Michelle and JimBob aka J'Chelle and Boob

[Churchhoney]

20 minutes ago, queenanne said:

IMO, the outside of that building veritably screams modern church.

Not too convinced about the innards, but the outside is all church to me, including the big windows.

Well, the guy who built the house said he was thinking of Frank Lloyd Wright's round houses. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the church architects thought of those, too. 

[cmr2014]

2 hours ago, Oldernowiser said:

So it seems like there’s a massive kitchen on the main floor with another kitchen area off of that and yet another after THAT. Plus one downstairs.

 I don’t see how that layout lends itself to any kind of multi-generation living arrangement, although I guess you could put grandma downstairs. If the kitchens on the main floor were at either end of the house, then maybe, but annexed to each other?

It's a massive house, and if the owners did a lot of entertaining, I can see the desire for multiple spaces to prep different courses, etc. I think that the kitchen downstairs is for convenience -- more of a snack area for when people are playing games or watching movies.

[zoomama]

1 hour ago, queenanne said:

IMO, the outside of that building veritably screams modern church.

Not too convinced about the innards, but the outside is all church to me, including the big windows.

i thought the same thing -- makes sense with the muliple kitchens and large open areas.

[ginger90]

If it was a business at one time, even if it’s been closed, it may appear on YELP , for anyone who has the address.

[Minivanessa]

I re-read the Realtor's promotional blurb describing the property, when someone quoted it upthread.

Maybe this is the answer to the air conditioning issue. The blurb said there are two new air conditioners. Those blurbs highlight the updates and upgrades to the property, as anyone who's shopped for a home (or listed one) knows. For instance, if the house has two bathrooms but only one's been remodeled/updated, the blurb could say ". . .and a recently renovated bathroom." However, in the case of the bathrooms, the listing detail - also on the web page - will have the actual number of bathrooms (2) stated, so it's not like anybody can claim to be misled. Two bathrooms, one of which is recently renovated. 

In this case the listing doesn't disclose details of the central air system. For all we know there are half a dozen air conditioning units involved in that system for that huge house. And, the Realtor's just pointing out that two are new.

I'd bet that JB, who had to get the air conditioning system working if he's to have any hope of selling, definitely had to install two new units - either to replace old dead units or to update and upgrade the a/c system. There could be other, older, units that are also part of the system. 

Or, not.

I still do not understand the house, the kitchens, or the Duggars. 

[JoanArc]

It’d make a good ATI retreat center.

[Churchhoney]

2 minutes ago, JoanArc said:

It’d make a good ATI retreat center.

With any luck it'll be too big for that in a year or two. 

[BrianJ1962]

This might be a stretch but here goes maybe this new house is for a new married couple to be? Jana perhaps?

[jcbrown]

1 hour ago, cmr2014 said:

It's a massive house, and if the owners did a lot of entertaining, I can see the desire for multiple spaces to prep different courses, etc. I think that the kitchen downstairs is for convenience -- more of a snack area for when people are playing games or watching movies.

I would have thought that about the downstairs kitchen but the video shows that is has an electric rotisserie, among other things. This house makes no sense. So I guess it's perfect for Boob?

[BrianJ1962]

What's the tale of the tape so to speak between TTH vs This New House (size comparison, amenities etc.) Maybe Mr and MRS Boob want a change of venue?

Edited May 12, 2019 by BrianJ1962

[cmr2014]

43 minutes ago, BrianJ1962 said:

What's the tale of the tape so to speak between TTH vs This New House. Maybe Mr and MRS Boob want a change of venue?

There is a WORLD of difference between the TTH and this house. The TTH is a kit house that was built -- literally -- by children and has had no maintenance in 15 years. The round house has walnut ceilings and walnut detail throughout -- while it may have needed refreshing after 50 years, its a solid house. The TTH will be toothpicks long before its 50th birthday. The TTH is across the street from the dump and surrounded by warehouses, the round house is in a residential area on a nice piece of property.

