Category: Living Spaces

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Living Spaces Real Estate

How To Sell Your Home in 5 Days by Bill Effros(Workman, $15.95)

Nobody wants to get stuck with the dead weight that is a house that won’t sell. The vagaries of the market coupled with the pressures of getting on to your next living arrangement can be enough to send your blood pressure shooting. But Bill Effros thinks he has just the sword to cut through this real estate Gordian knot. He calls it the 5-Day Method, and it’s the subject of How To Sell Your Home in 5 Days.

Here’s the method: On Wednesday, “Run an ad offering your home for 50 percent of what you think it’s worth or ‘best offer.'” Mention amenities for your home, times for a home opening that weekend, and include the line “Home will be sold Sunday night to the highest bidder.” On Saturday and Sunday, show your home. On Sunday night, call everyone who left bids and determine who will pay the most. Take the highest amount, and on Monday, call the settlement agent. Including Monday, that’s actually six days, but who’s counting?

The bidding process is a little tricky. It’s called “round-robin” bidding, and all offers are left on bidding sheets that are open to view by others at the open house. After the home showing, the seller calls the bidders and asks those with low bids if they’re willing to top the high bid. Eliminations are made, and the next day, you close with that price (provided you’re happy with it).

One of the bonuses touted by the book is never having to set a price for the home — you let the buyer do it. Another is that there’s no risk. (You are encouraged to tell everyone who places a bid that it is non-binding.) It utilizes free-market concepts to determine the sale price.

Effros’ method is predicated on the idea that the process of selling a home should really be about finding the best buyer — not just any buyer. He says that many homes sell for prices lower than other people would be willing to pay. “You sold to the first bidder, not the high bidder, because you didn’t know the true value of your home. You could have sold it for more,” Effros chides.

Effros assumes that people will want to bid on a home. Many, I’m sure, would. But there’s going to be a lot of potential buyers who are turned off by the whole idea and never even look at the house.

One of the major weak points in the plan is that no mortgage lender will pay more than a house is appraised for. Having someone willing to pay the amount of your wildest dreams is one thing; getting them approved is another. Unless they’re paying cash, be realistic. Effros goes so far as to say, “The bid price isn’t wrong; the appraiser is wrong.” He suggests describing the five-day plan to the appraiser and/or bank to get them to increase the appraisal/alter their stance.

How To Sell Your Home in 5 Days also has a section dedicated to advice that is good for any home seller, whether or not they use the five-day method. Knowing what to fix is especially put under the microscope, summed up in the axiom “Fix nothing unless you’re certain you’ll get back two dollars for every dollar you spend.” (This excludes repairs required by law after a professional inspection.)

Some statements, such as “There are always more people who want to buy homes than there are homes. It’s just a question of price,” sound a little questionable. The author also claims, “When this book is exactly followed, the 5-Day Method works every time.” He adds the caveat: “Alter the method at your own peril.”

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Living Spaces Real Estate

Lofty Digs

CREDIT: Courtesy of the Lofts

Courtesy of the Lofts

The Lofts from the corner of Tennessee and G.E. Patterson

Asking when the Lofts was developed is tricky business. Sure, the building was converted to condominiums from apartments pretty recently — starting in March 2005, with the first closings coming in December of that year. But that answer neglects, oh, about 100 years of the building’s life and ignores much of the charm inherited by the Lofts.

The building was born in 1909, and its first identity was as the Orgill Bros. & Co. Hardware and Saddlery Warehouse, which served as a distribution center. There was a system of pull carts for transportation of items to different parts of the building and a circular slide system to send packages down from floor to floor. (There’s still an example of a slide on the first floor of the building.) Orgill Bros. made an addition to the building in 1917.

So when the building was ready for conversion to accommodate residents, the developer, Henry Turley Company, paid particular mind to its historic characteristics. Demolition was never considered. As Henry Turley says, “It’s the best loft I’ve ever seen. Why would you tear it down?”

