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Post by waywyrd on Oct 18, 2024 14:03:41 GMT
Bargain Block New Orleans - ouch. They lost money on this one. I don't know if their business model is going to work in that market...but the house looks great. I could have done without the astrologer nonsense, though.  2517 19 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70119
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Post by nennie on Oct 18, 2024 15:21:57 GMT
I don't think I would like my primary bedroom to be back to back with the rental primary bedroom. I would have to use the primary upstairs. I would have preferred to have gutted the entire bottom floor and made all the living spaces bigger.
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Post by waywyrd on Oct 25, 2024 15:30:06 GMT
Bargain Block - on to another duplex in New Orleans, they're doing the same things to this one. Apparently the parking situation caused the lack of interest on their first flip?
Anyway, they did the rental half first. I didn't love the yellow-ish cabinets and I SO wish Keith would get a bag of $2 tile spacers and use them, but overall it was fine. Those wonky grout lines on the floor would forever bug me, though.
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Post by Bearcata on Oct 25, 2024 16:39:23 GMT
Bargain Block - on to another duplex in New Orleans, they're doing the same things to this one. Apparently the parking situation caused the lack of interest on their first flip? Anyway, they did the rental half first. I didn't love the yellow-ish cabinets and I SO wish Keith would get a bag of $2 tile spacers and use them, but overall it was fine. Those wonky grout lines on the floor would forever bug me, though. This.
Keith always does this and it annoys me to no end. It is so sloppy. Seriously, I would not buy a house due to sloppy grout lines because it would cost me a lot of money to fix it. Use a laser level if you are too lazy or to cheap to buy some spacers.
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Post by Bearcata on Oct 30, 2024 9:02:23 GMT
I also checked the listing on Redfin and Realtor. Ever notice the HGTV crowd overprices all their homes. It was bought in 2021 for $2,500,000 and in 3 years Christina wants $4,500,000? I don't think they are going to get it. The estimates of its value are in the $3,000,000 range.
Just checked the link and the house is "off market". |
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Post by Bearcata on Oct 30, 2024 9:11:14 GMT
Bargain Block - Season 4 - Episode 7 - 2nd New Orleans episode - Looking to the Stars - Oct 16, 2024 Liked the taupe colored cabinets in the kitchen and it was a smart choice to have 42 inch uppers. Counter tops look great. Not a fan of the stained glass window. I like transparent glass not the opaque kind that was used. It looked very brown and not green on my TV screen, but I appreciate they incorporated some local architecture. Loved the tile floor in the bathroom, such a nice spin on hex tile. Not sure about the tile job on the bathtub tile surround. I have said this before Keith is sloppy with his tile work to the point the grout lines look off. I did not know what to think of the Tarot Card Reader. Adding a bit of New Orleans flare I guess. The house looked very nice once both parts were finished. I liked that the Antique Shop owner, Julie commented that after Hurricane Karina a lot of flippers came into town and did really back reno jobs and that the homes were even worse afterwards. She also mentioned that many flippers are just there for the quick buck.
Someone is doing a really good job with the staging.
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Post by waywyrd on Oct 30, 2024 12:49:30 GMT
Windy City - Alison found a kindred soul in this week's clients, the wife was into everything Alison loves. Pier mirrors, sconces, non-working fireplaces filled with candles. The house looked lovely when finished, but they're all starting to look the same to me. Light wood flooring, white walls, marble tile, antique/stained glass doors for the pantry.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 2, 2024 17:46:08 GMT
Bargain Block - Season 4 - Episode 8 - 3rd New Orleans Episode - "Fat Tuesday Skinny Budget" - October 23, 2024
New house starting on the Rental side this time. Liked the color palette was is a light muted purple - it looked grayish. Being muted really made it look classy.
Really like the kitchen backsplash tile. I normally detest stacked square tiles but this tile had a little lip, looked like a Shaker style tile, and it looked really good.
Liked the star pattern on the bathroom floor but did they have to focus of Keith's crooked grout lines. I and other posters have mentioned before Keith needs to invest in tile spacers.
Really liked the kitchen in this home. The slightly wider home makes a huge difference.
