Merry Christmas Lights!

One of my favorite things to do at this magical time of year is to drive around at night listening to Christmas carols and admiring Christmas lights. I have to say that this year in particular the Magnolia City has done an impressive and inspiring job. The Woodland Heights neighborhood, who hosted Lights in the Heights a couple weekends ago for the 24th year, was quite a sight. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me then. But, I did take a spin the other night with my camera and snapped a few beauties in Montrose, Boulevard Oaks, Southampton and River Oaks. Enjoy! And from our house to yours, Merry Christmas!

 

Montrose

Montrose

Montrose

Boulevard Oaks

Boulevard Oaks

Southampton

River Oaks

River Oaks

This Old House: Knob and Tube Wiring

After a brief hiatus from the blogosphere, in what I will call blogger’s block, I am back with a new collection of posts named This Old House. While the moniker obviously comes from the well known fix-it magazine, I have chosen it to dedicate posts that show my passion for old houses—selling them (or wanting to), living in them, and just generally appreciating their existence. From the gas cook-tops and the worn wood floors to the wood-burning fireplaces and the wavy glass of the original wood windows, I just love old houses. One day, I will fix one up myself. But for now…

It has been one year since my husband Chad and I put an offer on the place we now call home. How time flies. The house was built in 1920, but someone--Leonard Rutan we later found out--put some real TLC into our old new home, adding granite countertops, recessed lights, a built-in speaker system and plantation shutters, among other modern amenities. [Leonard Rutan owns a women's clothing store in the River Oaks area.] The house is charming, yet still very functional, almost 90 years later.

What we didn’t know when we fell in love with what we saw was that some of the internal aspects of the house were not as updated as the external ones. Our house had an unidentifiable amount of still-active old wiring, called Knob and Tube, which was common in houses built before 1930. While there are houses that still fully operate with this type of electrical system and minds that think the system is--in some ways--superior to current ones, the powers that be say it’s just not safe.

One of my go-to inspection companies, introduced to me by the late, great Realtor Warren Strauss, is Fox Inspection Group. Here’s what inspector Mark Chalmers of Fox has to say about Knob and Tube: “When electrical wiring gets old, the insulation can become brittle and fall off. If that uninsulated area comes in contact with something flammable, it can start a fire. For this reason, homeowners insurance is difficult to obtain and is priced higher than it is for newer homes.”

While Chalmers says he would live in a home with active Knob and Tube--depending on its condition, what my husband and I found out was that it was more than difficult to obtain the required homeowners insurance on a home with active K&T wiring--whatever its condition. If it’s active, it’s a no-go.

Due to time, heat and possibly hungry critters, a home inspector on oldhouseweb.com says, “This [K&T] system is rarely intact after 80 or so years of use.”

While Steve Hartwig of John R. Ray & Sons worked tirelessly to find us insurance to cover it, after hearing “no” from about nine companies to finally hear “yes” from one, we questioned its safety ourselves.

Though it was not cheap to do (about $6/square-foot), we had our entire new old house rewired by a licensed electrician and his team before moving in. They had to get permits from the City of Houston, and their work had to be inspected. It was a week-long project, but the headache was worth it. We feel comfortable living in an old house with all new wiring that stands up to 2009 code.

As a Realtor, my reader is probably questioning why I didn’t know more about Knob & Tube than I did. Our inspection report (not performed by Fox) briefly mentioned it, but did not call great attention to it. As Realtors, we are not experts on electricity or home building. We are experts in negotiation, the real estate market and servicing our clients. We learn with experience about the other things, but will direct a buyer or seller to the appropriate expert.

So with the above in mind, I plan to send this post to the Texas Real Estate Commission in hopes that they will add “Presence of Active Knob & Tube Wiring” to the Seller’s Disclosure form, just as “Previous Use of Premises for Manufacture of Methamphetamine” was added in 2007. I have no doubt that this would help all parties involved in a real estate transaction of an old house.

Photo: OldHouseWeb.com

Lunchtime in H-town

Tuesdays through Thursdays for Realtors are "broker open house" days, for Houston at least. When I am not holding a listing open myself, showing property or scheduled to answer the phones on prime duty at the office, I do my best to hit a few open houses in the neighborhoods I service. It is a good way to preview what is on the market and also a good way to meet other Realtors. Houses are held open from noon to two, and although I rarely partake, lunch is often served—a tactic used to draw more eyes to the house. So, to keep this post real-estate related, I am breaking down my favorite places for lunch in H-town according to open house days. If you are a buyer, keep in mind that these broker open houses are also open to the public. So don't be shy if you see a sign or balloons on a Wednesday during your lunch break!

Tuesdays, Areas 16 & 9: Afton Oaks, The Heights, Hyde Park, Lynn Park/Highland Village, Memorial Park, Midtown, Montrose, Oak Estates, Rice Military, River Oaks, Upper Kirby

