Flipping The Block - General Discussion

[auntjess]

 

I was also amazed that the off center plumbing in the bathroom was not addressed.                                                                                            

I noticed that, but figured that fixing that would require removing sections of the tile and retiling, or even moving the plumbing.

Thought maybe they just didn't have time/money to do it.

[QuinnM]

 

 

I noticed that, but figured that fixing that would require removing sections of the tile and retiling, or even moving the plumbing.

Thought maybe they just didn't have time/money to do it.

 I know they said that they couldn't use part of the $2500 for the living room but did they say that they couldn't use part of their remaining budget to fix something?  I absolutely cheated and looked at the auction photos and that was the only bath that did not show the shower.  So who knows.  If they did fix the plumbing that that would be the house I would buy.  Two sinks, laundry out of the kitchen etc.  It did have a downs.  The pool is in the front of their house.  So any pool party would be your party. Ack.

 

Big Hair/DD house looks rustic.  It looks too rustic.

[needschocolate]

Big Hair/DD house looks rustic.  It looks too rustic.

 

Even though they were going for "Beach" in the backyard and "Spa" in the bathroom.  I suppose Beach and Rustic can be similar - driftwood anyone?  But Spa and Rustic - nothing luxurious about rustic.

 

If you want to sell your flip for as much as possible, you should be neutral in design - going with a theme won't help you.  Part of their problem was trying to have a theme in each room and another part of their problem was not having the same theme everywhere. 

 

Every time I watch a design completion show (Design Star or White Room Challenge) I marvel at how each designer has to have two styles, and they don't always go together - "My style is Early American Eclectic."  Curtis and Amanda's style is Eco-friendly Rustic Spa at the Beach

[GaT]

Every time I watch a design completion show (Design Star or White Room Challenge) I marvel at how each designer has to have two styles, and they don't always go together - "My style is Early American Eclectic."  Curtis and Amanda's style is Eco-friendly Rustic Spa at the Beach

Yes!, that drives me crazy, their style is "preppy bohemian" or "glam casual" or "beach rococo" or "lumberjack sexy" or "mid century rustic". I never know what the hell they're talking about, & after they finish the room, I still don't know what the hell they're talking about.

[DownTheShore]

I don't think they know what it is either, because they have no conception of  what the words they are using actually reference.

Edited August 31, 2014 by DownTheShore

[Sapphire]

Can someone explain the Nicole Curtis dislike to me?  I've seen her show only once and did a quick Google search; everything I found within the first five or so pages was positive.  I don't take her judging seriously and her mouth is a huge (bad) distraction but I'd like something solid to back up MY dislike.

[auntjess]

It isn't so much that I dislike Nicole, it's that from seeing how she works on the houses, I don't respect the quality of her work.
Maybe my problem is that Mike Holmes is the first show of this ilk that I watched, but when I see her put drywall over lathe, with no idea of what's behind it, or other things in that vein, I don't see her as someone who can judge the quality of another's work.

[Wings]

Can someone explain the Nicole Curtis dislike to me?  I've seen her show only once and did a quick Google search; everything I found within the first five or so pages was positive.  I don't take her judging seriously and her mouth is a huge (bad) distraction but I'd like something solid to back up MY dislike.

 

I don't like her taste, my home is modern.  Most decorators have a variety of styles they understand which is necessary when judging or designing a room/house.  She has narrow focus, not good for a judge.  She restores old houses to look just like did when they were built.  Ewwwwww, for me!  

[Sapphire]

I don't like her taste, my home is modern.  Most decorators have a variety of styles they understand which is necessary when judging or designing a room/house.  She has narrow focus, not good for a judge.  She restores old houses to look just like did when they were built.  Ewwwwww, for me!  

 

I have noticed that and she does indeed gravitate towards Amanda & Curtis's style.  Plus, every chance she gets she spouts off something about her repurposing ideas.  I may have to watch some more of her show to get a fuller idea.

[Wings]

I have noticed that and she does indeed gravitate towards Amanda & Curtis's style.  Plus, every chance she gets she spouts off something about her repurposing ideas.  I may have to watch some more of her show to get a fuller idea.

 

 

She likes, old, dark wood and antiques so repurposing fits right in.  You can take an old radio console from the 40's (they were big), take out the radio part and turn it into a chest.  Her repurposing fits right into her style.  If she didn't find old things she would have to buy or build new things and make them look old.  It is more necessity than innovation.