JB and J'chelle will not be leaving the TTH until their own children push them out in broken office chairs.

[xwordfanatik]

13 hours ago, Churchhoney said:

Just one thing -- There was one kitchen when JB bought the house. He added THREE kitchens. 

It's not that the house was weird when he bought it. He bought a normal (on the inside) house -- with one kitchen -- and made it weird. He could -- and should -- have kept it a normal house by adding one kitchen maybe. But JB is nuts. So he added three. 

Nuts!  I'd think that would be unsold for a long time.  4 freaking kitchens??

And since when do the Duggars cook?  Heat up canned crap, and the dishwashers are mostly unused because they eat off throwaway stuff.  Lazy as they come.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, jcbrown said:

I would have thought that about the downstairs kitchen but the video shows that is has an electric rotisserie, among other things. This house makes no sense. So I guess it's perfect for Boob?

He made it in his own image. 

[Churchhoney]

2 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

Nuts!  I'd think that would be unsold for a long time.  4 freaking kitchens??

And since when do the Duggars cook?  Heat up canned crap, and the dishwashers are mostly unused because they eat off throwaway stuff.  Lazy as they come.

My guess would be that every aspect of the house he really focused on was something where he found a BIG sale on the needed equipment. 

Look! Over here! No! Don't look over there! ......

[NotFundie]

I always figured that Jim Bob intended for that house to be a church for Jerm.  It was how he'd keep Jinger close and Jerm under his thumb.  They could "fellowship" there and have their own little "Big Sandy" conferences.

Little did Boob know that Jerm had much higher aspirations.  It's almost funny.

[Oldernowiser]

52 minutes ago, NotFundie said:

I always figured that Jim Bob intended for that house to be a church for Jerm.  It was how he'd keep Jinger close and Jerm under his thumb.  They could "fellowship" there and have their own little "Big Sandy" conferences.

Little did Boob know that Jerm had much higher aspirations.  It's almost funny.

How long has the Reverend Fancypants been around? JimBob bought this back in 2014, right? I don’t know how this fits with the Jinger courtship timeline?

However, it’s the best theory yet. Still doesn’t explain the kitchens that never end unless organized religion has a lot more food involved than I remember.

Does JimBob have enough pull locally to change the zoning? Given what we’ve seen of Fancypants’ pastoring abilities, the lack of parking wouldn’t be a problem.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Oldernowiser

[Lunera]

8 hours ago, ginger90 said:

If it was a business at one time, even if it’s been closed, it may appear on YELP , for anyone who has the address.

I looked up the address and found a video of the house listing from 2014. I couldn't find any info on the house before that. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Lunera
Removed video bc of address

[MsJamieDornan]

No one reads previous pages anymore do they? I liked that rule on TWOP.

But, I would suggest reading the admins warnings.

After looking at a few of the videos of the house, I understand it a bit better. Not agree, but understand.

Edited May 12, 2019 by MsJamieDornan

[OpieTaylor]

Today.com article says the house was called the Baylor Mansion, so maybe that’ll help a good sleuth find out more about its history. I also read that Boob bought it and another house in a package deal, for $360K.

In the aerial photo of the house there appears to be another small “piece” on the other side of the drive-through carport - I wonder what’s in that room/s?

I wonder where the entrance to the garage is? There’s no driveway except the circular one.

[MsJamieDornan]

8 minutes ago, OpieTaylor said:

I wonder where the entrance to the garage is? There’s no driveway except the circular one.

Under the very large patio.

The Duggars are used to driving on the grass.

Edited May 12, 2019 by MsJamieDornan

[OpieTaylor]

4 minutes ago, MsJamieDornan said:

Under the very large patio.

That’s where I figure too, but there’s no driveway to that entrance- autos have to drive across the grass, I guess?

