The Regional Transportation Commission is installing the new neon sign at the ACE Transit Stop at Casino Center and Coolidge Street (just north of Charleston) today. The sign will announce the 18B Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas.

Brian Paco Alvarez sent over these pictures of the truck arriving early this morning.

 The sign arrived on location this morning, and is being installed today. No announcement has been made of any lighting ceremony or dedication event.

I’ll gather more pictures later today as it gets lifted into place.

The ACE Transit system has been under construction all year, and will loop thru the “New Downtown” in the old railroad yards, and will provide easy transportation for the Smith Center, the World Market Center, County Government Center, Fremont Street Experience and into the Arts District.

Eventually it will also connect with the Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vega Convention Center.

The various stations have been designed by local artists in the style of the classic Mid Century Modern buildings that adorn Downtown Las Vegas.

The new neon sign for the 18B Arts District will tower over the intersection of Casino Center and Charleston.

Yorgo Kagafas, the Urban Design Coordinator from the City Of Las Vegas Planning and Development Department sent me these picture of the sign being installed.

Putting things back together takes much longer than ripping out what you don’t want. They’ve been busy all week and I’m VERY happy to report that the wall of french doors and small paned windows is finally gone for good.

They do a much better job of cleaning up after themselves than I do!

Yes, this is the same wall at the back of the house that I first posted about this home back in January, 2008.

Even worse than that the small paned french door windows (and therefore lots of mullions), was the fact that they had oppressive iron gates behind them as well. The merging of indoor and outdoor living space had been completely undone by previous owners.

In the rebuild, all the clerestory windows will be triple pane, low-emissivity glass, and the bottom half will be triple pane, low-E sliders all the way across for maximum visibility and north light.

The mirrors and 4 inch tiles have been removed from the floating hearth fireplace. It’s original to the house, but the “80’s mirrors were not. Thankfully, the original design will be kept.

The previous expansion of the master bathroom and walk in closet into the original courtyard is being undone as well.

Some of the new framing is being started. The original bedroom windows went clear to the floor. In some cases the windows will be slightly smaller to further reduce heating and cooling loss. Remember, the goal is to acheive a 70% reduction in energy usage.

Electrical and plumbing work began today, and the windows and glass will start to be installed the first week of December. I’ll be talking, then, with the glass guys, and the environmental engineer who did the calculations for acheiving the 70% reduction in average energy consumption.

If you want to see the original 2 posts I did about this house, they’re on page two of the January ‘O8 Archive or they’re about 7 pages back if you did a search in the top left column for “Paradise Palms”. (which is a good place to read every post I ever did that mentions Paradise Palms. There’s some real good stuff there, if you haven’t been reading along with us for the last 3 years).

I was all excited at the time to see a home on the golf course for under $250,000. It looked like a great deal at the time. Who knew?

Fall Colors:

I was just struck by the sudden splash of color I stumbled onto in McNeil. The fall colors are one of the few things I miss about the midwest and east coasst.

Most of the trees in Las Vegas stay green year round. The mulberries lose their leaves but don’t get colorful in the process.

If you spot some more great fall color in the trees….send me a picture and we’ll publish them. 

Most of the ones I’ve collected came from walls that were demolished in car accidents. Some were gifts from friends that are of questionable origin (the blocks, not the friends).

It started with a single loose one laying in the backyard of a bank owned vacant home in Huntridge. Lately, I’ve acquired 2 patterns that have never been seen in Las Vegas. I documented all of the patterns that I could find in Vintage Vegas. You can see that whole series here. 

One of the funniest things in the “law of unintended consequences” category is that I get 2 or 3 calls or emails a week from people all over the country calling me to order a dozen of this pattern or a hundred of that pattern. Google has a long memory. Try it yourself. Google “Decorative Concrete Block” or “Mid Century Modern Block design” etc, and various posts from the series will come up first.

One such call had a happy ending. Raida emailed me from Denver: 

I am interested in obtaining about 10 Cordova blocks to replace the broken ones after some construciton work that was completed on our house. I live in Colorado and was hoping you know someone here that carries them, if not will need to look at shipping costs. Hope to hear from you soon.

Raida

I wrote back:

I’m sure you’ve misunderstood. I’m a REALTOR in Las Vegas.

I merely documented all of the patterns that I’ve found in Las Vegas. I’m sorry to say that I don’t sell them, However, Allied Building Materials in LV carries the Cordova.