Courtesy of the Lofts

The Skyline Club at the Lofts

According to Lofts sales associate Mike Parker, “Whatever we could keep in its natural state — the timbers, the concrete beams, concrete pillars, concrete ceilings — we left them as they were. Some of them even had graffiti on them.

“It’s a recycled building,” Parker adds. “It could’ve been torn down, and we could’ve put up some new condos, but we thought that would be a little plain. We wanted to get good use of the building, and the people here love the exposed brick and the exposed timbers. They don’t make them like this anymore. They don’t make beams that are three feet by three feet much anymore.”

The neighborhood’s no slouch either when it comes to character, both historically and naturally. The Lofts is located at 505 Tennessee Street, about as far west you can go in Memphis without getting wet. Turley says, “[A]lmost invariably, industrial lofts are in industrial districts, next to railroads. It so happened that our industrial spot was next to the Mississippi River. It is a singular location.”

Courtesy of the Lofts

The lap pool at the Lofts

The roof deck of the Lofts offers a panoramic view of the river and city that’ll make you wish you had eyes in the back of your head just so you can take it all in. Among other features on the top of the building — called the Skyline Club — are a lap pool (from which “you can basically hang over the side of the building and overlook South Bluffs,” Parker says), grills for cooking, a fireplace that burns a no-muss denatured ethanol, a kitchenette, a sauna, and a workout facility.

Courtesy of the Lofts

The view from the Lofts looking north

Parker says, “We talked Henry into taking the workout facility from the first floor back in a corner, in the least desirable unit, and converting one of the most desirable units, a roof garden unit, into the workout facility. … We had some really nice workout equipment, and, as Henry says, ‘Don’t hide your light under a bushel.'”

But just because preservation of the past has been key in the design of the Lofts, don’t get the idea that the place isn’t as high-tech and forward-focused as possible. Wireless Internet is provided, as is basic cable. “It’s complementary to the building and the type of people who like this loft style of living,” Parker says.

But one of the best features is sure to satisfy your checkbook and higher sensibilities both: the energy-efficient system installed in the Lofts. “We’re a common-source water heat pump system, so our utilities are very low,” Parker says. “You’re not paying to heat or cool the water with your utility bill. You’re paying to blow [the air] throughout your unit once you’ve sent the prescribed temperature to your unit via your thermostat. Water and sewer are paid out of condo fees, but you still have control of your thermostat 365 days a year.”

Mike Parker

That translates to utility bills that run about $20 to $40 a month for a studio, for example. One resident, who lives in a 2,010-square-foot unit, had a $28 bill one month.

The need for a car is diminished for many residents by the proximity of the Lofts to the trolley line. “You can literally sit on the steps, wait for the trolley to come by, wave it down, and it’ll stop at the front door, pick you up, and take you to a Redbirds game, whatever,” Parker says. “You’re saving gas and saving the environment by cutting down on how much you take your car out.”

So far, 57 units out of 122 have sold. Remaining units start at $139,000 and range in size from 860 to 2,300 square feet. Of the bigger units, Parker says, “Forget watching football. You can play football in them.”

The Lofts also has a unique lease-to-own program. According to Parker, “If you’re not quite ready to buy, you can rent within the building for three to six months, and at the end of that period, we’ll give you half of up to six months back toward closing costs, homeowner’s fees, or upgrades, when you purchase in the building. You don’t even have to purchase the same unit. You can purchase bigger or smaller.”

The Lofts is the complete package, Turley says: “We argue that it is the best and the greenest loft in America.”

For more information on the Lofts, contact Mike Parker or Ashley Bonds at 578-6915.

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Living Spaces Real Estate

Built By Design

Have it your way from Architectural CustomWorks.

Berry gets by with a little help from his family. His wife, Karen, is his partner in Architectural CustomWorks, handling, among other things, the company’s accounting. She had worked for years for construction firms around Memphis doing accounting. Similarly, Berry, a licensed architect, also worked for years for other architecture companies in the area. He loved designing houses and always had the dream of actually building them. So Berry and Karen left their jobs and started their own company.