Edited August 31, 2014 by wings707

[DownTheShore]

My problem with her style is that while she restores homes, she doesn't add much appeal to them, at least in my eyes.  I like older homes but she tends to leave the exteriors rather bland.  I don't know enough about building to judge her work, and I do appreciate that she does expose and restore features that were covered up by subsequent remodels.  I'm not into "re-purposing" to the extent that she is, though; I dislike sink bowls stuck on top of bureaus, for example.

 

My impression of her has always been that she knows what she likes, but not necessarily what others might like, which was why I was surprised that she was chosen as a judge.

[QuinnM]

I have absolutely no idea how these units relate to each other. I'm clueless on the placement of the garages. Where are the outside spaces that they did a couple of weeks ago? I would really like a graphic layout of the block.

[blatantlyobvious]

I thought it was really neat to see them joking and having some fun together this week.  Working hard, of course- but just really cracking up and being friendly.  

[Madding crowd]

I also can't figure out how the outdoor spaces and garages relate at all . It looked like they kept showing the same two units, where are the other two? Plus is the pool for all four units? What about the garage? Thought it was kind of a boring episode all around.

[Madding crowd]

Nicole is a niche flipper-her homes only appeal to people who want their homes to look like they are living in the 1920's or whatever time period the house is from. I live in a historic area, and almost all of the homes have historical details, but still have modern kitchens and bathrooms. All of Nicole's homes are dark, she uses old-fashioned granny style light fixtures, and every bathroom has the old style hexagon tiles. This just doesn't appeal to everyone. She also is not always professional. In one episode, she measured wrong for the toilet in a home, so she went to her own house, ripped out her toilet and carried it dripping and used into the flipper house. She also was once using a power tool outside while wearing sandals and no gloves or eye protection.

 

I guess that's a round about way of saying I don't think she is the best judge for this competition. She doesn't like anything contemporary and really hates buying anything new. Since these are not old houses, she has to judge them as they are, but her general attitude comes through.

[mlp]

I agree with the posters above.  I have tried and tried to visualize the area as a whole and can't.  I thought maybe there would be a map of sorts on the HGTV site but I couldn't find one. 

 

I would absolutely hate to have a pool and all the associated partying and noise right in front of my windows and there's no way I'd even consider the condo with the open ceiling or the one with orange everywhere.  I hope the brothers win.

[biakbiak]

Isn't it one building with two units in the front facing one street with the front yard, than two facing the pool and the garages which are either on another street or an access alley and the individual yards off the sides of each unit. The sisters and Amanda and Curtis (their yards were narrower) being on one side with A/C being in the back because their garage is connected and they are by the pool. Than the married couple being in the front, he was standing next to the sister at the reveal of the exterior, and the twins being in the back because both their yards were wider than the sisters and A/C.

A twist on a reality show I believe wasn't scripted, the surprise pregnancy!

Edited September 1, 2014 by biakbiak

[GaT]

Add me to the list of people who don't understand the layout. I also don't understand what the neighborhood looks like, are there a bunch of condos on the same street?

 

After seeing Amanda & Curtis' place again, there is no way I would want to live there. The open ceiling with the exposed wires just looks bad & all that turquoise, *shudders*

Edited September 2, 2014 by GaT

[Wings]

Yep, I am confused, too.   

 

First scene: Big Hair/Curtis and the Black Sisters do not have the pool in front of their units.  .   

 

Brothers and young married have the fancy garage.   Then they flip to young married with back woman in front of the pool!  Now one brother is with big hair at the painted patio.  Who is paired with who???! 

 

Looked again.  The pool is in front of the units with nice wood front doors.   No wait, they all have nice wood doors.  The pool can be seen by the garages and in front of 2 units.

 

I am rewatching it now to try and sort it out.  It has confused me even more.  The edititng is terrible!

[Wings]

Ah, watching the very end which I must have slept through last night.  The young couple have the pool in their front yard but I don't know who is in the unit next door because they have a disadvantage, too.  Anyone know?

[LizBug]

This is the info on the auction company's website ... http://bidkw.com/auctions/view/274

 

Says the units were auctioned on May 17th but doesn't give any spoilers (i.e., prices realized).  There are some good photos of interiors and exterior.   The pool is literally right outside the young married's door.  I think the brothers have the unit next door.  So, they have some grass and a tree in front of their place.    