[MsJamieDornan]

2 minutes ago, OpieTaylor said:

That’s where I figure too, but there’s no driveway to that entrance- autos have to drive across the grass, I guess?

I wonder if it was just for storage or working on cars ?

Not daily driving in and out ?

Edited May 12, 2019 by MsJamieDornan

[FizzyPuff]

8 hours ago, BrianJ1962 said:

This might be a stretch but here goes maybe this new house is for a new married couple to be? Jana perhaps?

Could be, Josiah and Lauren were there for a bit weren’t they?

6 hours ago, NotFundie said:

I always figured that Jim Bob intended for that house to be a church for Jerm.  It was how he'd keep Jinger close and Jerm under his thumb.  They could "fellowship" there and have their own little "Big Sandy" conferences.

Little did Boob know that Jerm had much higher aspirations.  It's almost funny.

Isn’t Ben doing some bible church stuff? Could be Bens church and him and Jessa would move in?

[Churchhoney]

7 hours ago, OpieTaylor said:

That’s where I figure too, but there’s no driveway to that entrance- autos have to drive across the grass, I guess?

That apron-looking cement thing that circles the house on both sides --it looks like a sidewalk --  is actually wide enough for a car. You can see on the satellite by comparing nearby cars to it that it would -- just barely -- accommodate a car. 

That is a big house, and the actual driveway is extremely wide -- considerably wider than the street in front of the house -- which is why that lane looks super-tiny. You probably wouldn't want to drive down it very often, because you'd probably run down the grass next to it a bit since it curves the whole way. But it's definitely big enough to accommodate any car or probably even a small pickup truck. 

And there's also a carport. 1969 was still the age of the carport. Plus, you'd probably rather nip out of the house to the carport when you were going somewhere than always going down into the basement and driving all the way up and around the house. 

So I imagine they usually parked the cars up there in the carport. And they just used the garage to store -- and possibly tinker with -- a couple sports cars or antique cars or something that the owner may have collected. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Churchhoney]

3 hours ago, Puffin said:

Could be, Josiah and Lauren were there for a bit weren’t they?

Isn’t Ben doing some bible church stuff? Could be Bens church and him and Jessa would move in?

Maybe after some years have passed. I expect at the moment JB would really rather sell it for 1.8 million dollars! 

[NotFundie]

9 hours ago, Oldernowiser said:

How long has the Reverend Fancypants been around? JimBob bought this back in 2014, right? I don’t know how this fits with the Jinger courtship timeline?

However, it’s the best theory yet. Still doesn’t explain the kitchens that never end unless organized religion has a lot more food involved than I remember.

Does JimBob have enough pull locally to change the zoning? Given what we’ve seen of Fancypants’ pastoring abilities, the lack of parking wouldn’t be a problem.

I agree.  I think Jim Bob originally just thought he'd make money on it.  But the additional kitchens makes me wonder if he didn't think this would be a good house to hold meetings, conferences, weddings, etc.  Ben could have been the minister and the younger Duggars could be the slave labor to help clean and keep the grounds neat.  Jana and the older girls could do Gothard-approved classes for women and girls -- all for a fee, of course.  And then Jeremy came along and Boob found a new headliner.

I think Jim Bob is always out there looking for an angle.  Everything he does furthers his agenda and most of it has to do with getting more money.  After all, he did sink a quarter of a million into a failed campaign for office while his children were wearing second-hand shoes and eating food that pitying neighbors left on their front porch.  I think he fancies himself as the fundie Rockefeller of Arkansas.

Boob already has his own personal pilots - John David and maybe Josiah.  He will have his own lawyer, Derek. He's training brainwashed Joe to be his right hand man.  Jeremy was going to be his own owned minister.

Edited May 12, 2019 by NotFundie

[Albanyguy]

3 minutes ago, NotFundie said:

Jeremy was going to be his own owned minister.