 

My personal collection is a dozen different patterns that I’ve found laying around after car crashes etc. I attached a picture of my collection.

 

I hope allied can help you.

  

Jack

 

 I didn’t hear back from her, and didn’t expect to either. However, the other day she wrote:

I knew you were a realtor but wasn’t sure if you sold building materials on the side. Just wanted to make sure.

Anyway everything worked out great. Your web page on your brick collection helped me find the bricks I wanted.
I called Allied Building materials and they had the 15 bricks I needed. When I asked how much it was going to cost to ship them to me it was going to be $500 in shipping cost. If I’m going to spend $500 I would like to be doing something fun with it rather than give it away sort of speak.

So Las Vegas is about 12 hours from here so we decided to make a quick trip and have some fun on the way. Made some reservations then drove all day to get to Las Vegas, the weather was great, got in at 6:00pm. We got a room at Bellagio’s, over looking the fountains, got tickets to the “O” show there( the show was fabulous, highly recommend it to anyone)and had a delicious meal at Circo with a good bottle of Italian wine.  Got up the next morning headed over to Allied (they were all very nice over there)and picked up bricks and back to Colorado. Again weather was great. The bricks matched the ones I had perfectly and they have been installed in the retaining wall in the front yard.
Have had many compliments on how it turned out.

So thanks again for responding to my emails and directing me to the right place.Hope all is well with you and that you have a good holiday season. Take care.

Raida

I’ve emailed her and asked for pictures of the finished wall. I’ll add them to the post if she sends them. I just thought it a cute story, and hope you did as well.

From 702Events

Is He Dead? A Comedy by Mark Twain Adapted by David Ives

Las Vegas Little Theatre presents Mark Twain Comedy – Is He Dead?

When asked to name a famous playwright, many audience members will offer up names such as Williams, Ibsen, Mamet, Shakespeare, and (perhaps begrudgingly) Neil Simon.  Now there’s another name to add to the list.  The name of a man whose novels have been read and loved by millions.  This new playwright?  Mark Twain.  

In 1898, Mark Twain was suffering from financial hardships, as well as the recent loss of his youngest daughter.  There were those who wondered if the famous author would ever find his humorous muse again.  Twain’s response was to write IS HE DEAD?, a high-spirited romp that he planned on premiering simultaneously in New York and London. But the play was never produced, and remained largely unknown. 

IS HE DEAD? was first published in print in 2003, after Mark Twain scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin read the manuscript in the archives of the Mark Twain Papers at the University of California at Berkeley. The play was long known to scholars but never attracted much attention until Fishkin arranged to have it published in book form. She later played a primary role in getting the play produced on Broadway in 2007. And now the Las Vegas Little Theatre is giving local audiences its chance.

IS HE DEAD?  focuses on Jean-Francois Millet, a young painter of genius, who is in love with Marie Leroux, but in debt to a villainous picture-dealer, Bastien Andre. Andre forecloses on Millet, threatening debtor’s prison unless Marie marries him. Millet realizes that the only way he can pay his debts and keep Marie from marrying Andre is to die, as it is only dead painters who achieve fame and fortune. With the help of his friends, Millet fakes his death and prospers, while passing himself off as his own sister, the Widow Tillou. Now a rich “widow,” he must find a way to get out of a dress, return to life, and marry Marie.

The cast features Tony Blosser as “Millet”; TJ Larsen as “Chicago”; Scott DelGuidice as “Dutchy”; Brian Scott as “O’Shaughnessy”; Ed Knutson as “Papa LeRoux”; Joel Wayman as “Andre”; Renee Valdez as “Marie”; Carla Chiron de la Casiniere as “Cecile”; Gloria Hoffman as “Mme. Bathilde”; Mary Ann Hebinck as “Mme. Caron”; and Dave Pomeroy in multiple roles.  Directing this wild production is Joe Hammond.             

IS HE DEAD? by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives, will be presented live on stage at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive in Las Vegas,  from November 6-22, 2009.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening performances begin at 8 PM, and Sunday matinees start at 2 PM.  Tickets are $22 for adults, and $19 for students and seniors.  For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.lvlt.org, or phone the theatre box office at 362-7996 during Box Office hours…. Mondays 4p-8p, Wednesdays 10a-1p, and Saturdays 9a-12p. 