 

You can enter the property address into google maps and see the street view of the neighborhood ... 1119 Sonora Avenue

Glendale, CA 91201 ... looks like this is the only 4-plex on the block.  

[Wings]

Thanks for that link!  Now I see that big hair is the other one with the pool in their front yard.  Not as bad as the young couple but not the prime location.  The sisters and brothers have an edge unless the busy street is a turn off. 

 

That looks like a terrible neighborhood!    

Edited September 1, 2014 by wings707

[DownTheShore]

Looking at the Google satellite map, and facing the building from the street side:

 

Front building has the fenced private yards to either side of it.

 

On the left side of the building is a driveway leading to the back.

 

Two garages are behind the first building, horizontally, on the left side of the property, separated by the parking pad

 

Two garages extend vertically toward the back from the right side of the front building.

 

There is a gap between the garages that leads to the second building at the back of the property. 

 

That second building has the pool and pergola area in front of it, with the private yards to the left and right of the building.

 

The pergola is behind the horizontally-placed garages.

 

I'm guessing that Big Hair's "boardwalk" to the pool area is behind the vertical garages that appear to be attached to the rear of their townhouse, which would make theirs the townhouse on the right side in the front building.  The married couple has the unit behind the pool, and the brothers had the trees, so that would place them in the rear building, left side.  That puts the sisters in the front building on the left side.

 

Given that there are only four units (and it appears from Google street view to be mainly a mainly a nice single home neighborhood), the units in the back building aren't probably going to have that much noise from the pool and patio area and are probably the more desirable units.  The "worst" unit is going to be the front-left one, IMO, since to access the mutual backyard they have to go around the front of the building, down the driveway, through the garage area and then into the yard.

 

Behind the back building is the Good Samaritan Church property.  It looks like they have storage sheds on their property that back up against where the brothers private yard abuts it.

Edited September 1, 2014 by DownTheShore

[NYGirl]

Wow I didn't see that coming about the pregnancy.  Usually we'd see some kind of lead up to it on the commercials all week.  This was a pleasant outside the box surprise!

 

Daisy Dukes falling over in the tractor thingy had me peeing my pants because he thought he was going to die there with nobody to help him.  Yeah I'm sure the camera crew would have filmed your death. God knows how many crew people were there.

 

Boy was this episode filler. 

 

I hope the brothers win.

[Wings]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1119-Sonora-Ave-APT-D-Glendale-CA-91201/20824247_zpid/

 

 

On the google satellite map I don't see a pool or the other units.  I can only identify the ones facing the street. 

 

DownTheShore what map are you seeing!?

Edited September 1, 2014 by wings707

[QuinnM]

Thanks, I knew it was Glendale which is a nice hop to downtown LA for commute.  It has up and down areas to it.  The front units could be a nightmare for traffic.  I thought the back units had side and back yards, did I hallucinate?  I will say that I see a very long list of association rules.  Basically anyone thinking they can park in from of their garages will be blocking the entrance to the back units.  Any pool activity will shut down at a certain time.  And garbage will need to be strictly enforced. 

 

I'm wondering how much of the details of the pros and cons coming from the buyers we'll be able to get past the edit monkeys.  There are things we can't see and don't know.  But someone looking might mention that the front is a main back route to say UCLA and how they'll never get away from the traffic noise.  Or maybe the front units have half a mile to go with their garbage or worse the garbage is upwind of their yard.  So one more week and we'll know.  

 

I think if Big Hair's unit had an area of the country that bought into the look it will be LA.  I think it is anyone's game.  The unit that found their perfect buyer twice will win since they will both want it bad and bid it up.

[DownTheShore]

wings707 - I was looking at Google satellite view of the property, and Google street view.

 

ETA:  I noted that on that Zillow listing their bathroom shot didn't show the shower faucet - lol.

Edited September 1, 2014 by DownTheShore

[QuinnM]

Wings707, thanks for that.  So looking at it the front units do not have near the private yard space that the back units have.  This kind of use for a double lot in LA is not that unusual so folks may not have the same reaction someone like me in the midwest have to the back units.  The street view shows some of the new work but the satellite is of the units before the rehab.  But you can see how they are laid out.  Thanks heavens, now I can sleep at night.