And the ONLY reason I feel any liking at all for Jeremy is that he was able to stick a fork in Jim Bob's plans for him and Jinger. Right from the start, it was clear that Jim Bob felt threatened by Jeremy's challenge to his alpha male status, which makes Jeremy my favorite among the sons-in-law (not that the bar is set very high there).

[Churchhoney]

12 minutes ago, NotFundie said:

I agree.  I think Jim Bob originally just thought he'd make money on it.  But the additional kitchens makes me wonder if he didn't think this would be a good house to hold meetings, conferences, weddings, etc.  Ben could have been the minister and the younger Duggars could be the slave labor to help clean and keep the grounds neat.  Jana and the older girls could do Gothard-approved classes for women and girls -- all for a fee, of course.  And then Jeremy came along and Boob found a new headliner.

I think Jim Bob is always out there looking for an angle.  Everything he does furthers his agenda and most of it has to do with getting more money.  After all, he did sink a quarter of a million into a failed campaign for office while his children were wearing second-hand shoes and eating food that pitying neighbors left on their front porch.  I think he fancies himself as the fundie Rockefeller of Arkansas.

Boob already has his own personal pilots - John David and maybe Josiah.  He will have  his own lawyer, Derek. He's training brainwashed Joe to be his right hand man.  Jeremy was going to be his own owned minister.

And now he's got his personal big white elephant. 

I think you're probably right about JB having had some fantasy like that. But -- as we've so often said when it comes to the Duggarlings starting businesses and so on -- can you imagine them actually puling something like that off?

Plus, there really would be no place to park .... and I expect the neighbors in the subdivision would have something to say about it if he bulldozed the grass and trees off the whole lot and filled their quiet little subdivision road with a ton of cars coming to events. It's not clear he could get away with it, because I expect some influential people may still live in that neighborhood. It was clearly a nice one when it was built.  And it was probably still being built well into the 70s if not a little longer.

So now, if he's really really lucky, he may get back his investment into the house when he sells it. Or not. .... Especially if it stays on the market very long -- and it will. 

Of course, my judgment may be wavering here because I'm so eager to see Boob's dreams get kicked in the head.  ;  )

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Minivanessa]

I revisited the RE listing page that is linked to in the People article and the article on the Today show website. Down the right side of the page are other residential properties in the same area and price range, both for sale and sold.

I didn't click on all of them, but none of them appear to be for properties as odd as the one JB is trying to sell for $1.8 million. Some of the properties are homes in town, others are on several acres of rural property. The in-town properties tend to sit behind gates. The houses whose slideshows I viewed seem heavy on the faux Tuscan decor which I don't much like. But they seem much more inviting and useful as family homes than that crazy round bunker. There are lovely houses on lakefront property, and one recent comparable sale is a very attractive complex with one or two guesthouses in addition to the main house. 

JB's up against some stiff competition, IMO. $1.8 million can buy you some fabulous property in that area - a lavish in-town estate or an attractive place in the country on a lot of land. Or, JB's strange bunker in Springdale with one kitchen per bedroom. Oh-kay. 

I wonder how long he'll last with this Realtor. Maybe she figures if she can sell this one for anything near the list price it will enhance her professional standing (as a miracle worker!) as well as bring in a nice fee. But it cracks me up that on the listing page itself you can see the much more attractive competing properties in that price range. Heh.

[Churchhoney]

54 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I revisited the RE listing page that is linked to in the People article and the article on the Today show website. Down the right side of the page are other residential properties in the same area and price range, both for sale and sold.

I didn't click on all of them, but none of them appear to be for properties as odd as the one JB is trying to sell for $1.8 million. Some of the properties are homes in town, others are on several acres of rural property. The in-town properties tend to sit behind gates. The houses whose slideshows I viewed seem heavy on the faux Tuscan decor which I don't much like. But they seem much more inviting and useful as family homes than that crazy round bunker. There are lovely houses on lakefront property, and one recent comparable sale is a very attractive complex with one or two guesthouses in addition to the main house. 

