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Fixer Upper in the Media

JeanneH

By JeanneH
in Fixer Upper [V]

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Willowsmom
Willowsmom

Like all reality fixer shows pros come in and do the work. Chip only does what's filmed. And it's absolutely none of Chip and Joanna's business what the owners do with their properties.

Evil Queen
Evil Queen

WAIT!! This lawyer though is saying it was sent by email??? Who sends someone a lawsuit by email? Let alone it sounds like the lawyer for the guys was threatening them to pay up or end up with a lawsu

Jellybeans
Jellybeans

I blame the drunk driver of the car.  Not the neighborhood, the buyer of the house or the Gaines.  

BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

10 hours ago, Evil Queen said:

So they are blaming them everywhere they can and taking not a since ounce of responsibility for their own stupidity in NOT researching areas before picking their house. 

Just my humble o, but when you sink $215k into a house you bought for $35k, there's a fair amount of risk; especially if you're the first on the block of $35k houses.

Now: those are the numbers reported/implied in at least one article. Are they true, I dunno. 

I lived near St. Louis, MO, where about 40 years ago quite a few folks set about restoring and upgrading whole neighborhoods. Among the differences between them & this situation: (1) the housing stock was brick structures, very sturdy; (2) the actual pioneers in buying and restoring started modestly, money-wise -- they didn't invest 7x the purchase price of the structure right away. 

So yeah, the homebuyers made an error in judgment. Did Chimp tell them the area was the next big thing? We'll never know.

Was the article a load of crap? It was an architecture junkie's impassioned reaction to seeing the identifiers of an old house taken away  not crap, jmho.

Remember the house where a car flew into the front yard stairs ? That house was on a straight stretch of street. The car's driver was making a right turn onto it and somehow that resulted in the car literally airborne up a 4-foot hill and over 100 feet to its landing. Things happen. Things really happen on T-intersections!

That house was not a craftsman per se but it did have a stucco'ed porch and we did spend time on it. I liked the privacy it added even as a little kid. I could leave my trike out and NinjaGran wouldn't chide me for making it look messy to the neighbors.

BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

11 hours ago, Evil Queen said:

I don't think the Gaines just do whatever to a house without the approval of whoever is going to live in it. 

Actually, I recently read part of one of the contracts that basically says, "once you've signed off on the plans at a certain point, you agree to accept whatever Magnolia gives you." 

Remember the one where, mid-job, the wife asked that the floor to ceiling fireplace brick be white-washed? Chimp made a funny about it as he spread his arms protectively in front of the reddish brick and told JoJoprah to tell the owners "No!", and there it was.  If I've hired a contractor to remodel or build, I can change my mind and order upgrades or mods to the original plan -- at a price, of course. The FU contract - or at least one like it - pretty much says I've turned my house over to them and their ideas.

It's a gamble I would take, honestly, but I'd stack the odds a lot differently than the aggrieved owners did.

Sorry for the War & Peace-length essay! Going to catch up on developments now!

BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

From the Waco Ttib article - thanks, @mcwick!

"Kelly Downs said that neighbors have complained about increased taxes in the neighborhood stemming from the presence of a “Fixer Upper” home. The hit show has renovated about 60 homes in the McLennan County area, but there is no direct correlation to higher taxes in neighborhoods where a “Fixer Upper” home is located, Chief Appraiser Andrew J. Hahn said.

“We have a different neighborhood code for those than other homes in the neighborhood, because they are actually selling for more than regular homes,” he said. “We don’t use them as comparable for other homes that are renovated by other homeowners.” "

I knew it!

I talked earlier about folks who did a lot of urban renewal in St. Louis. Part of a successful regeneration program is getting along with the neighbors into whose neighborhood you are entering as a neighbor.  That's all I'll say. 

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BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

11 hours ago, Evil Queen said:

The guy you are talking about is the one with the cowboy hat and is tall right? I like him too but there is a few things he does to the homes as well that aren't always to the original design but what the owners would like as well added into it. He has a lady that checks on things to see if she can find info on the homes as well and an old picture.