The original home had little attention paid to energy conservation. Green wasn’t even a topic in the 60’s, never-the-less a movement. One of the most important things that can be done to the 50’s and 60’s Mid Century Modern homes is to improve their energy usage, or as they say – the Carbon Footprint. Very few homeowners will ever go to ALL these lengths, but each element that will be used can be applied to any MCM home.

I’ve been consulting with them on the history of Paradise Palms, as well as the architecture and style of the home as it was originally conceived. They’re not “purists”, however. Their goal will be energy related, not perfect historical preservation accuracy. But they will attempt to preserve as much of the architectural and design character as possible. When all is said and done, it will still be a home fitting of Paradise Palms, and will bring major international attention to the neighborhood, and to Mid Century Modern in general.  

I’ll be visiting the home – camera in hand– as it progresses, and I’ll try to share with you everything that I learn.  We’ll have a chance to watch the progress, and discuss the concepts, materials and techniques that will be used to obtain a 70% reduction in energy usage in the home.

Major demolition began on Monday.

I’m not supposed to give out the address quite yet, but since I’ve had pictures of this house on VeryVintageVegas in the past, some of you will figure it out. Especially since there’s a huge dumpster in front of it at the moment.

There will be several weeks in January when the home will be hosting bus loads of attendees for various home builder shows, especially the International Builders Show, January 19–21, 2009, which will be held 2 miles away at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

I’ve been assured that the readers of VeryVintageVegas will be offered a private opportunity to view the home once the shows are over. Stay tuned. This should be both fun and educational.

A HUGE tip of the hat to reader Rita C. for sending me the best decorative concrete wall screen design EVER!

I’ve emailed her  asking for details of where this wall is, and who took the picture. I’ll fill in the blanks if she writes back.

If you want to see the entire series on the decorative concrete block walls and sun screens of Vintage Las Vegas, just click here.

UPDATE: Rita says she doesn’t know where it came from. Someone just sent it to her. HOWEVER, reader Michael knew and posted in the comments that its on page 2 of a site that’s fittingly called accidentaldong.

Technically, the area is the “Las Vegas High School Historic District”. Most of the homes there have been converted to Professional use. Far too many of them have been torn down or have had their charm and character stripped away.  I use the area all the time to point out the distintive difference between PRE WAR housing, and the post war housing that we now refer to as Mid Century Modern.

There’s a walking tour map of the district on the City Historic Preservation Website.

I bring this up because 4 side by side properties in the district – at the corner of 7^th and Bonneville are going to be auctioned this Saturday morning.

These are the moments that stop the heart of serious preservationists.

I’m hoping that they don’t all sell to one buyer. They’re being offered first as a group, and if they don’t sell all at once, they’ll be offered individually.

If they sell as a group, the chances that the buyer will want to tear them down to build a McOffice or two.

Here’s pictures of the 4 houses. Three of them are pre-war, built between 1937 and 1939. The fourth one was built in 1947, but still with the pre-war aesthetic.

The weather is beautiful. Take a walk or a drive thru the tree lined streets of Downtown’s Las Vegas High School Historic District.

Congress created the National Scenic Byway Program in 1997. The Nevada State Legislature designated Las Vegas Boulevard from Washington Avenue to Sahara Avenue as the State of Nevada’s 17th Scenic Byway in 2001,

In 2004, The Las Vegas City Council adopted the a plan for the Scenic Byway that called for the restoration and installation of 20 historic neon signs.

Acording the the progam, all new signs in this designated stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard will have to have at least 75 percent neon and or animation.

The special guest of honor last night was Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, who helped secure $300,000 in federal funding for the restoration of the signs, and for the completion of the “La Concha” visitors center at the Neon Museum.

About 100 guests were in attendance for the lighting ceremony.

At 5:45, just as it turned dark, the ceremonial switch was thrown, and the three signs lit up the night sky for the first time.

The Silver Slipper sign is in the median across from the La Concha Shell. The Bow and Arrow sign is just slightly to the south, and the Binions Horseshoe sign is down the hill at the intersection of LVBN and Washington Ave.

Take a drive north on Las Vegas Boulevard. Either night or day – the signs are stunning.

(UPDATE)

When I first published this post, I didn’t have a picture of the Horseshoe sign. None the picture I took came out decently. I must have pushed some extraneous button or another on the camera. 

Reader Clay H. (who’s going to be the next new resident of Paradise Palms) sent me one today that he took, so a big tip of the fedora to Clay.