JB's up against some stiff competition, IMO. $1.8 million can buy you some fabulous property in that area - a lavish in-town estate or an attractive place in the country on a lot of land. Or, JB's strange bunker in Springdale with one kitchen per bedroom. Oh-kay. 

I wonder how long he'll last with this Realtor. Maybe she figures if she can sell this one for anything near the list price it will enhance her professional standing (as a miracle worker!) as well as bring in a nice fee. But it cracks me up that on the listing page itself you can see the much more attractive competing properties in that price range. Heh.

Well, JB has the correct Jesus on his side. And JB always follows Jesus's lead, and Jesus is always letting him know the right way to go. 

So I figure there must be a well-off family of four somewhere in NW Arkansas in which each member has such an extreme and unique food allergy that none of them can safely eat food that's even been stored in the same room with the foods they're allergic to. 

Probably right now that family is looking at the listing -- "four bedrooms and four kitchens!"-- and shouting, Halellujah! Our prayers have been answered!" They'll be calling the real-estate agent a couple minutes from now. 

Because, not only are their food allergies solved, but they've just read a little further in the description and learned there are nine toilets in the house! And all four of them, plus all their relatives who come to visit, have a rare genetic profile that predisposes them to constant although non-lethal diarrhea. And up to now they've never seen a house with enough bathrooms. 

In fact, they're so happy that they intend to offer JB a full $2 million for the house. Since he has totally answered their prayers. It's as if JB was being led to help them. 

So really this whole thing that we're calling a silly fiasco is actually one of those great things that the Lord had in store for JB the patriarch this year. JB, the guy with the biggest servant's heart in Arkansas (I believe Jer said something like that about him a few months ago. Something about what a huge and unique-in-his-area good Samaritan JB is..). 

Unfortunately, it wouldn't surprise me much if all of this happened. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Oldernowiser]

It did cross my mind that JB might have a specific target or targets in the Fundie community for that Blunderdome. Maybe someone who’s some special blend of Old Testament dietary laws (hence the separate kitchens), Gothard procreation habits and child storage (dorms not rooms) and end-times paranoia (the gun safe room).

First, it scares me to think someone like that might be out there AND they have that kind of money, because as we all know, money is power.

But if he did have a buyer in mind, why wouldn’t he sell it directly? He’d save a big chunk of cash and not have to torture involve the realtor. 

It still makes no sense.

ETA: I hope we’re doing that realtor a favor by driving up her hits. Now she can say, “JB, we’ve had ten times the traffic on your listing than any other in this price range and zero showings. Lower the price.”

[bigskygirl]

Maybe we will get lucky and a fundie nudist colony would want to buy it. Just saying...

[Oldernowiser]

7 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

Maybe we will get lucky and a fundie nudist colony would want to buy it. Just saying...

I doubt he’d care. If it put that kind of money in his pocket he’d sell to Mr. and Mrs. Beelzebub and the imps and walk away gloating.

[OpieTaylor]

I’m surprised he’s using a realtor. His and MEchelle’s and his mother’s background enables them to know the legalities of selling. I wonder why it’s not For Sale By Owner? Maybe so they don’t have to interact with the public. 

Come to think of it, why doesn’t one of the boys become a realtor?

Remember how Whitney Bates got her realtor’s license - has she done a thing with it?

[BigBingerBro]

12 minutes ago, OpieTaylor said:

I’m surprised he’s using a realtor.

Perhaps he's trying to distance himself from the home in hopes it will sell easier.  Of course anyone spending that kind of money would want to know the history of the home, etc, but by listing it with a realtor, unsuspecting buyers might actually be drawn in not knowing it's a Duggar-flip initially.

[bythelake]

8 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

I doubt he’d care. If it put that kind of money in his pocket he’d sell to Mr. and Mrs. Beelzebub and the imps and walk away gloating.