(Honestly, I DO have a life, but I have to reply)

Sure, Waterman is going to do upgrades and accede to homeowners' requests. And the photos mean so much! I mean, I'd love to know if the Alexander Street house's porch always had those interesting corners with horizontal color bars on them. I don't dislike the FU folks, but the Downs couple aside, this reno's porch fell flat for me. (Ooh, just realized the pun. Sorry, not intentional.)

The slender posts and thin railings don't "go" with the boxy shape of the House.  The metal channel roof probably really stands out in the neighborhood .  "Before" photo shows the exposed wooden elements under the roof overhang that were an intrinsic part of that style of house, along with the bulky porch. 

FU tried and succeeded in cleaning up the home but left a property that looks more like it belongs on a beach than in an inland Texas city's old town.  Even if the neighbors aren't into architecture & history, they know when a rehab adds to the are and when it doesn't. What little I've been able to see of the 'hood, this one just doesn't. FWIW

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Edith bluth

Edith bluth

2 hours ago, BckpckFullaNinjas said:

From the Waco Ttib article - thanks, @mcwick!

"Kelly Downs said that neighbors have complained about increased taxes in the neighborhood stemming from the presence of a “Fixer Upper” home. The hit show has renovated about 60 homes in the McLennan County area, but there is no direct correlation to higher taxes in neighborhoods where a “Fixer Upper” home is located, Chief Appraiser Andrew J. Hahn said.

“We have a different neighborhood code for those than other homes in the neighborhood, because they are actually selling for more than regular homes,” he said. “We don’t use them as comparable for other homes that are renovated by other homeowners.” "

I knew it!

I talked earlier about folks who did a lot of urban renewal in St. Louis. Part of a successful regeneration program is getting along with the neighbors into whose neighborhood you are entering as a neighbor.  That's all I'll say. 

I would argue that Magnolia has impacted the overall market here though. They have brought a lot of attention to Waco and people seem to be moving here primarily because of Magnolia. So do I think they directly affect property values? Not much. But indirectly? Yes. Prices in Waco have steadily increased since we have lived here - but they have shot up significantly the past few years with the increase in demand. I know it's been that way all across Texas, but the bigger cities have lots of jobs and other draws. Waco? Not so much - our biggest employer is Baylor and then there is a lot of blue-collar work at the local plants - but in terms of tons of white-collar jobs, there isn't an abundance of them like in other cities. So I can't say for 100% certain that the increased demand in Waco is because of Magnolia, but I'm not sure what else would be drawing people here so much in the last few years - and it seems to be more middle class to upper middle class people. I think a lot of people saw how affordable Waco was on the show and found that appealing. Our market isn't as crazy as Austin or Dallas or Houston, but it's also not too far behind them, which kind of blows my mind as someone who has been asked incredulously for years "You live in Waco?" *said in disgust* "And you like it?" *said in disbelief.*

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Evil Queen

Evil Queen

1 hour ago, BckpckFullaNinjas said:

Actually, I recently read part of one of the contracts that basically says, "once you've signed off on the plans at a certain point, you agree to accept whatever Magnolia gives you." 

Remember the one where, mid-job, the wife asked that the floor to ceiling fireplace brick be white-washed? Chimp made a funny about it as he spread his arms protectively in front of the reddish brick and told JoJoprah to tell the owners "No!", and there it was.  If I've hired a contractor to remodel or build, I can change my mind and order upgrades or mods to the original plan -- at a price, of course. The FU contract - or at least one like it - pretty much says I've turned my house over to them and their ideas.

It's a gamble I would take, honestly, but I'd stack the odds a lot differently than the aggrieved owners did.

Sorry for the War & Peace-length essay! Going to catch up on developments now!