Their son Shane is involved in the family business as well. The ex computer programmer is now the field coordinator for the company.

Architectural CustomWorks does have a few employees that don’t also get together during the holidays, but the overall operation is small. “I’m like the head cook and the chief bottle washer,” Berry says.

This year marks the 10th for Architectural CustomWorks. The company began with the design and building of a group of homes at Harbor Town. By now, the company has built 35 single-family homes, not to mention CityHouse, on G.E. Patterson.

The newest project is The Enclave at Peabody Green, 6 lots on land south of Peabody near McLean. The homes will be Central Gardens-style bungalow houses. Thematically, the development will tie-in to the neighborhood that sits right on Peabody and McLean, at the

former site of the Central Library. It is scheduled to open in the fall 2007. Until The Enclave, Berry says, “We were exclusively downtown builders. [Peabody Green is] literally our first venture east of Front Street.

“We design and build residences,” Berry says, shedding some light on the company’s philosophy. The also don’t do cookie cutter: “We build custom market homes. Each one of our homes is a unique custom design for that lot.”

In 2004, Architectural CustomWorks bought the property that is now CityHouse. CityHouse is a mixed-use condominium and retail development at 6 West G.E. Patterson. Twenty-nine of 36 units have been sold (26 were pre-sales). Berry says the amenities package was “designed for a little more sophisticated buyer looking for nicer details.” Ten-foot ceilings give units depth of space, and there’s roof decks for parties or river-gazing. All kitchens have custom cabinetry and fixtures, so that no two kitchens in the building are exactly alike. Units have big, open, semi-private balconies.

The concern of any downtown dweller is parking, and, in that regard, CityHouse has your spot covered — and reserved and secured. CityHouse was built after new 2006 seismic codes were in place, so it has all the latest structural safety features.

CityHouse is built right on the trolley line that runs from Tennessee Street to Main. “It’s right outside the gates of South Bluffs, in the South Main

Interior at CityHouse

district,” Berry says. Local dining such as Spindini is nearby, and the trolley can take you all over downtown. “Being on the trolley line was a huge benefit,” Berry says. There’s a pedestrian and transporation node nearby. “When Sugar Services eventually goes away, you’ll see the corner [at Tennessee Street and G.E. Patterson] become a vibrant location of shows.The River Walk is just a few hundred feet away from the front door.

“It’s so important to introduce retail on the ground floor,” he says. “The cityscape will only continue the vibrancy it has by having some street life and some street relationship. You can’t put a weight on how important it is to have those amenities.”

Don’t just take his word for it. Berry and Karen live at CityHouse too. “We decided to put our money where our mouth was.” Their unit on the north-facing side, they can see the river, skyline, and bridge. They can walk down to Arcade and have breakfast or walk a couple blocks to Spindini for dinner

“We rarely get our car out on the weekends,” Berry says.

The next big project on the horizon for Architectural CustomWorks is called Butler Park Station, right around the corner from CityHouse, at the current site of the Butler Street Bazaar on Tennessee. “We intend to, unfortunately, demolish that building, although we hope to save some elements of the building to use in the new project. The plan is urban-style town home.” Though the project is still involved with completing layouts and design, Berry says I will be a mixed-use project, with offices and retail in addition to residential.

For Berry, one of the important things about designing and building homes is in the knowledge that he’s taking part in crafting someone’s home. “That was one of the main reasons I wanted to actually build what we designed,” he says. “When you pull it off, when you’re in there building it, you can see it coming together and can make subtle changes. You can see things you didn’t see when you were looking at the paper. You can enhance as you go along.

“If you really care about what you do, you’ll spend a lot more time on the details while you’re building. I think people we sell to appreciate that. We’re trying to make spaces work at multiple levels. I’m a real strong believer in open, flexible spaces, where people can entertain, but at the same time, where you can find nooks and crannies to feel cozy.