And here’s the Las Vegas Sun coverage on the lighting ceremony which includes some 1950’s and 60’s pictures of the Silver Sliper Sign in it’s original location.

The evening started with hysterically bad Haiku from the Mayor and Dayvid Figler, as part of the Vegas Valley Book Festival’s “Sin City Sonneteer Spectacle”

I picked up a great little skinny red and black tie – at Fifi’s “Tie One On” display at Retro Vegas on Main Street. Fifi tells me that it was so popular, that she’s leaving it there all month, and may even expand it and leave it there forever. Not sure why I didn’t take any pictures of the rack of fabulous ties, scarves and gloves from the 20’s to the 70’s.

We discovered a great little shop next door to Retro Vegas called Glam Gallery. It features all kinds of blingy accessories.  

The Southern Nevada Center For The Arts (which has moved from Neonopolis to 3^rd Street at California) is quickly getting their act together. There’s about 20 artist represented now. I was fascinated watching Ruel James. He’s a remarkably talented clay sculpturer. He’s permanantly set up there now.

Tiki carving at the outdoor festival.

No fences, no baracades, no problems. Just people strolling thru the streets!

DRUNK! at Atomic Todd on Mainstreet. Drunk is a collaborative effort hard-cover comic book that’s just been published by mostly local artists. I picked up my copy and met some of the author/artists at the Comic Book Festival on Saturday.

You can get a copy at Atomic Todd’s Gallery on Main Street. There’s snipets of the book on the walls. A comic book about drunks is both sad and hysterical. Our friend and View writer Andy Taylor is on of the collaborators.

Kristen Peterson reviewed it in the Las Vegas Sun this last July.

And, naturally, they have a website for it called Vegas Drunk.

And a Youtube video. You’ll want to turn your volume down a bit, as the music is most fitting for a late night drinking binge at the Beauty Bar!

Oh what the heck, I’ll keep you on the page and embed it for you.

There’s more to come in Part 2 as we visit the newly re-invigorated Holsum Lofts, The Vegas Valley Book Festival, and a Saturday Night jaunt on Fremont Street!

Just as there were more questions than answers in the first few days of the original tax credit, it will take a few days for the industry to digest it, and really figure it out. For example, I’ve read conflicting reports today as to whether a move-up buyer actually has to sell the current property, or whether it has to sell before the new purchase takes place, or if he can rent out the old house and buy the new one.

From the National Association of Realtors, Here’s a link to the side by side comparison of the current tax credit and the newly extended and revised tax credit.

In the meanwhile, everyone who’s eligible thinks it’s a good thing. The real estate Industry certainly does, as well.  

Here’s an article from AP on the subject:

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Writer – WASHINGTON – Missed out on Cash for Clunkers? Congress has another deal for you: Buy a home before May 1 and collect up to $6,500 from the government. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, get up to $8,000.
As part of the government’s efforts to encourage people to spend money to help revive the economy, the House voted 403-12 Thursday to expand a popular tax credit for homebuyers. The bill, which also extends unemployment benefits and expands a tax break for money-losing businesses, now goes to President Barack Obama, who plans to sign it Friday.

First-time homebuyers have been getting tax credits of up to $8,000 since January as part of the economic stimulus package. But with that housing program scheduled to expire at the end of November, the House voted to extend it into the spring — and to expand it to many people who already own homes.
Buyers who have owned their current homes at least five years would be eligible, subject to income limits, for tax credits of up to $6,500. First-time homebuyers — or people who haven’t owned homes in the previous three years — could get up to $8,000. To qualify, buyers have to sign purchase agreements before May 1 and close before July 1.

“It’s huge. I think it’s going to have a big impact,” said Patti Ketcham, who owns a real estate firm in Tallahassee, Fla. “I hope I’m right. Golly, I hope I’m right.”

Like housing markets across the country, Tallahassee’s has been depressed since even before the nation’s economy plunged into recession. There was no huge boom and bust like there was in many coastal areas, Ketcham said, “but ask anybody trying to sell a house and they’ll tell you it’s been no fun.”
The credit is available for the purchase of principal homes costing $800,000 or less, meaning vacation homes are ineligible. The credit would be phased out for individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 and for joint filers with incomes above $225,000.