I remember it wasn't about the fact that the brick was nice looking still. I know my husband and I both think its stupid when people see a need to white-wash or paint brick in some way. It always ends up looking bad. I don't remember if they did it or not in that one but I can imagine that the contract is done as it is not to say they are doing whatever and to bad for you but its more of a time line to get the job done. Which makes sense. Even on Property Brothers you see these people come in demanding they have this or that where its not in the budget or time line for it. Which ends up explained to them. Either he works something out or just says its not possible if its not. I will bet a lot of it is budget wise. For this show. If they have the budget worked out for what is being done and a bit of it set aside for the what ifs when they open walls and stuff up then there might not be a way to just say ok we can toss this in too. Then there is the part of me that sees it as these shows just adding crap in to the show like it is all of a sudden wanted but it might have been set up that way to do all along. We have no clue. At the end of the day these are just like "reality shows" in a way so there is the real side of it and the fake side as well. 

Like I said this couple aren't getting crap for the taxes but the fact they have been using their place as a rental. 

 

“Overall, there probably is some effect to all the houses in the area because of (the show), but not because of the ‘Fixer Upper’ itself,” he said. “How much? Who knows, but it is not the total effect, because if you look all over the state of Texas, all values are going up.

“People are moving to Texas and because people are moving to Texas, there is a greater demand than there is supply. That is the biggest factor.”

Then there is this from the one article. Which is what happens when people move to places more and more and the demand starts to become greater than the supply. Its not just in Waco from what it sounds like. It happens all over this way. We have seen some cities/states where the supply of housing is far more than the demand for it which ends up not being a good thing. My friend lives in Vegas and is always saying how there is another place going up for rentals/condos or a new section of houses but along with it are not new places for jobs to pop up. She has been looking since she moved there about 4 yrs ago. While where I am there is a constant of these over priced "apartment homes" that keep being built. Which makes traffic on already busy streets a nightmare and brought other issues along with it but it is what has driven rents up in the area as well. Yet demand is there I guess (not sure who is affording the newer places or old ones asking so much) if they can fill them up. I know the city I am in they residents are trying to stop more of these from being built. 

Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said the Downses have also made complaints about the neighborhood and crime. He said patrol commanders have increased patrols in the area and have gone “above and beyond” to address the issues.

“We have assigned a sergeant over there to be a liaison to talk to the folks over there. He has had his squad over there to find a particular problem that they could work on, but there isn’t one,” Swanton said. “Yes, that neighborhood has traffic. Yes, there are cars that play music when they pull up to the convenience store in front of their home, but nothing legally that we can enforce.

“Crime is not any higher or lower in that particular area than any other part (of the city).”

Sounds to be like this couple is more of a pain in the ass than anything. They decided to buy a house across from a convenience store. Should have come around different times of the day to see how it was in the area...as was said by another before. They also should have known that being across from a place like that or any business really can come with noise and stuff. Yet the facts are that can happen in any neighborhood not with a convenience store right there. We live off a busy street so hear all the traffic going by. There are cars louder than others and trucks that go by that are loud. Yet I know what I live on. The cars that come in our area have music that are a bit loud at times but it doesn't last long and is pretty rare. When we lived in the apartment complex down the street it was pretty bad and we had people parked in the spaces out front wait for someone to come out with the music thumping loudly. We rented a house for many years before that around the corner from that area. It happened there as well with the music in cars. Yet its not something to call the cops over. 

IMO I wouldn't want to live next to this couple because they are sounding like they might complain about the littlest thing. 

9 minutes ago, mcwick said:

Not so much - our biggest employer is Baylor and then there is a lot of blue-collar work at the local plants - but in terms of tons of white-collar jobs, there isn't an abundance of them like in other cities. So I can't say for 100% certain that the increased demand in Waco is because of Magnolia, but I'm not sure what else would be drawing people here so much in the last few years - and it seems to be more middle class to upper middle class people. I think a lot of people saw how affordable Waco was on the show and found that appealing. Our market isn't as crazy as Austin or Dallas or Houston, but it's also not too far behind them, which kind of blows my mind as someone who has been asked incredulously for years "You live in Waco?" *said in disgust* "And you like it?" *said in disbelief.*