Once a house is listed with a realtor does the seller have any control over who buys it? Yes, they can refuse offers based on price, but if the Beelzebubs came in with a fair offer, and JB refused it, couldn’t they say they were being discriminated against because well, they’re devils?

Since the house is on Zillow and multiple listing it’s out there for all who are interested, and if JB wanted to control what it was eventually used for wouldn’t he have to sell it privately?

The lack of bedrooms continues to mystify me. I also wonder what the neighbors think of this monstrosity. They must have had a continuous flow of trucks going and down that road for a long, long time.

[Oldernowiser]

If Satan were to come in with a full-price, no contingency cash offer (meaning no home inspections, for example) and Jim Bob refuses to sell it to them, technically they could have grounds for legal action if he continues to list it for sale. 

But that’s sledding up hill in most places, let alone Duggarville. The Satans would have to prove damage for any kind of civil action (in most states) and proving religious discrimination would be even harder than usual given the hypothetical example 😀. Not sure that being Satan would be a protected class in Arkansas!

Is a church considered commercial for zoning laws or do they get the same free ride as for taxes? 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Oldernowiser

[Churchhoney]

17 minutes ago, bythelake said:

The lack of bedrooms continues to mystify me. I also wonder what the neighbors think of this monstrosity. They must have had a continuous flow of trucks going and down that road for a long, long time.

JB also took a ton of trees off the lot in the course of the renovation. I doubt the neighbors loved that, either. Looking at the subdivision as a whole, it's clear that they really like a forested feel and the sense of seclusion and specialness that provides. This house and the lot are now way barer than any of the others in the allotment. And of course any trees a new owner plants are going to be little trees for quite some time. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[bigskygirl]

I can see taking trees down near the house because of fire danger (live in Montana where we are constantly reminded to clear trees around our houses especially in areas where there are more threats of wild land fires.) I wonder how the roads are for getting emergency personnel in, and is there a sprinkler system in the house in case of fire.

[Churchhoney]

20 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

Is a church considered commercial for zoning laws or do they get the same free ride as for taxes? 

Well, I don't think any place just allows a church as flat-out residential without any further scrutiny. Mostly I think they're considered a special category of commercial, but there is also a sort of zoning-for-non-profits in some places. My home town has something called 'institutional" zoning for that....Places where you can only put a church, a school, a community center or a small nonprofit nursing home or something on that order. 

No matter what you call it, though, I think you always need to get a special permit. Mainly because of the traffic but possibly also because of sewer issues and such.

And I'm convinced the permits would be hard to get in this neighborhood -- because  the neighborhood is an official subdivision. it doesn't have any roads that I can see on which you'd be able to drive through the whole subdivision and come out the other end -- and that's clearly deliberate. It's supposed to be somewhat secluded. And then the subdivision roads are fairly narrow and they curve around -- again, deliberate, and not the best place for a lot of people driving in and out all at the same time....Many many trees, too. Seclusion.

And the Duggar house is not out at the end of the subdivision where you can enter and exit from outside roads. It's not on the outside corner. It's on the far side from those roads, on the subdivision border where there are no paved roads leading out -- just woods. So a line of traffic would essentially parade past half the houses in the allotment, on relatively narrow somewhat twisty streets, every time there was an event. And then they'd probably parade past the other half of the houses on their way out, since the roads at the Duggar end circle around. 

Plus, this was clearly a pretty upscale subdivision not too many years ago. So that's almost certain to carry some weight in decisions like that. There's going to be institutional memory about what that subdivision is, how expensive the houses in there were when they were built....And there may even be some original owners still hanging out in those houses. 

JB or anybody else would have to make a very loud obnoxious argument to get rezoning that brought a ton of cars in there on a regular basis, I think. But of course neither he nor his friends have any problem doing that. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Churchhoney]

19 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I can see taking trees down near the house because of fire danger (live in Montana where we are constantly reminded to clear trees around our houses especially in areas where there are more threats of wild land fires.) I wonder how the roads are for getting emergency personnel in, and is there a sprinkler system in the house in case of fire.