You know, when you’re spending time with your family. ■

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Living Spaces Real Estate

Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner

I kept seeing the commercials on TV for this shower-cleaning gadget that promised to transform the tile in my shower in 14 days flat. I thought, Um, have you seen my shower? We’ll put that sucker to the test.

So I shelled out my $26 and bought the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner, installed it in my little tomb of doom, and sat back for the next two weeks to see the results. As instructed, I pushed the button on the contraption once a day, after the last shower of the day when the surface is still wet. I love things that beep in a countdown kind of way, so the cleaner won that early battle with me. After a time delay, the 360-degree power sprayer squirts the cleaning solution to hit all four walls and the floor of the shower.

But does it pass the test? Consider the following to determine if it would be right for you:

What’s your shower feng shui?

If you already have a shower organizer hanging from your showerhead, you’ll have to do some rearranging before using the cleaner. The Scrubbing Bubbles folks did consider this, and there is an optional caddy that you can hang with the cleaner. It holds a few bath products and has storage for razors and sponges. However, if space is limited in your shower, you might feel a bit

cramped. My shower has a hand-held showerhead, and the cleaner gets in the way of the hose, causing the showerhead to spray off to the right.

What’s in your wallet?

The cleaner comes with the necessary four AA batteries and two bottles of cleaner to get you started. The batteries should last “up to four months” — if you keep the battery compartment clean and dry, a slight difficulty considering it hangs in your shower. Since the cleaner does not work with rechargeable batteries, you’ll need to purchase replacements about three times a year and a new bottle of cleaner (about $4 a pop) every 21 days.

Pros and Cons.

The shower cleaner is better than not cleaning at all. I started with a fairly clean shower. The cast-iron tub and white tile in my 1950s house is prone to mildew buildup, and, since using the cleaner, I’ve noticed a marked improvement here — though around day 15, I did begin to see some mildew creep up behind a shampoo bottle in the corner of the tub. While the cleaner solution has not left a residue on the tile or tub, it has made the vinyl shower-curtain liner a little cloudy. The cleaner’s instructions warn that this is likely to happen when the solution is sprayed onto dry surfaces, but the residue does wipe off with a damp cloth.

What’s the bottom line?

If you’re someone who demands an impeccably clean bathroom, you’ll probably be frustrated by what the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner is incapable of. The reach of the sprayer is impressive, and the solution smells pretty good. If you’re devoted to daily shower cleaning, the automatic cleaner is a good option, as you’re just pushing a button instead of doing the spraying yourself. If you prefer managing the upkeep of the cleaner for the ease of not having to spray daily or scrub weekly, then this is also probably a good choice for you.

If you’re a perfectionist, stick to the elbow grease. It’s the only way you’ll sleep at night. ■ — GA

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Living Spaces Real Estate

South Rising

This April 12th through 29th, every-thing’s hotter down south.

That’s when the Downtown Home Show at South End takes place, and many visitors will get their first peek at what all the area hubbub the last several years has been about.

The South End is a 70-plus-acre area of downtown demarcated by developers at Riverside Drive to the west, Huling Avenue to the north, Front Street to the east, and Georgia Avenue to the south. Within those geographical boundaries has been a burst of construction that has seen ideas long on the drawing board turned into reality.

But it’s not an every-man-for-himself development where decisions are made independent of what’s happening in the building next door. The South End is “place-making” in action: turning bricks and mortar into places to live.

“We had a unique opportunity here of doing this assemblage of properties, to have a plan that at the end of the day becomes seamless and fits together,” says developer Terry Lynch of Southland Capital, one of the flag bearers on the South End project.

Where there’s something with a lofty goal, you can bet there’s an “ism” involved. The one on the mind of South Enders is “new urbanism.” That’s the theory of city planning that stresses having an inclusive community and a connectivity of neighborhood while being mixed-use (residential alongside retail alongside commercial), mixed-product (not homogenous in home size, price, or architecture), high-density, walkable, and sustainable.

Armed with these principles (and not a few dollars), developers joined forces to carve out a swath of land that would be created in the image of new urbanism. By the looks of things, they are well on their way to success.

