19:31 GMT
I'm on the fence with Windy City Rehab - I just really don't like the hosts. A contractor that doesn't like to get dirty and has anxiety attacks every time things go wrong? Maybe he should have chosen a different line of work. But I do like the old houses, they're so different from the architecture down here. The only things I didn't like from the quad they did last night were the rose gold fixtures in the one apartment (I'm trying, they're just not growing on me) and the frayed, painted burlap they put on the wall. Yuck. The faux painting on the other three was nice, though. Loved the tile in the bathrooms. With you on the hosts. I watched a little of it last night. I do like the houses. I made sure I caught the end to see what it was sold for. They made a nice little profit off of it. Still not crazy about most of her decorating style. OH and that awful tile job on the kitchen that had to be torn off. Where was the contractor or project manager when this was going on. Apparently someone wasn't doing their job.
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Post by Kao on Jan 9, 2019 20:27:57 GMT
Yeah, I was really glad that they decided to not pick the two-flat in Logan Square. Excuse me, but you go to a historic area and call a 1915 building "cookie cutter" because it happens to be on a block where its brothers have not been demolished and you want to put a front on it so it could be unique? How about no? Developers ruined a great deal of the housing stock in the East Village/West Town area by doing just that and the end results are horrible, the buildings don't match the neighborhood and it's just a...mishmash. It got so bad that Wicker Park (another historical neighborhood that is 8 blocks away) Association issued a moratorium that all new builds and renovations have to fit "the character of the neighborhood" and that a good thing, that way you don't get a building that looks like a spaceship next to a Victorian.
They decided on that lovely (from the outside) brick house in Lincoln Park. which is a lovely, high-rent area near the lake. Judging by the address it's really close to DePaul University, which I'm sure helped her decision to keep it a 4 unit rental flat instead of a single family home. Judging by the inside, this house probably has been family-owned for at least 40-45 years because Lincoln Park has been gentrified since the late 80s and the vast majority of the homes there have been renovated. The inside was beyond raggedy and I think that's why it went for only 800k. Overall, I liked what they did with the building; the improvements in the front with the door and windows made it look marvelous, and it was a nice touch to make each unit different.
The fact that the units were furnished was more proof that they were going out of their way to attract college students (most of the people viewing the apartments looked like they were from DePaul), the bathrooms were lovely and upscale, and I loved the wood wall hanging that housed the TV. While the bedrooms were a bit on the small size there was plenty of storage, and the back porches would be a nice gathering point/bbq area for the people in the back units. Kitchens were decent for a rental of that size, and there was plenty of cabinet space. The whole look of the units were more of an upscale condo than a rental so I wasn't surprised that they got people willing to pay 2700/month to live there. It also didn't surprise me that they were able to sell the building for over 2 million.
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Post by waywyrd on Jan 11, 2019 14:54:02 GMT
Flip or Flop Nashville - I do wish he'd stop calling a peninsula an island. The two big crystal chandeliers over the peninsula were too much, and I didn't love the black and white tile they used in the shower and on the floor. The gray pattern tile in the other bathroom was nice. Hardwood floors were gorgeous. I hated the blue trim on the exterior, it was too bright IMO. Yet, they made a bunch of money on that one, so what do I know. I wonder why they never stain/protect the decks they build, and I never see them build a niche into the tub surrounds. It's not that hard.