Let's start in the heart of River Oaks, where on the bustling corner of Kirby and Westheimer Stone Mill Bakers is serving up creamy chicken salad on Dakota bread with avocado and lettuce. Their new granola cookie is addictive! Zoe's Kitchen, on Shepherd, also has a great chicken salad. I add a few dashes of pepper to it to make it even better. Their coleslaw is also tasty, and my sister, Laura, loves their chocolate sheet cake, which always looks tempting but I’ve never fallen prey. (Though I haven't been yet, Zoe's just opened a new outpost on the hip and happening Washington Avenue, also in Area 16). If I’m meeting a friend, Barnaby's on Kirby does the trick. They have a delicious chicken salad sandwich with artichoke hearts and basil mayo. It comes with fries, which I substitute for the sweet-potato variety. Their portions are extra-large, so I try to split. At its sister restaurant, Brown Bag Deli (pictured), I get roast turkey, Monterrey Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard on their warm Honey Whole Wheat bread. Another few spots to meet a friend: Paulie's, Tiny Boxwood's or Ruggles Green. Paulie’s is famous for its iced sugar cookies. For lunch, I usually get the Mediterranean Pasta Salad. At Tiny Boxwood’s, Tiny’s Trio has a perfect mix of green salad, chicken salad and fresh fruit, set in the pristine garden of Thompson+Hanson. Their just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies are to die for! At "Houston's First Certified Green Restaurant," Ruggles Green, the Goat Cheese Salad is a satisfying choice for lunch, served with Texas goat cheese. Near Memorial Park, Shandy's has a good chicken salad sandwich that comes with a cup of cubed tropical fruit salad. I’m beginning to think I should have named this post “Chicken Salad in Houston.” But, at Neilsen's Delicatessen, I go for the tuna salad sandwich—junior size. I add Baked Lays between the bread for crunch and saltiness. I also get the tuna salad—the one with the cranberries mixed in—at Whole Foods Market, on Kirby. And at Kraftsmen Baking on Montrose (slated to be at West Ave soon), I opt for the Green Gobbler, a turkey sandwich with provolone cheese, alfalfa sprouts, green apple slices and apple butter on Biologique bread. Last but not least is Epicure Café on West Gray. This is a good place to go alone or with friends. Truthfully, I go for the alfajor (an Argentine cookie), but their tomato basil soup and fresh mint tea are both worth the stop as well. While Area 16 has so many wonderful options, I still have to say: I miss Mom's Kitchen.

Wednesdays, Area 17: Bellaire, Boulevard Oaks, Braes Heights, Medical Center, Museum District, Rice, Southampton, Southgate, Sunset Terrace, West University, Woodside

My list is much slimmer in this locale, most likely because I am obsessed with Picnic's chicken salad with sun-dried tomatoes (pictured). The little side of fruit is accented with mint, making it quite the refreshing side dish. Though I can never pass up their cookies, usually going for the Peanut Butter, they aren't as sweet as I'd like them to be. Edloe Street Cafe & Deli is good for lunch, but doesn't ever really call to me like Picnic does. A little French place called Croissant Brioche, in Rice Village, is also a good spot. There's another Brown Bag Deli in the Village, too, but I always forget it's there and have actually never been, because who am I kidding? If I'm going to Area 17 for open houses, I'm going to Picnic.

Thursdays, Areas 22 & 23: Briarbend/Charnwood, Briarcroft, Briargrove, Brairgrove Park, Briarmeadow, Galleria, Larchmont, Memorial Villages, Sandalwood, Tanglewood

I can get in a rut in Areas 22 and 23, but there really are some fine lunch establishments. I love the little side salad that comes with all of the sandwiches at the Argentine Deli, although it is actually called Yorktown Deli. Like Epicure, I really go there for their alfajor—and I actually like it better than Epicure’s. The deli’s walls are covered in snapshots from their patrons’ travels, all featuring their yellow menu. As seen in the photo above, my husband and I took the menu with us to Africa this summer and shot it in a Maasai village. Look for it on their wall soon! Nearby, Jersey Mike's sub shop is pretty good. I like it "Mike's Way," with Italian seasonings and oil. I get the same treatment to the Skinny TKY at Potbelly in Uptown Park. But beware: Potbelly is dangerously close to Crave, a cupcake shop with every flavor cupcake imaginable. Also in Uptown Park is Andre’s, which I failed to mention is also in Area 16 (but I rarely go to that one). It’s a good spot to meet a friend. I order the tuna salad on croissant "portion-size;" the menu can be confusing. A few doors down, Café Express is a sure bet, but never gets me very excited since Wendy’s bought it. I know the Del Grandes bought it back, but still... I love Neiman Marcus' Mariposa, but it doesn’t leave you much time for open houses when you are in a department store! In Memorial, I like A Moveable Feast. It's a health food store and restaurant. They have a crunchy Apple Pecan Tuna Salad, and you just feel healthy eating there. There’s another outpost of Stone Mill on Voss, although I don’t think it’s as good as the one on Kirby. Occasionally, I will go to Dessert Gallery, which is not just dessert! I like the California Dreamin' sandwich, but sometimes their bread is stale and they are not shy with the Chipotle mayo. Although always crowded at lunch, Barnaby's new-ish Tanglewood spot is, of course, good. I’m also très excited that Zoe's is opening on San Felipe and Bering soon! The French House: duh. I get the chicken salad plate that is served on a bed of lettuce with avocados. Delish! In the Briargrove Shopping Center, Cafe Mezza starts off every table with pita chips and an addicting olive oil-based dipping sauce. I like to follow it with their yummy—and quite interesting—chicken salad sandwich. Lastly, at Smoothie Island, aka Island Grill, I order the "Eric the Homebuilder Pita," a wonderful medley of roasted veggies and hummus on warm pita bread. And being that a homebuilder dreamed it up, I'll say it’s an appropo way to end this post.

If I have missed any obvious lunch spots in any of the aforementioned areas, do tell me in the comments section. It was either an oversight, we like different foods at lunchtime or I am missing out. Happy lunching!