Among the highlights of the South End are: formerly pedestrian-unfriendly land along streets transformed into walkable places with 10-foot-wide sidewalks, “bump-outs,” raised crosswalks, and streets lined with trees; numerous sites for public art; and planned space for restaurants, clubs, banks, a grocery store, health facilities, and retail.

There will be two anchor parks (Martyr’s Park/Asburn Park running next to the Mississippi River and Central Park at Central Station) and numerous pocket parks (open spaces tucked along streets, at intersections, and along natural boundaries).

This is an ambitious project that has been in development for over five years. The population of the South End area was 1,000 in 2001. Projections put that at 5,000-plus by 2011. In that year, there will be 2,500 housing units in the neighborhood.

The Downtown Home Show at South End is free for all visitors and runs April 12th to 29th, Thursdays through Sundays only, from noon to 6 p.m. ■ — GA

LivingSpaces@memphisflyer.com

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Living Spaces Real Estate

New Homes: Better Than Ever

As an unsustainably hot housing market slows down to “real time,” buyers are seeking answers to lots of questions about how to find the right home. And while the old real estate saying about the three most important attributes being “location, location, location” still has some truth to it, today’s consumers are more savvy and discerning. Location is only part of the equation: It’s also about conveniences and amenities.

And for conveniences and amenities, it’s hard to beat a new home. Today, new homes are safer, more efficient, and more packed with popular amenities than ever.

Safety

Technological advances mean that today’s homes are safer, because new homes take advantage of breakthroughs in building science. Homes now have advanced electrical systems, hardwired smoke detectors, and fire-resistant construction details. Windows in patio doors and near stairways have tempered glass, which makes them less likely to cause injury if they break.

Efficiency

Home builders also have an ever-expanding array of products and materials to choose from to enable them to make a house more resource-efficient and water-thrifty. Many home builders participate in programs like Energy Star, promoting energy-efficient appliances, and WaterSense, promoting water efficiency.

“Green” building is another new trend that’s getting legs as builders return to age-old practices, such as siting a home to take the best advantage of sunlight and shade, and recent innovations such as solar shingles (not just solar roof panels), light-conserving windows, and insulation made from recycled materials. Innovation and consumer demand are combining to produce a “leaner” home. Technology has changed, and so has the market.

Lifestyle

Today’s new home plans reflect what today’s homebuyer wants: larger kitchens for family gatherings, bigger closets, ample storage space, and more bathrooms. Consumers are seeking greater ceiling heights, more — and bigger — closets, walk-in showers with multiple heads, three-car garages, and outdoor entertainment spaces with fireplaces and grills. And builders are responding with designs that provide these features.

In fact, that’s a big reason why people seek new homes. Consumers want value, but they also want choices. They want to pick their carpet colors, their cabinet styles, their light fixtures, and other design elements that help make a house a home.

The decisions shouldn’t be about whether it’s a good time to buy a home, because home ownership remains the American Dream, despite occasional highs and lows in the market. The decisions should be about personal choice: finding the home that’s right for the buyer. Choosing a new home helps make it a perfect fit. ■

Keith Grant is president of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association.

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In Focus

When my wife and I used to daydream about having our own place, sometimes our wishful thoughts involved having an aquarium. But not just any aquarium: a big, wall-length sucker stocked full of petite darting wonders so crazily colored they look made-up. It would be a melting pot of South Pacific sea life, right in our own home. We wouldn’t even need a TV anymore, so tied up would we be in the little fish-world soap-opera panorama playing out in our living room.

So we dreamed big — nothing wrong with that. What we got, though, instead of the super-cool fish tank, was a koi pond full of leaves.

The folks who lived in our home prior to us had a pond installed sometime in the last couple years. The pond was actually quite attractive when we first viewed the home, late summer last year — landscaped all around with lots of large rocks, pieces of driftwood, and creeping plants. In the pond were live water lilies and anacharis and even fish! Several big goldfish, a school of little goldfish, and even a Kohaku koi (that last is up for debate) were in the pond.