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Post by nennie on Jan 11, 2019 15:16:07 GMT
Flip or Flop Nashville - I do wish he'd stop calling a peninsula an island. The two big crystal chandeliers over the peninsula were too much, and I didn't love the black and white tile they used in the shower and on the floor. The gray pattern tile in the other bathroom was nice. Hardwood floors were gorgeous. I hated the blue trim on the exterior, it was too bright IMO. Yet, they made a bunch of money on that one, so what do I know. I wonder why they never stain/protect the decks they build, and I never see them build a niche into the tub surrounds. It's not that hard. Didn't like the tile either and wasn't crazy about the hardwood nor the trim. Why can't they do something neutral and then let the new homeowner paint it bright if they want.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 13, 2019 0:29:36 GMT
Flip or Flop Nashville - I do wish he'd stop calling a peninsula an island. The two big crystal chandeliers over the peninsula were too much, and I didn't love the black and white tile they used in the shower and on the floor. The gray pattern tile in the other bathroom was nice. Hardwood floors were gorgeous. I hated the blue trim on the exterior, it was too bright IMO. Yet, they made a bunch of money on that one, so what do I know. I wonder why they never stain/protect the decks they build, and I never see them build a niche into the tub surrounds. It's not that hard. My pet peeve is calling a peninsula an island and this is two episodes in a row when both have done it. They act as if they have changed the floorplan of the kitchen and they have not. Both go, "oh, let's add an island" (really a peninsula) as if they are changing the layout but they have done nothing but remove a knee wall. The grey tile I didn't mind, but the black and white on both the floor and wall was a tad too much. When I had my deck built I was told to wait a year for the wood to do something before painting or staining it. I didn't see why they had to change the vinyl siding as the outside of the house didn't look bad it looked as if it just needed a really good pressure washing. I wish they had spend the money on making a bigger deck on the back of the house. It would have made more sense to make the deck as wide as the house. It would have been more usable space. The house was just over 1,100 sq ft.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 14, 2019 4:53:06 GMT
Windy City Rehab - Season 1 - Episode 2 - Lincoln Park Fourplex - January 8, 2019
I do like how they did the black frame windows, the front porch arch way and rails. I am glad they updated the floor plans (700sq ft apartments) and made the kitchen pieces of art. However those kids must have rich parents to afford the rent. Then adding $400 to rent a garage space. Just wow.
How can regular people even afford homes in those areas unless they are inheriting them from their parents or family members?
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Post by nennie on Jan 14, 2019 15:01:24 GMT
Windy City Rehab - Season 1 - Episode 2 - Lincoln Park Fourplex - January 8, 2019 I do like how they did the black frame windows, the front porch arch way and rails. I am glad they updated the floor plans (700sq ft apartments) and made the kitchen pieces of art. However those kids must have rich parents to afford the rent. Then adding $400 to rent a garage space. Just wow. How can regular people even afford homes in those areas unless they are inheriting them from their parents or family members? That I wonder about too.
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Post by Eastcoastmom on Jan 14, 2019 15:27:56 GMT
Windy City Rehab - Season 1 - Episode 2 - Lincoln Park Fourplex - January 8, 2019 I do like how they did the black frame windows, the front porch arch way and rails. I am glad they updated the floor plans (700sq ft apartments) and made the kitchen pieces of art. However those kids must have rich parents to afford the rent. Then adding $400 to rent a garage space. Just wow. How can regular people even afford homes in those areas unless they are inheriting them from their parents or family members? Only saw the premiere episode but from watching House Hunters over the years, I've found Chicago r/e prices more affordable than Boston, NYC or San Francisco. Or I should say that homeowners with a budget of say 350K can actually buy a nice apartment. Perhaps this show is showcasing more exclusive areas with much higher end properties?
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Post by Kao on Jan 14, 2019 20:15:15 GMT
Windy City Rehab - Season 1 - Episode 2 - Lincoln Park Fourplex - January 8, 2019 I do like how they did the black frame windows, the front porch arch way and rails. I am glad they updated the floor plans (700sq ft apartments) and made the kitchen pieces of art. However those kids must have rich parents to afford the rent. Then adding $400 to rent a garage space. Just wow. How can regular people even afford homes in those areas unless they are inheriting them from their parents or family members? They don't, or they get roommates. Lincoln Park is an extremely fratty/sorority, popular, high-rent area. It's close to the lakefront and world renowned Lincoln Park Zoo, has a ton of restaurants and shops as well as tons of public transportation options. It also seems like it's one of a few neighborhoods that people from the suburbs/neighboring states know about, so when they move here they all want to live there. Studios in older buildings can be reasonable, and I'm assuming that the people who moved into those $2700/m apartments did so with a roommate; paying $1350/m for your half of the rent is comparable to living in DePaul's dorms (but with more freedom) so it evens out.