I am not sure how the drive is to other places for jobs but if the cities around Waco are more for housing its a reason as well that Waco can appeal to others. Where I am you aren't going to find housing for cheap unless you are willing to live in a mobile home or move out to the desert areas. Which if you live in the desert you are going to have a big drive both ways to and from work. Which is what many do. Its just because housing is cheaper in those areas. Most are not good places to live though either. There are plenty of people that also think how they want to leave a bad area to live in those places because they can afford that only and it ends up not long after turning into a shitty area. Saw that in many desert areas. I doubt this show though has that much effect on people moving there and for sure they are not the reason for housing going up. Its just what happens over time with housing. It goes up and it goes down. If you look at home prices during certain times of the year they will be higher than normal as well because those are the times of year many make a move. Summer is a huge time. Like I said the place we live, the homes around us are a lot higher right now. Even compared to last summer they are higher then they were at that time too. Its just the demand since most don't sit for long on the market. 

I don't normally question a person liking where they live. It might be a what do you like about living there....as that would make more sense to ask. LOL Yet I do wonder why people like living in the desert areas or going to vacation in them during the hot summer months. LOL 

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saylubee

saylubee

I know several people in both Dallas and Austin that have telecommuting jobs where they work from home.  They may have to go to the office in one of those cities every few months.  They moved out towards the Waco area because it a) still had decent internet, b) had cheaper home/land prices, and c) still had plenty of city amenities that you don't get living in rural Texas.

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Automne

Automne

I wonder though, with so much of Waco's growth being attached to Magnolia, if it's sustainable in the long run when Magnolia's popularity hits its peak then peters out. It would be better for everyone, including the Gaineses, to help build and support new businesses and companies and encourage established corporations to have satellite offices in Waco. Otherwise, in a decade, these FU homes will be sitting empty because Waco hit another economic depression and nobody is moving in. Right now, Magnolia is cashing in on trends that will be outdated very soon and it's all in seeing if C&J can keep up and change with the times. As it is, shiplap is on its way out and it'll soon be viewed in the same way we view wood paneling from the '70s-'80s (because shiplap is essentially wood paneling, but with a hipster-friendly name).

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Court

Court

This is ridiculous. A crash can happen anywhere regardless of the neighborhood. Also, I don't understand how the wreck is being blamed on the Gaines. They weren't the ones driving the car.

My friend's house has a fence around her front yard. It has large brick columns and iron. It's in a great part of town and that fence has been crashed into more than once. It's a slight curve and add drunk drivers and speeding and that's what happens.

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WildPlum

WildPlum

I like the fact that the assessor admits they use a special code, ostensibly to remove the FU homes from comps - clearly the assessor's office thinks they have been overbuilt for the neighborhood and doesn't think they should be considered in average neighborhood values.

If I owned one of these houses that was so drastically improved beyond neighborhood values, I suspect I'd sell it now while Magnolia is still hot and buy something else and NOT over-improve it. In a few years, when FU goes off the air and the Magnolia craze cools off, I suspect the inflated values will go down. Some of the houses are in nice neighborhoods and are likely just on the high side of comps - this house, in particular, is so over-improved for the neighborhood that getting your money back out of it is dicey, Magnolia name or no.

Granted a house is not (or should not be, anyway) primarily an investment but a place to live, a home, and maybe a place you intend to live for decades, but that is a lot of money to tie up in one questionable pot (to mix my metaphors).

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BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

12 hours ago, mcwick said:

Chip and JoJo are on the Today show this morning promoting their new book.

I hadn't known there was one, but in the chosen cover photo Chip reminds me of Tom Cruise, srsly.  Having read (frustratingly) their first book, I have NO doubt Chip has advice for other risk-takers.  

https://www.google.com/amp/www.today.com/amp/home/chip-gaines-new-book-cover-revealed-today-show-has-exclusive-t113934

auntjess

auntjess

I hadn't watched in a while, as I got sick of Chip's mugging, but had to come here after I saw this on FB.
http://www.sharetap.it/7635/homeowners-blame-hgtv-after-drunk-driver-hits-their-house/

Quote

"It's like the Wild West here. There's been a lot of commotion coming from the bars and the store across the street. It's been a problem from the beginning. We've lived here a year and a half and we feel deceived by the city of Waco and Magnolia Realty."

Really, they moved into a house across from bars and stores and now they're complaining? 
Still more people surprised when they get what they signed up for.