Funny how folks want off street parking in an area built before cars and the lots are very narrow and there are no alleyways. Good luck with that. Too bad about the low ball offer of $369,000 on their first property.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 3, 2024 0:00:49 GMT
Bargain Block - Season 4 - Episode 9 - 4th New Orleans Episode - "A Second Chance in NOLA" - October 30, 2024
The boys bought a second house and doing a lot of the work themselves due to an outflow of cash, they even moved into the property while they were working on it.
I don't know how staged it was but Evan and Keith ended up dancing in a Mardi Gras parade. I think Keith may be tone deaf.
To be honest some of the boys color palettes can be questionable. Brown. Brown. Brown. Not a fan. I am watching the kitchen backsplash being put in and brown tiles with brown cabinets; I am not thinking kind thoughts.
However after staging and seeing that the boys used white grout the brown tile does not look that bad. Both Bathrooms that were shown had some very nice tile and the install looked good. In fact the entire staging looked very good. Very much some decent older furniture with modern lighter colored, more neutral pieces looked very nice. Hope they get more for this house than the first one, at least break even.
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Post by Kao on Nov 3, 2024 15:30:18 GMT
I've been meaning to catch up with Alison and her messiness but got sidetracked into watching "Scariest House In America" with Retta. "Scariest" in this sense having a haunted, weird, or raggedy appearance, with the winner getting a 150k makeover from none other than Alison (who loves working with Retta on these shows). Some of these folks you could tell were really hoping for that Scariest House money to roll in and bankroll their reno because their houses were already in reno mode.  While a lot of the houses were awesome in their own right, the winning house was weird as hell but had fabulous bones? This project was Alison at her best because the reno was absolutely amazing, and by amazing I mean my jaw dropped. I loved everything she did; hell, I wanted that house after she was done! It's only 4 shows, with 3 at 30 minutes and the final show with the renovation clocking in at around 45 minutes, so it's a nice afternoon watch. I definitely recommend it! |
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 5, 2024 0:40:23 GMT
Windy City Rehab Season 4, Episode 2 - Little Cabin in the City - October 01, 2024
Why does it seem like any renovation done in the city of Chicago is this monstrous drawn out process, to the point the couple was willing to sell the property and walk away. Home ownership is not for the faint of heart.
A slow general contractor seemed to be the main problem but he was hired by the owners not Alison.
I do wish we had a look at the basement rental.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 5, 2024 0:45:19 GMT
Windy City Rehab Season 4, Episode 3 - Tell Me What You're Thinking - October 08, 2024
Condo Penthouse Renovation. Couple both in finance want high end modern Parisienne style. Boyfriend thinks it should be about $200,000 to $300,000. Alison laughs. And they are going to live there during the renovation.
I don't think the camera really did a good job showing the quality of the finishes as the apartment ending up looking very white on white, with white oak flooring, white oak cabinets (cost $95,000), with a lot of white on white furnishings, a little bit of leather, and some black accents. All for $503,000.
We did get introduced to some new carpenters and cabinet makers Alison is working with.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 5, 2024 6:51:36 GMT
Windy City Rehab Season 4, Episode 4 - Second Time the Charm - October 15, 2024
First, Alison is a great narrator, she tells a story through out this entire episode and it works.
Second, I am amazed that Alison didn't explode. You could tell she was completely frustrated with "The Boys". You have to give credit to Alison that she knows the business end of construction, she knows the process, she does the numbers. I appreciate seeing the business end of the operation. It was also nice to see the new people Alison is adding to her team and see them also narrate a bit of the story.
Third, didn't it seem through most of the episode that "The Boys" might be these dubious business guys (con men) trying to pull a fast one, over who I am not sure. But they don't seem that competent or have a severe lack of time management. I hope they manage the rental part of the business better then the construction side of the business.
Fourth, Alison does tend to prefer black & white as her go to color palette, but it works in this house with the addition of the red mahogany tones of the floor color and kitchen cabinets. The woman knows how to pick out beautiful tile. I know she loves an arch but in this case it worked, in the fireplaces, in the doorways and in some of the antique mirrors. Alison also knows how to design a bathroom. I would live in that house.
Fifth, I really like the experts Alison finds and the show does showcase the work done in the cornice boards and staircase and how much it costs. I really like the work relationship Alison has with the people she finds to do this type of work.