Also, keep in mind that Chicago is surrounded by many moneyed suburbs, and if a kid is going to college here a lot of parents buy a 2-bedroom condo in Lincoln Pk or other areas of the city depending on where they are going to school and charge rent to the roommate to offset the mortgage.
Naturally, a condo (depending on the size) in Lincoln Park will set you back anywhere from 300-750k, but to buy a house there will set you back 900k+ Personally, with the exception of the zoo I'm not a fan of Lincoln Park as there are plenty of other neighborhoods here that have the amenities but are way more diverse and give you more for your money.
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Post by Eastcoastmom on Jan 15, 2019 0:33:30 GMT
It's always nice to hear what a resident of a certain area can share with us, so thanks, Kao, on the info about Chicago real estate.
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Post by Kao on Jan 15, 2019 5:51:41 GMT
Thank you! I'm just excited because they've never had any shows in Chicago or any other major metropolitan area before. Sometimes they will feature Chicago, NYC, Atlanta, Philly or Los Angeles on House Hunters but those shows are few and far between; you see more cities on House Hunters International. The vast majority of shows on HGTV are set in the suburbs and quite frankly, once you've seen one split level/Colonial/McMansion/ranch you've seen them all.
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Post by waywyrd on Jan 15, 2019 20:31:07 GMT
Finally, a new Home Town! I loved both houses that they showed - both large, distinctive, and had ponds in pretty back yards. It's funny looking at the old stuff that used to be so in style, like the "Scarface" bathroom with the smoked mirrors and ridiculous tub with columns. The tile they ended up using on the bathroom floor was beautiful, and she did the kitchen exactly how I want mine done - white uppers with natural wood cabinets on bottom. The niche over the stove was nice, too.
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Post by nennie on Jan 15, 2019 20:50:22 GMT
My personal taste would have been the other house. I didn't like the niche above the stove at all. They did a nice job but just not my taste. The outside looked a lot better but I know that was a NEw Orleans style porch but I would have put a couple columns under it.
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Post by Kao on Jan 15, 2019 23:08:37 GMT
I loved both homes on Hometown last night but I especially liked the niche that the stove was at in the second house; it reminded me of Spanish/Adobe houses that I like so much. I was glad that they painted all that wood in the Great Room because it really made the room look a lot lighter. The kitchen was balanced out by the wooden cabinets and looked great. My favorite room was the ensuite; I loved the headboard Ben made, and that bathroom was goals. The tiling on the floor and walls was pretty, the tub and shower a decent size, and overall the bathroom was HUGE. I'm wondering what type of house it is because it had French and Southwestern detailing in it.
One of the nicest things about Hometown is that for such a little town there's a good variety of housing stock available there, the residents are diverse, and the homeowners seem genuinely glad that they received Ben and Erin's help. And unlike Fixer Upper I seriously doubt anyone is going to AirBnB the homes.
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Post by MissGriss on Jan 16, 2019 5:59:34 GMT
I loved both homes on Hometown last night but I especially liked the niche that the stove was at in the second house; it reminded me of Spanish/Adobe houses that I like so much. I was glad that they painted all that wood in the Great Room because it really made the room look a lot lighter. The kitchen was balanced out by the wooden cabinets and looked great. My favorite room was the ensuite; I loved the headboard Ben made, and that bathroom was goals. The tiling on the floor and walls was pretty, the tub and shower a decent size, and overall the bathroom was HUGE. I'm wondering what type of house it is because it had French and Southwestern detailing in it. One of the nicest things about Hometown is that for such a little town there's a good variety of housing stock available there, the residents are diverse, and the homeowners seem genuinely glad that they received Ben and Erin's help. And unlike Fixer Upper I seriously doubt anyone is going to AirBnB the homes.I didn't realize that people were using their fixer Upper homes as AirBnBs. Has that happened with a lot of them? If so, that sucks!