Real estate agents say the first-time homebuyers’ tax credit that’s already in effect has boosted sales, much in the same way the Cash for Clunkers program increased auto sales last summer by paying car buyers as much as $4,500 for exchanging their old gas guzzlers for new, more fuel efficient models.
The agents hope the expanded housing credit will help stabilize housing markets during typically slow sales months in the winter. Today, many would-be buyers are still worried that home values could drop further, said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.
“

Once the consumer fear factor disappears, then housing can move into a sustainable recovery,” Yun said. “I think we will be there by the middle of next year. “Yun said the tax credit has helped to increase demand and reduce inventory, enabling sellers to get higher prices than they would have otherwise.

About 1.4 million first-time homebuyers had qualified for the credit through August. The Realtors estimate that 350,000 of those buyers would not have purchased their homes without the credit.
The real estate industry, including Realtors, home builders and mortgage bankers, have lobbied hard for the expanded tax credit. Lawmakers said the program will not be extended again.
Critics say the tax credit is poorly targeted because the vast majority of people receiving it would have bought homes anyway.
…….

It’s at 1412 Maria Elena Drive in the custom homes section of Downtown Las Vegas. Maria Elena is a fabulous street of diverse styles. It’s practically everyone’s favorite street in Downtown Las Vegas. You can get there by going north on 15^th from Oakey, take a right on Bracken, and the first street on the left is Maria Elena.

This A-Frame and several others are pure Mid Century Modern. The only other property for sale is my listing at 1400 Maria Elena, at the end of the long cul-de-sac street.

The two homes couldn’t be more different, not only in style, but in how they’ve been taken care of. The A-Frame has been beat to death. I’ve been asked many times over the years about what it looks like inside.

Other than the grand space of living room and family room, it’s such a major fixer upper that there’s no way to get a decent picture. None of the 5 bathrooms are worth salvaging, the kitchen was replaced 20 or 30 years ago and is so used and abused that it’s no worth saving. I couldn’t figure out how many different additions have been made to the house. All told, they add up to 4671 Square Feet. It’s listed for 196,000, which is $42/sf. An ambitious person will need a couple hundred thousand to make this one right again. I’m really hoping there’s someone out there that will do it over properly.

The one fabulous and fun feature that could be worked around is the massive lava rock fireplace wall that mirrors the shape of the a frame front of the house.

The back side of it is in the family room. Both the living room and family room have exposed beam, tongue and groove ceilings. Other than that, it’s totally a gut job.

Fun Features Found In Foreclosures – John S. Park Historic Neighborhood In Downtown Las Vegas

I’m tracking most of the vacant homes in Vintage Vegas, and am watching and waiting for them to come to market.

I’ve usually got one or more of my clients waiting to find out what the price will be and what condition it’s in. This one wasn’t even listed as a short sale, and no one told me that the owners had moved out. It just “popped up” out of the blue yesterday. Listed for 85,000, but offered for cash or conventional only due to problems with the roof, electric, heat/air and plumbing.

(If you see a house suddenly go vacant….please, give me a call so I can put it on my radar)

I just had to show you the great fireplace and one of the classic “pink bathrooms” in this home in the John S. Park Historic Neighborhood of Downtown Las Vegas.

For now, there’s three of them: The Bow and Arrow, The Silver Slipper, and The Binions Horseshoe that are installed and ready for dedication this Monday, November 9^th, 4:45 pm.

The signs being installed on Las Vegas Boulevard are in the heart of Las Vegas’ Cultural Corridor. The corridor is made up of the highest concentration of cultural institutions in Las Vegas and includes Cashman Center, the Las Vegas Library, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Lied Discovery Children’s Museum, The Neon Museum, the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, and the Reed Whipple Cultural Center.

That’s going to be the opening line if I ever get around to writing that novel (or not).  As much as I whine about not having enough hours in the day, I still read an hour or 2 each day. I particularly love long epic sword and sorcery novels and serials. I do Sci-Fi. Any hero with super powers will strike my fancy. I even read an occasional Biography.

I’m not into poetry, or children’s books, or horror. Comic books on the other hand were a passion in my youth and 20’s. I phased out of the comics and into the fantasy realm, but still love all the movies based on my childhood heros – especially Superman and X-Men.

There’s something at the Vegas Valley Book Festival for just about every genre. There’s more events than I’ll have time for. If I had kids, I wouldn’t want to miss the Children’s Festival.  

I received this little email from my friend Richard Hooker, who is officially the “Sr. Cultural Specialist” for the City of Las Vegas. In that capacity, he’s primarily responsible for creating and scheduling the festival. He deserves a huge round of applause for a terrific line-up.