Yeah, I can see taking down trees near the house.

But most of the trees in this case were around the sides of the lot and he took a lot of those, too, where the lot borders the road on all four sides of the house. There's no reason I can see for taking those down -- the road would block fire, to some extent at least, and in a storm the trees won't fall on anything but a very sparsely traveled street where I'm sure no one even parks most of the time because they all have very long driveways. 

I'm sure they took them down so they could more easily run trucks in and out. (and because we can see by the TTH that the Duggs care less than nothing about trees or plants etc.)

But the neighbors in this allotment clearly like trees very much. And in a neighborhood where that's the tradition and the cherished history, you don't make any friends by making your lot a big eyesore of old stumps and scraggly cheaply planted grass with a lot of bare spots and a kind of weird house now sticking up visible for everyone to see. 

I doubt there's a sprinkler system in the house, since it was built in 1969.  That seems early for putting one in a residence.Unless Arkansas has a recent law that says you have to put them  in when you renovate, I can't imagine JB paying for that, can you? 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Minivanessa]

It's possible some of the trees were diseased, dying, or dead. Especially if the property hadn't been continuously maintained. Not saying JB's a tree-hugger, but there are reasons for removing trees other than just being a destructive jerk. I live in a condo complex of several acres, and just on this property I have seen trees planted in the wrong places, wrong species of trees planted, and trees dying because of being badly located, getting old, disease, etc. I was on the HOA board for awhile and hoo boy there were some "tree huggers" who could NOT understand the realities of species selection, proper location, cost and resources to maintain trees, etc. Just "let's plant lots and lots more trees everywhere!!" as if the property weren't already replete with mature trees. Even without planting more trees, the annual ideal maintenance work for the existing trees would nearly bust the HOA budget. [rant/]

Also, I'm taking a comment on the zoning/churches issue over to the Old Time Religion topic.

[Churchhoney]

20 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

It's possible some of the trees were diseased, dying, or dead. Especially if the property hadn't been continuously maintained. Not saying JB's a tree-hugger, but there are reasons for removing trees other than just being a destructive jerk. I live in a condo complex of several acres, and just on this property I have seen trees planted in the wrong places, wrong species of trees planted, and trees dying because of being badly located, getting old, disease, etc. I was on the HOA board for awhile and hoo boy there were some "tree huggers" who could NOT understand the realities of species selection, proper location, cost and resources to maintain trees, etc. Just "let's plant lots and lots more trees everywhere!!" as if the property weren't already replete with mature trees. Even without planting more trees, the annual ideal maintenance work for the existing trees would nearly bust the HOA budget. [rant/]

Also, I'm taking a comment on the zoning/churches issue over to the Old Time Religion topic.

Yeah, it's true that trees can be diseased or something, and that's probably the reason for some of the cutting!

All I know is what I've seen on a satellite picture that seems to have been taken right at the beginning of JB"s big reno. It's summer and the trees on the lot are lush, full of leaves and bright green, not a bare branch to be seen. So the trees look quite healthy in the photos. 

ETA: I do think cutting the trees may send some buyers away, too. That house in the back is set up on a story-high platform and has windows the full length of the house, many of which you can't curtain or shade in any way because they're too big and, in some cases two stories high.

Trees around the lot are the only thing that can keep people from staring in and seeing everything you're doing in the living areas after dark. Being that visible in your house in the evening definitely spooks some people. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Churchhoney

[Temperance]

44 minutes ago, bythelake said:

Once a house is listed with a realtor does the seller have any control over who buys it? Yes, they can refuse offers based on price, but if the Beelzebubs came in with a fair offer, and JB refused it, couldn’t they say they were being discriminated against because well, they’re devils?

Since the house is on Zillow and multiple listing it’s out there for all who are interested, and if JB wanted to control what it was eventually used for wouldn’t he have to sell it privately?

