New Boxy Babe gets and overhaul! 4132 Oleatha BEFORE.

The latest property to hit the market from Starke, Inc. has gone from drab to fab. This little Mid-Century Modern Bungalow needed a little TLC. Clearly, it was neglected and not loved like it should have been, but things happen and owners get busy. We had been scouting for a new property in Tower Grove South for a while now. The goal? Buy the ugliest house on the cutest and most stable block possible, and then turn it around for an affordable price. Too often people think that a renovater/rehabber buys a property and sticks a little bit of lipstick on the "pig". Often, people are right. That is not the case when Starke and his team (myself included) gets involved. The name of the game for many people in the renovation game is, get in and get out with as little updating as possible. While it is smart on the pocket book, it isn't great for the neighborhood. Starke focuses on one geographic area at a time and then attempts to help the whole hood by raising values. This is easily accomplished when the renovation appeals to a wide audience and has stellar updates. 

Here are the before pics:

Into Every 'Hab Some Water Must Fall, or SPEW

Today, the copper thieves struck. After gutting this bath and replacing bad lines, those jerks came and cut them. This newest acquisition is is one of my favorite hoods to renovate, Tower Grove South. A perfect bungalow with a garage, on a sleepy street with awesome neighbors has been robbed. Now, I know what you are going to say, "Leigh, doesn't that mean it is in a bad neighborhood?". The answer is, "NO". I don't like defining neighborhoods in those terms anyways. In fact, it is against the law and besides that, some of my best friends live there. Good and bad are subjective, unless you are a copper thieve. Then you are just bad for business. Copper jerks are everywhere, looking to pull of the most cowardly crime in the world. For a little bit of money, they damage thousands in property and YOUR property values. 

Have you ever wondered why that foreclosure next door has sat so long? More than likely, it can't be financed because lenders don't like to loan on properties that don't have working plumbing. No copper=no loan in most situations. So, the property sits until someone willing to take on a project like that comes along with CASH. 

Unfortunately for me, the owner was out of town. Which meant, I was in charge. GREAT, I know it sounds fun in theory, but it's not. I don't get to stand around and be bossy bossy. Besides that, a good crew won't respond to a leader that won't work with them. Luckily, Dan (the contractor man) was there early and called me to tell me they had stuck and the water needed to be shut off. Fabulous, they didn't turn off the water before snipping  away. He then called the cops and made a report. I showed up while the Crime Scene Unit was there taking pics ('cause that helps). They didn't get much, which means they more than likely will be back. We than shut off the water  and Dan pulled the stain glass (they love that too) , boarded up the windows, secured the doors and started to paint the copper. You paint it and it is worth less at the scrap yard.


The neighbors LOVE the board up look, let me tell you. Hey, it isn't our fault. Blame the thieves...


Bottom line: You see someone suspicious, call the COPS. Make noise, turn on your lights. Every single house that is sold more cheaply in your neighborhood due to crimes of destruction perpetuates low property values.  Good renovations, help to raise the values. A lot of projects are abandoned due to the fact the contractor/rehabber has ran out of money because of going over budget from these shenanigans.