Sixth, overall I enjoyed the episode and liked the end product.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 5, 2024 22:15:20 GMT
Windy City Rehab Season 4, Episode 5 - Do You Like Me? - October 22, 2024
First time in a long time there were not permit issues, there were no money issues, there were no contractor issues. Alison was so happy working with professionals, going fast and no delays.
Then there were the clients. Why hire a designer if you are going to argue and not take their advice?
Luv'ed the husband, a firefighter and an electrician who did so much of the work that they saved $110,000 on the build and the wife still refused him closet space in that huge master closet.
Liked the skinny shaker kitchen cabinets. Luv'ed the addition on that house, extending the basement, the living space and bedrooms. WOW, simply WOW.
Again seeing more of Alison's new design team with the two new design assistants and Daniel the new carpenter.
That couple had a really good architect and I liked how they kept arches and such in the home to the point the addition seemed seamless.
Overall another good episode.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 5, 2024 22:40:21 GMT
Windy City Rehab Season 4, Episode 6 - Glamour Without the Glitz - October 29, 2024 I don't think I would want to live 5 months in my basement, with 2 dogs and a cat, and a spouse, and work remote. Congratulations to the homeowners for staying sane.
I was shocked that the homeowners were being charged $5000 per month for their short term rental and that after 4 months and $20,000 they moved back into the basement. Would it not have been cheaper to actually sign a lease for one year somewhere as the build did take about 10 months?
The house was beautiful. It had such good bones, and the outside was just in such good condition. I guess this is what a standard two flat looks like in Chicago. After seeing the homeowners flat I almost didn't want them to convert it to a single family home. My biggest take away from this episode is that again there was a really good General Contractor (Joel) who knew what he was doing and moved the job along. The workmanship on the house looked really good. I don't know if production is changing how it films or how it edits but you do get that it is a huge project. Again we are meeting more of Alison's design team. Oh, my gosh Kristi spoke. Yes, seeing people be respectful and loving what they do and working together, it's so beautiful. Is there a stained glass window or door that Alison doesn't love and want to incorporate into a home? That pier mirror was exquisite. I am a sucker for a white oak floor. Wish there had been a chance to see the tile in the bathrooms better. I do agree with the homeowner that Alison and her team do great lighting and yes it is needed and really adds to focus points to each room.
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Post by waywyrd on Nov 7, 2024 23:55:41 GMT
Bargain Block NO - while I liked most everything inside (especially that pale blue tile they got a deal on) whyyyy did they do the entire exterior in such a dark, gloomy color? It looked so out of place.
I don't know why they make out like Shea is selling the homes down there for them, she's not licensed in New Orleans. HGTV is being shady. Again.
Then the guys say they're not selling this one, they want to hang on to it to live in when they come back down? I'm confused, I thought they really needed the money from these flips.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 10, 2024 23:20:45 GMT
Bargain Block season 4 Episode 10 - Marie Antoinette Jazz House - November 06, 2024 - season finale? Third and last house done in New Orleans
Keith and Evans third flip house in New Orleans and least expensive at $84,000.
I was a tad confused as the boys said the real estate market was different in New Orleans vs Detroit. Houses don't sell in the summer heat of New Orleans vs the pretty steady year round sale of houses in Detroit. However the entire point being that the boys were working in New Orleans during the winter months so all of their homes should have been on the market in the spring.
Who paints a house black in a very hot area of the country???? Like that was a good idea.
Loved the tile selection especially that pale blue elongated hexagon with the narrow border. It looked great in the kitchen and bathroom.
Both the Marie Antoinette and Jazz sides of the house looked great.
LOVED the stove hood and alcove in the Marie side of the house. LOVED IT.
Did like that the boys did a summary of the house renovation business at the end of the episode.
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Post by Bearcata on Nov 10, 2024 23:28:50 GMT
Bargain Block NO - while I liked most everything inside (especially that pale blue tile they got a deal on) whyyyy did they do the entire exterior in such a dark, gloomy color? It looked so out of place. I don't know why they make out like Shea is selling the homes down there for them, she's not licensed in New Orleans. HGTV is being shady. Again. Then the guys say they're not selling this one, they want to hang on to it to live in when they come back down? I'm confused, I thought they really needed the money from these flips. In a hot part of the country and with no trees to cast any shade, are they insane? |
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