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Post by Kao on Jan 16, 2019 6:55:31 GMT
I loved both homes on Hometown last night but I especially liked the niche that the stove was at in the second house; it reminded me of Spanish/Adobe houses that I like so much. I was glad that they painted all that wood in the Great Room because it really made the room look a lot lighter. The kitchen was balanced out by the wooden cabinets and looked great. My favorite room was the ensuite; I loved the headboard Ben made, and that bathroom was goals. The tiling on the floor and walls was pretty, the tub and shower a decent size, and overall the bathroom was HUGE. I'm wondering what type of house it is because it had French and Southwestern detailing in it. One of the nicest things about Hometown is that for such a little town there's a good variety of housing stock available there, the residents are diverse, and the homeowners seem genuinely glad that they received Ben and Erin's help. And unlike Fixer Upper I seriously doubt anyone is going to AirBnB the homes.I didn't realize that people were using their fixer Upper homes as AirBnBs. Has that happened with a lot of them? If so, that sucks! Yup, using them as AirBnBs or else trying to sell them for more money than the neighboring houses because "it's a Fixer Upper house." At first they were selling well because of the novelty value but then people were like "Waco? At this price?" and some of them are still on the market because who is going to buy a 400k house surrounded by houses that are going for 250k renovated? At the same time, you have people who will pay top dollar to say they slept in a Fixer Upper house, so the AirBnBs are popular. I remember it got so bad that the Gaines were trying to make the homeowners who appeared on the show sign a contract that prohibited the owners from making their house an AirBnB and blocked them from selling the home for a certain amount of time but they were heavily criticized and I don't think HGTV allowed them to do it.
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Post by MissGriss on Jan 16, 2019 13:16:46 GMT
I didn't realize that people were using their fixer Upper homes as AirBnBs. Has that happened with a lot of them? If so, that sucks! Yup, using them as AirBnBs or else trying to sell them for more money than the neighboring houses because "it's a Fixer Upper house." At first they were selling well because of the novelty value but then people were like "Waco? At this price?" and some of them are still on the market because who is going to buy a 400k house surrounded by houses that are going for 250k renovated? At the same time, you have people who will pay top dollar to say they slept in a Fixer Upper house, so the AirBnBs are popular. I remember it got so bad that the Gaines were trying to make the homeowners who appeared on the show sign a contract that prohibited the owners from making their house an AirBnB and blocked them from selling the home for a certain amount of time but they were heavily criticized and I don't think HGTV allowed them to do it. How frustrating for the Gaines! To put all that work into making something beautiful for their clients supposed "forever home" only to have people turn around and take advantage of it for financial gain. I'd be pissed, too. I wonder if that was part of what burned them out on the whole thing. The only place that I could see legitimately being used as an AirBnB is the home for the missionary couple that was in Africa most of the year and needed a place to live when they came home for visits.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 17, 2019 0:56:11 GMT
Yup, using them as AirBnBs or else trying to sell them for more money than the neighboring houses because "it's a Fixer Upper house." At first they were selling well because of the novelty value but then people were like "Waco? At this price?" and some of them are still on the market because who is going to buy a 400k house surrounded by houses that are going for 250k renovated? At the same time, you have people who will pay top dollar to say they slept in a Fixer Upper house, so the AirBnBs are popular. I remember it got so bad that the Gaines were trying to make the homeowners who appeared on the show sign a contract that prohibited the owners from making their house an AirBnB and blocked them from selling the home for a certain amount of time but they were heavily criticized and I don't think HGTV allowed them to do it. How frustrating for the Gaines! To put all that work into making something beautiful for their clients supposed "forever home" only to have people turn around and take advantage of it for financial gain. I'd be pissed, too. I wonder if that was part of what burned them out on the whole thing. The only place that I could see legitimately being used as an AirBnB is the home for the missionary couple that was in Africa most of the year and needed a place to live when they came home for visits. Well they did renovate a house specifically to be a Bed and Breakfast and were charging a good $500 a night (I may not be remembering that correctly), maybe they didn't want the competition as they really can't control what a home owner does with their own home. Well, I just checked and it is $1,399.00 for a two night stay for up to 8 people at the Magnolia House and $1,990.00 for a two night stay for up to 12 people at Hillcrest Estate. Hillcrest is booked through July and Magnolia House is booked through July.