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Jellybeans

Jellybeans

(edited)

I once had the opportunity to rent a fabulous apartment located above a bar.  Price was right.  View was even better!  I had no problem saying no.  People have to take responsibility for decisions they make.  Where they live, shop, park their car, dress, etc... one of my friends has a very expensive purse.  She was mugged. Well....

Edited by Jellybeans
  • Love 6
Evil Queen

Evil Queen

Sadly nowadays to many people don't seem to understand what taking personal responsibility means at all. They think everything is everyone else's fault for whatever excuse they come up with for it. This is the case here where they are not taking it and blaming anyone and everyone for their own stupidity. I get sick of this kind of behavior. People that act that way get no pity in my book. 

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auntjess

auntjess

On ‎7‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 4:32 PM, Gam2 said:

Those people have made fools of themselves complaining about a neighborhood, Waco and the Gainses when they knew exactly where that house was located when they bought it.

Yes, it's not like have new drywall over a wall to conceal a leak, or other disguise.  It's pretty hard to conceal a street with bars and stores.
Or maybe the Gaines' had one of those great big signs that put up right before the reveal...

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Edith bluth

Edith bluth

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/gaineses-new-vacation-rental-already-booked-through-year-s-end/article_fff6177e-ba1a-5837-91e3-54d0e63ae2eb.html

 

Their new vacation rental just opened recently and it's already booked up through the end of the year. $995 per night, with a 3 night minimum on weekends. Can only book for Monday/Tuesday, Wednesday/Thursday, or Friday/Saturday/Sunday.

 

It's a lovely house. Wish the article had more pics.

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Evil Queen

Evil Queen

1 hour ago, WildPlum said:

$2,000 to spend 2 days in Waco, TX? I have paid less than that in London, Paris, Florence and flipping MONACO.

Not surprised given the size of the place. Its obviously not for a couple alone or small family that is for sure. Yet for me, Texas isn't exactly on my list of vacation spots. Nothing wrong with the state but I have many other places I rather visit over it. LOL 

Going back to the size of it, I am wondering why they don't just set it up as a bed and breakfast place instead and rent the rooms out and hire some people to work the place for them. 

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CruiseDiva

CruiseDiva

57 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

And she's at Bed Bath and Beyond.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/brand/magnolia-home-by-joanna-gaines/5954?mcid=EM_Productcampaign_201708_Magnoliahome_NoOffer&rid=ITZD75-OR19KA-T7UYPR-AM4CGP0-SB2U5F-v1

I just got the email from BB&B about the "Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines" items available and took a look at them. They are mostly accent pillows and rugs with some 'throws' in the mix and all VERY expensive. I shop at BB&B quite often and use the $5- and 20%-off coupons they send me in the mail.  Even with 20% off there were no items that I'd consider purchasing. The rugs are way over-priced IMHO,  with some going for as much as $3500 for a 13' by 18' rug. The accent pillow designs are mostly ugly. Again, JMHO.

If those are priced similarly to what JoJo uses to stage the Fixer Upper houses, I wonder how many of their clients actually purchase them.

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BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

3 hours ago, Evil Queen said:

 Yet for me, Texas isn't exactly on my list of vacation spots. Nothing wrong with the state but I have many other places I rather visit over it. LOL 

Going back to the size of it, I am wondering why they don't just set it up as a bed and breakfast place instead and rent the rooms out and hire some people to work the place for them. 

@Evil Queen, testify! I've visited around Waco because ninjas were billeted there but it's too hot for me to go back. There is indeed no place like Texas and because of its size, I should really say "no placeS like Texas."  All tend to be hot, however.

My guess for the mansion rental: they're looking for corporate groups as much as multi-couple parties.

My guess for not making it a B&B: their first B&B with resident managers nextdoor is not producing the profit margins they want. 

Again: just my guesses.

  • Love 1
Evil Queen

Evil Queen

(edited)
20 hours ago, BckpckFullaNinjas said:

@Evil Queen, testify! I've visited around Waco because ninjas were billeted there but it's too hot for me to go back. There is indeed no place like Texas and because of its size, I should really say "no placeS like Texas."  All tend to be hot, however.