[Wings]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1119-Sonora-Ave-APT-B-Glendale-CA-91201/2107503015_zpid/ 

Big hair.

 

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1119-Sonora-Ave-Apt-A_Glendale_CA_91201_M25168-82282?source=web

another one no pics

 

http://www.remax.com/realestatehomesforsale/1119-sonora-ave-apt-d-glendale-ca-91201-gid100006521987.html

interesting graf on this one.  Value tanked in 2014

Wings707, thanks for that.  So looking at it the front units do not have near the private yard space that the back units have.  This kind of use for a double lot in LA is not that unusual so folks may not have the same reaction someone like me in the midwest have to the back units.  The street view shows some of the new work but the satellite is of the units before the rehab.  But you can see how they are laid out.  Thanks heavens, now I can sleep at night.

 

 

Since I can;t see the pool I am not sure what is going on.  Who put the pool in?  And where is it?   

[QuinnM]

 

Since I can;t see the pool I am not sure what is going on.  Who put the pool in?  And where is it?

When you look at the satellite you see a large brown yard between the from units and the back units.  The satellite is pre-rehab.  That's where the pool is.  It actually is in the only spot large enough for a pool.  The street view is after rehab but it doesn't let you see the back units.

[Wings]

When you look at the satellite you see a large brown yard between the from units and the back units.  The satellite is pre-rehab.  That's where the pool is.  It actually is in the only spot large enough for a pool.  The street view is after rehab but it doesn't let you see the back units.

 

Thanks, I finally figured that out. 

 

When we watch the auction we may be able to guess who won,  since the price was left up on the young couples condo.  It sold for $352,000

[QuinnM]

 

It sold for $352,000

Or was this the $ sale when they closed out the construction loan the day before the auction?  This is why I loved the Aussie version of this show.  You get so invested in the units and the people that the auction almost makes you crazy.

[Wings]

Or was this the $ sale when they closed out the construction loan the day before the auction?  This is why I loved the Aussie version of this show.  You get so invested in the units and the people that the auction almost makes you crazy.

 

 

I don't know.  Here is the link again.

 

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1119-Sonora-Ave-APT-D-Glendale-CA-91201/20824247_zpid/

 

 

I would love it if this would improve and it looks like the Aussie version is a good place to start.  I will check that one out.

 

Big Brother is slow this morning so I am putting off my erands and chores to obsess about which unit is the best to buy.

 

I think big hair has the best unit as far as location.  Pains me to say this.  The communal space out in front can easily be used as an almost private yard.   So they have their own private side yard as they all do and right out their front yard is a large space to have a gathering without having to lug food and drink to that location.  And everyone can swim right from the party and go back and forth.

 

And the young couple have that same access.  Yes the pool is in their yard but just across from it, a few paces, is the larger yard they can use easily.

 

The huge dowside is the view into that parking lot from the rear windows on both of those. 

 

The others face a busy street.

 

Okay, I have to go to Home Depot and the grocery now. 

Edited September 1, 2014 by wings707

[mecmimi05]

I have looked at the google map and gone to the real estate site that held theauction....best I can tell is that Big hair and the sisters have the front two condos. Remember when Big hair came out of their condo and looked next door to see the sister's ceiling being overhauled and decided she like the exposed beams?

The brothers and the young couple have the back condos with the pool being directly in front of young couple's condo.I felt like this was a drawback for both condos, but after seeing the Google map I realize it is actually a plus because there is more privacy and they have better access to the pool and gazebo area.

Like I have said before, I have enjoyed this show. The fact that they get along rather well is a nice change from all the snark and drama other shows like this always have. I love the pregnacy surprsie...I didn't see that coming.

This episode was very boring......and when they put each contestant with a random contestant to explain what they had done it was plain silly.......what did they do to the garage???? nothing ...same with the pool. I have a feeling they had very little input on the yard either.

I will be very interested to see who wins. I like John and Whitney's, the off center tile work would not bother me, although I would have to yank down the tourquoise frames. The brother's condo is nice too, I prefer a shower, so the fact they have no bath tub would not bother me. The sisters minus all the orange is good, love the back splash in the kitchen. Big Hair and Daisy Dukes.....no way. Hate the exposed ceiling...hate the sand....and feel the kitchen is too busy.