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Post by MissGriss on Jan 17, 2019 2:51:25 GMT
Yeah, Bearcata. $88 per night per person for a house seems excessive unless the amenities are off the charts--especially for that part of the country. But I guess people are willing to pay for the Gaines experience.
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Post by Bearcata on Jan 17, 2019 4:26:00 GMT
Yeah, Bearcata . $88 per night per person for a house seems excessive unless the amenities are if the charts--especially for that part of the country. But I guess people are willing to pay for the Gaines experience. Thing is if it is one person, three people or the max number, you have are getting the entire house and you must book for two days. So if it is only a couple than that is a very expensive two days. I thought the entire point of a B&B was to provide an inexpensive alternative to hotels? Maybe in Europe where hotels were not so plentiful in areas but in the US it has always seemed a very expensive form of travel to me.
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Post by Kao on Jan 17, 2019 5:19:30 GMT
Yeah, Bearcata . $88 per night per person for a house seems excessive unless the amenities are if the charts--especially for that part of the country. But I guess people are willing to pay for the Gaines experience. Thing is if it is one person, three people or the max number, you have are getting the entire house and you must book for two days. So if it is only a couple than that is a very expensive two days. I thought the entire point of a B&B was to provide an inexpensive alternative to hotels? Maybe in Europe where hotels were not so plentiful in areas but in the US it has always seemed a very expensive form of travel to me. I always thought that a B&B gave you a personalized, more intimate experience that included meals and was somewhat like staying over at a favorite aunt's vintage home so they cost a little more, but the prices for the Gaines properties border into...price gouging. Not even the B&Bs in Martha's Vineyard/tourist towns in Maine in season cost that much. :/ On the other hand, apparently there are loads of people who will happily pay for that experience so make that money, Gaines family.
As for AirBnBs being more expensive than hotels, it depends on where you're getting the AirBnBs in the States, and for how long. It's a good option where you get your money's worth if you rent the entire apartment/are staying somewhere from 1-3 months because you have a kitchen, the space to yourself, and the option of having more people to save even more. Or if you're new in town and would prefer a situation where you'll have a room/en suite but have someone in the house for company/tell you where and where not to go/give you tips on dining, entertainment, etc you can save even more money. While I've happily used AirBnBs overseas and saved hundreds (and in the case of a month-long stay in Basel, thousands) of dollars I wouldn't use it in the States as I've heard way too many horror stories about hosts misrepresenting properties, being racist, inappropriate to women traveling by themselves, stealing, etc.
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Post by Kao on Jan 17, 2019 17:52:35 GMT
Windy City Rehab: Things got so seriously messy this week, I can't blame her for losing it.
The gods and goddesses must have been smiling on them to be the first to view that penthouse condo. A three bedroom, 2 bath penthouse with parking AND 4 outdoor spaces and a beautiful skyline view in Lincoln Park for a mere 550k? What sort of witchcraft is this? The only reason why I think it went so cheaply is because the building sits on Lincoln Avenue (a very busy, commercial/residential street) and it still had the builder's appliances, cabinets, and baths but it really should have gone for higher. I loved the beautiful arch she found in the salvage shop for the living room bookcase, the sconces she made using wood, glass bars and brass, and the upstairs bar made with the brass sheets on the doors; after they treated it with the vinegar it really looked good. She has a knack for both buying and creating beautiful things that fit perfectly in the urban environment she works in.