My guess for the mansion rental: they're looking for corporate groups as much as multi-couple parties.

My guess for not making it a B&B: their first B&B with resident managers nextdoor is not producing the profit margins they want. 

Again: just my guesses.

I thought the other place was a rental like this one not a B&B? I think if they can book up a rental like this with no problems though they could book up rooms like a B&B. Yet it may just be easier to do it as a whole rental. 

I don't need to go out of state for heat. I have enough of it here in my own during the year. LOL 

 

For the BB&B stuff above, it was discussed before here but mind you she isn't the only person on HGTV that sells stuff like that. Look up Property Brothers. Which their line is supposedly sold out from BB&B, have other places they sell their goods and fabric. *rollseyes* I will bet there are others as well. Heck it just reminds me off all the Food Network people that decided they all HAD to do lines of cookware and whatever foods..r or opened up food places. It was all overpriced for the most part. Obviously all these people aren't the first and won't be the last to do it either and charge a lot. Heck how many times a year does Target have some stupid designer hawking their overpriced goods in the stores now for clothes and home goods? Which btw, I have found to be a joke and the stuff always looks terrible from what I have seen. I never understand paying so much for things but whatever. I am to cheap. LOL I can find so many other things to spend that kind of money on instead. 

To add: I wouldn't be surprised if the ones that have homes done and are offered the furniture they stage with that there is some special deal there and its not the same prices on things as you see from BB&B. It would make sense to do something like that after they had a house done by them. I could see some of the people do it though because I can imagine they have some people that need the furniture or just new so they don't have to move the old.  

Edited by Evil Queen
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BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

2 hours ago, Jellybeans said:

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/08/18/fixer-upper-silos-are-quickly-becoming-times-square-waco.html

Chip and Joanna have been very good for Waco!  

As someone who really dislikes hot weather, I'm agape st the couple who left Washington state for Texas -- but happy for an economic uptick anywhere!

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Jellybeans

Jellybeans

1 hour ago, BckpckFullaNinjas said:

As someone who really dislikes hot weather, I'm agape st the couple who left Washington state for Texas -- but happy for an economic uptick anywhere!

I lived in Texas for many years as well.  My daughter went to school in Waco and she thought Waco was awesome.  I hated the weather, the humidity, the bugs, yadda-yadda but I will give credit where it is due- they do have wonderful people and winters are nice.  Nice.  Not great.  LOL.

  • Love 3
Evil Queen

Evil Queen

Texas isn't for me at all. I'm a Cali girl til the end. LOL Now I will say I do have a family history that goes into Texas (Athens). There is a family friend that lives in Texas as well. One of my favorite rockabilly bands comes from there and a guy that has a country/rockabilly style band as well does that my husband really likes. Of course there are far worse places IMO but that has to do with some things they do not deal with in those places that need to be. That is a whole other subject though that I won't get into here. 

As for Waco though, its great what the Gaines have done for the town. They have created jobs that were probably needed (unlike other places that don't seem to) and probably brought people to visit that never would have otherwise. So a win/win for a lot of people there.  

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BckpckFullaNinjas

BckpckFullaNinjas

11 hours ago, Jellybeans said:

I left Texas as fast as I could and I will never return.  NEVER!

I get what you're saying and I applaud your candor.  I also agree with @StrictTime, in a perfect world people would love where they are.

But i admit I do believe I'd return to a lot of places for a visit with beloved friends, or for a special event.

in all, bloom where you are planted, visit elsewhere if you want to and above all, don't whinge about a place when you're among people who love it. 

  • Love 4
Evil Queen

Evil Queen

On 8/19/2017 at 2:17 PM, Jellybeans said:

There is something special about Texas.  I love Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, Wimberly, etc... and winters are really nice.  Shorts most of the time unless winter really comes. 

I really don't like Dallas, Houston or San Antonio.  

Sounds like how it is for where I am. Shorts most the year unless winter does come. Even then we have a few heat waves that can pop up between it all. I know considering we don't get the normal winter I enjoy when we do. 

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