So, we bought the house. Not because of the pond, mind you, but it certainly didn’t present a stumbling block. Once we took possession, I immediately began actively not dealing with the pond. By the time we moved in, it was almost autumn, and getting hands-on with the pond seemed like more of a spring thing. Besides, the fish seemed fine, and I would surely only screw that up by trying anything.

You live and learn. Fall happened, and the trees in our backyard did what comes natural, dropping leaves like gravity got increased tenfold. You know how they do. Bad news, though: Apparently in the pond with the anacharis and suspected Kohaku is some kind of leaf-attraction device. I’m pretty sure every leaf in the tri-state area loaned their leaves to my pond.

So that’s why a few weekends ago, I found myself leaning over the pond, up to my elbows in the water, fishing leaves out with my hands, pulling them carefully because I didn’t want to catch any fish. It was nasty business. This is what you get when you don’t cover your pond in the fall. I worked about two hours and didn’t get halfway done.

And I loved every minute of it. It was exciting to see the fish hearty and hale even though the pond froze over a few times during the winter, and nothing could take away from the fact that I wasn’t just cleaning out some dirty pond, I was cleaning out my dirty pond.

Home ownership, if it teaches you nothing else, instructs you on the rewards of being a little bold. You’ll no doubt do things you never thought you’d have to do, and not all of it seems fun on the surface. But don’t be too shy (I can’t bring myself to say “coy”) because, as they say, “El riesgo siempre vive.”

But I’ll be covering the pond this fall.

Greg Akers

greg@memphisflyer.com

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J. Crews’ Style

His dad is Hilliard Crews, founder and CEO of Shelby Group International, founder of Crews Realty, developer of residential and commercial property, and a University of Memphis graduate and member of the Tiger Athletic Advisory Board of Directors. His uncle is Lauren Crews, another prominent Memphis developer. So maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that Crews-scion Jason, the developer of Riverside 648 and multiple residential and commercial properties across the Mid-South, should be so successful. But the accomplishments of this 32-year-old Briarcrest High School and University of Memphis graduate are making a lot of people in Memphis crane their necks to get a glimpse.

What people are stretching to see isn’t just the man but his building: Riverside 648, perched atop South Bluffs and looking out over the Mississippi River like a conquering general. Of course, Riverside 648 wasn’t always, well, Riverside 648. A few years ago it was the home of Memphis Import Co.

“We’ve always gone downtown, always loved downtown,” Crews says. “My uncle [Lauren] found that property and presented it to me. I really liked it and thought it would be a great and fun project.”

Jason Crews bought the property in 2003. The two-story building was 74,000 square feet — 15,000 of it office space, the rest warehouse space used as an import-distribution center. The

transformation to condominiums would be startling. Construction started in January 2005. “The existing first floor we turned into a garage,” Crews explains. “The second floor, which was warehouse and offices, we turned into condos. Then we built condos on the top floor and the roof.” (Those top two floors were new for the building.) Next were exterior improvements, Crews says. “Outside [the building] and the property itself needed to be cleaned up a whole lot to improve the look of the neighborhood.”

When the condo opened in May 2006, it featured 66 units. Now, nine months later, there are 20 units remaining that run in price from $171,500 to $449,500 with sizes ranging from one-bedroom units at about 1,040 square feet to three-bedroom units at about 2,200 square feet, according to sales agent Tom Davis of Henry Turley Realtors. “We’re on target with sales and looking to sell out the building by the middle of summer,” Davis says. “I sold four units in January. We thought that was pretty good.”

“Buyers are coming from all over,” Crews says. “We have all types of buyers, a very diverse mix. We’re getting a lot of people from out of town relocating to Memphis or their jobs are downtown and they want to live there too. Some of the buyers are buying for a second home — they might live out in Collierville or Germantown. Some of them are first-home buyers.

“We have people from 25 to 65 years old living in one community. We knew it’d be diverse, but we didn’t know it’d be this diverse.”