Now for the ugly; it's no secret in Chicago that a lot of landlords and flippers "know a guy" (or some guys) who will tuckpoint/renovate/paint/plaster/etc their properties to get around hiring the more expensive union companies. If you're really lucky, you'll get people who have a good word of mouth reputation and even though they aren't union members trained as an apprentice and do beautiful work for less. Those people tend to specialize in a few things, and they do them well. If you're really unlucky you get a "jack of all trades, but skilled at none" sort that knows enough to do some work, but not well, who cuts corners, and (worse scenario) uses the wrong materials because they're cheaper, and I think they got the latter last night. They must be used to working with decent people because they made a typical rookie mistake; they paid that guy the full $7500 upfront, and he took it and bounced. The "staircase" he was trying to make was completely not up to code, he used a flammable wood on the fireplace surround and installed it crooked, didn't finish the ceilings, and wasn't on the job site for at least a week. And then he had the audacity to get upset when she drastically had to change certain designs, hire other tradesmen because she fired him, so he goes to the job site and threatens them with "If I don't get my money by the end of the day I'm calling the city?" For what dude? For being incompetent and doing shoddy work and not showing up so you got fired? I wanted Donovan to drop kick his [redacted] down Lincoln Avenue! At first I thought with his threat my immediate thought was they were working without permits (which you can report and get a job site shut down) but HGTV is involved so I'm sure everything has to be legit for them. Terrible.
Anyway, it all ended well, even if they finished a couple of weeks late; the first person they gave an advanced showing to loved it so much that he put in a cash offer within a week and they made a tidy profit.
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Post by nennie on Jan 17, 2019 19:05:45 GMT
Windy City Rehab: Things got so seriously messy this week, I can't blame her for losing it. The gods and goddesses must have been smiling on them to be the first to view that penthouse condo. A three bedroom, 2 bath penthouse with parking AND 4 outdoor spaces and a beautiful skyline view in Lincoln Park for a mere 550k? What sort of witchcraft is this? The only reason why I think it went so cheaply is because the building sits on Lincoln Avenue (a very busy, commercial/residential street) and it still had the builder's appliances, cabinets, and baths but it really should have gone for higher. I loved the beautiful arch she found in the salvage shop for the living room bookcase, the sconces she made using wood, glass bars and brass, and the upstairs bar made with the brass sheets on the doors; after they treated it with the vinegar it really looked good. She has a knack for both buying and creating beautiful things that fit perfectly in the urban environment she works in. Now for the ugly; it's no secret in Chicago that a lot of landlords and flippers "know a guy" (or some guys) who will tuckpoint/renovate/paint/plaster/etc their properties to get around hiring the more expensive union companies. If you're really lucky, you'll get people who have good word of mouth reputation and even though they aren't union trained as an apprentice and do beautiful work for less. Those people tend to specialize in a few things, and they do them well. If you're really unlucky you get a "jack of all trades, but skilled at none" sort that knows enough to do some work, but not well, who cuts corners, and (worse scenario) uses the wrong materials because they're cheaper, and I think they got the latter last night. They must be used to working with decent people because they made a typical rookie mistake; they paid that guy the full $7500 upfront, and he took it and bounced. The "staircase" he was trying to make was completely not up to code, he used a flammable wood on the fireplace surround and installed it crooked, didn't finish the ceilings, and wasn't on the job site for at least a week. And then he had the audacity to get upset when she drastically had to change certain designs, hire other tradesmen because she fired him, so he goes to the job site and threatens them with "If I don't get my money by the end of the day I'm calling the city?" For what dude? For being incompetent and doing shoddy work and not showing up so you got fired? I wanted Donovan to drop kick his [redacted] down Lincoln Avenue! At first I thought with his threat my immediate thought was they were working without permits (which you can report and get a job site shut down) but HGTV is involved so I'm sure everything has to be legit for them. Terrible. Anyway, it all ended well, even if they finished a couple of weeks late; the first person they gave an advanced showing to loved it so much that he put in a cash offer within a week and they made a tidy profit. That was a major stupid mistake on her part. You don't ever pay that kind of money upfront to someone you have never used before. He was still trying to get more out of her. I would have said buddy the next person you talk to will be the police or my attorney. I hope she filed a lawsuit against him.
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