[Wings]

YES!  the stupid format got me confused.  I did see that big hair and the sisters had the front condos at first, I even posted that earlier in this thread.   The editing is terrible and having everyone randomly together at the end here was nuts.

 

I want the brothers to win and John and Whitney second choice because I like them, too.  I prefer their condos, as well. 

[mlp]

I really appreciated the Remax link because it showed me clearly that what I had envisioned was totally wrong.  Now I get it.  The $1.6 million evaluation seemed staggering until I realized that the ad specified one unit but the figures mentioned 8 bedrooms and almost 4000 sq. ft. so were for the whole parcel.  I'd love to know why the value dropped a full million $$ from June to August.  I wonder if that's accurate.

[Wings]

I wondered about that drop, as well.  Perhaps there is a project that has been approved to bulld a big truck rally arena where the church is now.   :-)

[QuinnM]

I did a whole house renovation. The tax inspector came at a point where I had no kitchen ( actually I had a toaster oven and hot plate on the laundry room, but the taxman was not impressed). My house was worth nothing! So if you had run me on zillow it was about a 50% drop.

[Hero]

I really like this show. It is not over dramatized to where everything feels really fake, and I really like that. Honestly, I only started watching this show because I really like Josh Temple. Hopefully there will be another season.

[walnutqueen]

I like this show, too.  My DVR was saving me space when it failed to record this episode, though.  Caught it n Demand;  filler, filler, Phyllis Diller. Or maybe I catnapped through the part where I was supposed to be enthused? 

 

I am really looking forward to seeing the places from a buyer's standpoint - I hope they show some of that input and commenting, rather than just TH and $ results.  I like the lack of interpersonal drama very much - I wish more "reality" shows would reflect the way decent normal people often interact. 

[QuinnM]

The only thing that kept me interested was when they all got punchie from lack of sleep. Josh just losing it over the brother talking to himself was a very real moment.

[Wings]

I like this show too.  It is a refreshing change from all the ones that are shamelessly faked. 

 

It definately needs tweaking and I hope they see the flaws, as we do. 

 

I would love to know more about how they aquired this property and what the circumstances were.  My guess is that is was about to go into forclosure.  That could have been the reason the graf took a dive to the bottom. 

[auntjess]

It looks to have a gas station right down on the corner.

[Wings]

It looks to have a gas station right down on the corner.

 

It looks to have an abondoned strip mall that houses a questionable church, some random, perhaps abandoned, commercial buildings and a bunch of shit real estate everywhere.

Edited September 1, 2014 by wings707

[auntjess]

Yeah, I got a lot of commercial stuff from google maps.

[txvoodoo]

Nicole is a niche flipper-her homes only appeal to people who want their homes to look like they are living in the 1920's or whatever time period the house is from. I live in a historic area, and almost all of the homes have historical details, but still have modern kitchens and bathrooms. All of Nicole's homes are dark, she uses old-fashioned granny style light fixtures, and every bathroom has the old style hexagon tiles. 

 

Nicole is slavishly devoted to a certain look - one might even say she fetishizes it. Not every house built between 1880 and 1920 had subway, hexagon tile, or wood floors, or...many of the other things she loves. 

[needschocolate]

I am going to miss this show.  And these people.  I hope they bring it back again, and I hope they keep casting people that get along and work hard, and don't go for the "drama!"

 

The only thing that kept me interested was when they all got punchie from lack of sleep. Josh just losing it over the brother talking to himself was a very real moment.

 

It sounded to me like he was talking to the stones, not to himself, which I thought was even funnier.  I believe I heard him say, to the stone, something like, "you are going to like it here, and you fit perfectly too."

[GaT]

Nicole is slavishly devoted to a certain look - one might even say she fetishizes it. Not every house built between 1880 and 1920 had subway, hexagon tile, or wood floors, or...many of the other things she loves. 

Also, none of them had the exposed brick she always wants, that drives me crazy. Everything must be authentic, except if Nicole likes something that isn't.

[Madding crowd]

Yes, and her flips take a long time to sell because people don't want the ugly light fixtures, hexagon tiles in every bathroom and nothing but dark, dark, wood everywhere. She renovates and stages every house for her own tastes, not what would likely appeal to buyers. 

[ShellSeeker]

 

Season (or series?) finale.