Hi Jack,

If you are updating your arts news, it’s the big week for the Vegas Valley Book Festival! 

 

There are 5 evening  events, Wednesday thru Sunday. Plus, there’s the book festival sessions, the Children’s festival, and the comic book festival, all on Saturday — it really is the biggest day for literature in Las Vegas, or Nevada.

 

Check out the Wednesday  evening talk about the spectacular museums that have built around the world –and how Las Vegas measures up. How often do you get to meet and hear Kay Ryan, the Poet Laureate of the United States reading her own works? You can do that on Thursday night.

 

Friday night, in conjunction with First Friday,  you can jump on the double decker bus  as it becomes the “sonateer poetry express”. Tool around the arts district on First Friday with a team of poets led by Jarret Keene. It begins with Mayor Goodman and Dayvid Figler reading  haiku poems at 6 pm on the Book Festival stage on Casino Center south of Charleston.

 

Who says Las Vegas has no culture?

 

Hope all is well in the world of commerce and arts.

 

Richard Hooker

 

I’m surprised that Richard didn’t mention E.L. Doctorow – The closing Keynote Speaker  on Sunday night.

Make sure to say hello if you see me at one of the events.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF ALL EVENTS

Most days, I’m so overwhelmed with appointments and paperwork that should have been done the day before, to the exclusion of lots of things I’m missing. Blogging is one of them. Attending every function is another. I used to spend way too much time each day blogging. Things were a little slower then, however. Now-a-days there doesn’t seem to be enough time for it, for which I’m truly regretful.

I don’t regret that I’m helping so many people now to get great buys. I don’t even have to put my listings in the MLS anymore. Usually, all I have to do is tell a client about it, and it’s gone.

That’s not the case with a little house I have listed on 11th Street. I actually don’t have a single first time buyer on my list who’s shopping for a home under 65,000. Unfortunately for the seller it’s a short sale. Fortunately for the future buyer, there’s a real live owner who can decide who to sell it to.

We’re trying a little experiment with it. Every agent I know has a similar story to tell. “I know my client’s offer was the highest, but they took a lower (all cash) offer.” So the seller agreed to make it off limits to the cash investors.

Here’s the remarks, right out of the MLS:

Socially conscious seller says “FHA, VA OR OWNER OCCUPIED BUYER ONLY” Cash offers WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. This could be the cutest little place with some new landscaping and some minor TLC. Real hardwood floors. Seller will even agree to 3% towards buyers closing costs. Subject to Shortsale Lender Approval.

Fortunately, Cash Buyers are NOT a protected class under the fair housing laws. OH, HOW I WISH THAT THIS WOULD BECOME A TREND. How about it all you other Realtors who are regular readers of VVV.

Who do you know that would be right for a little 2 bedroom 1 bath? Give me a call, or drop me an email at jack@unclejack.com. All referrals are welcome and appreciated.

In the meanwhile:

Lee got his keys yesterday on a short sale deal in Metropolitan Homes off Mohave and DI,

Zane and Jenny are moving in this weekend after doing a paint job and new flooring on their Palmer and Krisel designed home in Paradise Palms. It was bank owned, and somehow, we got them to accept an FHA offer!

Brandee’s all snuggled in for the winter in her adorable home in Westleigh. It was a short sale, also.

Suzanne and Gary snagged a great deal on a HUD owned townhouse in the Very Mid Century Modern community of Villa Hermosa. Having the Government as the seller has been a particularly interesting game, but all the issues have been resolved and they’ll get keys next week.

JB’s waiting for short sale approval on one of the Huntridge Homes. Scott’s waiting for short sale approval in Paradise Palms, and Bob & Alisa are waiting for approval in Southridge.  

Carlos is closing on his short sale purchase out in the suburbs next week. He regrets leaving downtown, but needs to be walking distance to work.   

Terry jumped in quick and landed a terrific mid modern in Beverly Green. A few inspection surprises caused us to re-negotiate the deal, and we’re moving ahead for a closing next month.

Dan, David, Hart, Frank and Alison, and Becky are all playing the waiting game of “will our offer be accepted”.

And finally, since I’m “supposed” to put a a picture or a graphic in every post……

A totally cool front door on a Huntridge Home that came on the market yesterday. It’s already got many cash offers at over the list price, of course. It’s a shame they’re refusing to accept FHA financing.