Davis echoes the sentiment: “It’s almost unbelievable to see all these different people living in this one environment. It’s such a mix of people, but they’re all there at one time. Riverside 648 has been hugely successful and is a perfect example of a mix of all that’s happening with downtown. It makes for a great environment.”

Riverside 648: from warehouse to condos

The development has a lot of amenities and natural advantages that are making it very attractive to prospective buyers. Its location at Riverside Drive and West Georgia Avenue gives it easy access to the interstate and, thus, East Memphis, Bill Morris Parkway, and the suburbs. Included in the condo package is covered, reserved parking in the garage. Residents with two- or three-bedroom units get a second reserved, outside parking place. They don’t skimp on the parking spots either: They’re all oversized so they can accommodate large SUVs. The units are large and open, with ceilings up to 14 feet and nine-foot-high windows. Every unit has a balcony, gas-top stoves, hardwood floors, granite counters in kitchens and bathrooms, and stainless-steel appliances. There’s also a large fitness room and a rooftop deck with gas grills, a kitchenette area, tables, lounge chairs, a restroom — and don’t forget the view. A lobby with a pool table greets residents as they enter.

Crews is excited about the future prospects for downtown condominium development, including the continued selling of Riverside 648.

“I think a lot of people think there are a lot of condos downtown, but there really are not,” Crews says. “There are just a lot of them proposed. Also, what’s different about downtown than out in the suburbs is that every project downtown is totally different. My condo project is different from every other developer’s. The guy down the street might have town homes; another guy might have a high rise; mine’s kind of a mid-rise. If they were all the same price and same product, I’d be worried. But I think this is going to be a really big year.”

Davis sings the praises of Crews at the mention of his name: “He’s been great to work with. We’ve given each other some of the best of what we both know.

“None of this is easy because there are lots of pieces of the puzzle,” Davis continues. “But it’s been a really successful project. We’re just hoping we can do another one and be as successful.”

Crews doesn’t just have his hand in downtown Memphis. He’s developed residential subdivisions in Olive Branch, Collierville, and Fayette County and commercial properties throughout the Mid-South. Asked what he likes about developing, he says, “I like to get out of the office and meet people and be outdoors and the challenges. I like building.”

Jason Crews: Coming to a development near you. ■

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Fine Print

2007 National Repair & Remodeling Estimator

Edited by Albert S. Paxton

(Craftsman, $53.50)

2007 National Home

Improvement Estimator

Edited by Ben Moselle

(Craftsman, $53.75)

Like death and taxes, if you own a home, one of the certainties in life is having to call a repairperson. Unless you’re preternaturally gifted or specifically trained — and I’m neither — when you hear that cringe-inducing “uh-oh” coming from the kitchen or laundry room or bathroom, you know it’s probably time to call somebody to come fix something.

Just as certain is the feeling you’ll get wondering, when the repairperson tells you how much it’s going to cost, if you’re getting fleeced. Multiple estimates are essential to protect yourself, but sometimes there’s still that insecure voice coming from somewhere deep in your brain whispering that you’re about to make a big, expensive mistake.

Welcome to home ownership!

For people like me, the National Estimator books by Craftsman are essential references. The series is directed at companies making estimates rather than consumers — which actually makes it perfect for the homeowner. They are manuals companies can use as their price book, itemizing nationally how much to expect labor, materials, and equipment to cost for specific jobs.

The National Estimator books calculate what they call “area modification factors,” based on how materials, labor, and equipment costs vary depending on the part of the country in question. For example, for Memphis the book suggests a 1 percent markup from its national estimates based on the city’s higher costs for labor (though Memphis is cheaper for materials and equipment than the national estimate).

Literally every repair job you can think of is in the National Repair & Remodeling Estimator (the 2007 edition is now out, with updated pricing information). It doesn’t matter if it’s a carpenter, electrician, plumber, or roofer you’re calling. You can get a better-than-ballpark idea of how much you should expect to pay for the work. The information is broken down into individual costs for materials and labor. (Since the book is made for repair and construction companies, it even estimates how many laborers should be needed and the number of hours to complete the job. It fascinates my analytic mind.)