The lack of bedrooms continues to mystify me. I also wonder what the neighbors think of this monstrosity. They must have had a continuous flow of trucks going and down that road for a long, long time.

The seller still has control in terms of, it's the seller who has to agree to sell the house at any point. The real estate agent shows the offer to the clients. Mr. Lucifer can't claim descrimination unless he can prove it's his status as a fallen angel that made JB discriminate. And JB has never met Mr. Lucifer, it's easier to claim he didn't know Mr. Lucifer is a fallen angel. 

All this talk about subdivisions reminds me of a very special warrior in the war on Christmas. He bought his house in a subdivision after his old neighbors complained about his Christmas lights. He put a large number of Christmas lights and then held a carnival for Christmas in the yard, complete with camels and a guy dressed like Santa, etc. His neighbors didn't like dealing with the carnival and tried to stop him in some way (forget how). He ended up suing them and winning the lawsuit. (It's an article from last Christmas.) 

1 hour ago, Oldernowiser said:

It did cross my mind that JB might have a specific target or targets in the Fundie community for that Blunderdome. Maybe someone who’s some special blend of Old Testament dietary laws (hence the separate kitchens), Gothard procreation habits and child storage (dorms not rooms) and end-times paranoia (the gun safe room).

First, it scares me to think someone like that might be out there AND they have that kind of money, because as we all know, money is power.

But if he did have a buyer in mind, why wouldn’t he sell it directly? He’d save a big chunk of cash and not have to torture involve the realtor. 

It still makes no sense.

ETA: I hope we’re doing that realtor a favor by driving up her hits. Now she can say, “JB, we’ve had ten times the traffic on your listing than any other in this price range and zero showings. Lower the price.”

I agree with this. 

[Oldernowiser]

Hmmm...if it’s an upscale subdivision (or was), I’m wondering if there might not be some covenants on how the property is used and maintained. We have half of a two-lot subdivision in a semi-rural area and there are quite a few restrictions.

Of course, unless someone in the subdivision attempts to enforce the covenants, they’re moot, really. Ask my asshole neighbor who has blatantly violated the covenants for years but is the first to scream about them when it comes to others (meaning us). I keep hoping he’ll sell as he has claimed he was going to do for the two years we’ve lived here because otherwise we’re going to have to get a lawyer and combat his harassment.

 I can see JB being exactly like that...doing whatever he wants and daring someone to try to stop him.

[Lunera]

The company that photographed the house posted a 360 video on YouTube. The video has the address so here are a few screenshots. 

[bigskygirl]

I admit I like the color white in a house, but this is so wrong in so many ways. My eyes are like what the heck.

59 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Yeah, it's true that trees can be diseased or something, and that's probably the reason for some of the cutting!

All I know is what I've seen on a satellite picture that seems to have been taken right at the beginning of JB"s big reno. It's summer and the trees on the lot are lush, full of leaves and bright green, not a bare branch to be seen. So the trees look quite healthy in the photos. 

ETA: I do think cutting the trees may send some buyers away, too. That house in the back is set up on a story-high platform and has windows the full length of the house, many of which you can't curtain or shade in any way because they're too big and, in some cases two stories high.

Trees around the lot are the only thing that can keep people from staring in and seeing everything you're doing in the living areas after dark. Being that visible in your house in the evening definitely spooks some people. 

Maybe JB has a secret life as a Peeping Tom.

[Lunera]

A few more

Edited May 12, 2019 by Lunera

[bigskygirl]

Where did the car come from, and JB must have gotten a good deal on white paint. Even the car is white. Seriously...

Edited May 12, 2019 by bigskygirl

[GeeGolly]

I'm not seeing a subdivision. I see a house fairly secluded, other than a couple of homes across the street. 

Every room is huge. I can't imagine living in rooms that large. I know some people must, but I can't wrap my head around it. I'll take the closets though.