Of course, not every time you call for estimates means something messy broke in your home. You could also be planning some renovations or improvements. Here’s where the 2007 National Home Improvement Estimator comes in. If you want to, say, put down bamboo-plank, prefinished flooring in your den, the book can tell you how much it will cost per square foot. Don’t forget your bamboo-flooring molding: It’s listed too, broken down by styles, from quarter round to stair noses. For each section, the book also gives definitions and tips for the choosing and installation of whatever it is you want to do.

The cost of the books might seem prohibitive, but if you’re planning on shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars for work on your home, it’s a great way to protect your investment and your checkbook. ■ — GA

Categories
Living Spaces Real Estate

Midtown Developments

Annesdale Snowden is preparing for the worst.

The historic district has spent the last several years working on a disaster-preparedness plan for the Midtown neighborhood.

According to Ian Randolph, president of the Annesdale Snowden Historic District, “The neighborhood’s disaster plan will be a comprehensive plan that addresses most of the perils we face: earthquake, fire, chemical spills, etc.” It will detail what the neighborhood’s response should be in each case.

Ultimately, Randolph says, a copy of the disaster plan could be kept in each house in the neighborhood and would stay with the house when a resident moves. “This will give us a sense of control in the midst of chaos. It will enable us to be of service to our neighbors — our extended family.”

The impetus for the plan began with an ice storm a few years ago. “We had power out for almost a week,” Randolph says. “We had elderly neighbors who needed to be checked on. As a neighborhood, we had no way to deal with all the challenges we faced. Hurricane Katrina drove this home even more.”

The neighborhood association has arranged for residents to get Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) from the Memphis/Shelby County Emergency Management Agency (SCEMA). Association members also attended an emergency-training class sponsored by MLGW. Wendy Cantrell, from SCEMA, came to Annesdale Snowden to do a training session for neighbors. “This has been a long-term project that we hope to have completed by this summer,” Randolph says.

“In our training, we have been told that, in a catastrophic emergency, we need to be able to survive on our own for three to five days,” he says. “If we don’t plan for this as a neighborhood, it will be to our detriment.

“The images of Katrina fill my mind every time I think about our plan. In Memphis, our biggest threat is from an earthquake; unlike Katrina, there will be no warning before it strikes.”

Once the plan is completed, Annesdale Snowden plans on having a mock emergency so that residents can work on triage, search and rescue, and command and leadership hierarchies.

None of this is cheap, Randolph says. “We are working with the South Memphis Alliance to find funding for the plan. With the funding — $5,500 — we will publish and distribute our plan and purchase official CERT equipment and 10-mile-radius radios for our emergency-response team.

“We are looking for funding anywhere we can find it,” Randolph adds. “Our neighborhood association is over 30 years old and has the ability to accept and track money.”

Randolph has been encouraging his neighbors to attend the ongoing CERT training. That extends to his neighbors across the city and county:

“It’s free,” he says. “It just costs you a few hours of your time.”

Another historic neighborhood in Memphis is telling itself to clean up! The Evergreen Historic District is celebrating a “CommUnity Clean-Up, Paint-Up, Fix-Up” on Saturday, March 24th. The concept came from Evergreen resident Don Walker, who, last August, got his immediate neighbors near McNeil and Stonewall to tidy up an alley and their yards.

The success of that plan encouraged Walker to take the concept to the whole neighborhood.

So, what is it Evergreen residents are doing to spruce up their lots? Whatever they can.

Suggestions from organizers range from mowing the yard and picking up trash to trimming or planting new trees, from repairing gutters, shutters, and fences to painting the house or garage. Improved curb appeal, it is hoped, will draw together an already tight community and make the neighborhood safer.

Attractive fences make happy neighbors.

For more information, including volunteer opportunities, go to evergreendistrict.org/cleanup.htm. ■ — GA