All Forum Posts by: Julia Blythe

As with all things regarding real estate in Memphis, it all depends on LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!  One street over can make a huge difference in whether something is a good location or bad.  Give us the specific area in which you are referring to and I am sure some locals will be glad to give our 2 cents.  I personally live just a little over 2.5 miles from the FedEx forum and within that distance, you will find $1,000,000+ homes and other homes that cannot be hardly given away at the tax sales.  More information is definitely needed.

I would be very friendly to the neighbors on each side and would ask them to call you 24/7 if they see ANY activity around the house during that 7 day period.  Of course, it's good to be friends with the neighbors of any rehab. We always introduce ourselves to direct neighbors and give them a small Whole Foods gift card in advance for them having to deal with the noises or unsightly dumpster, etc. that come with any reno. Neighbors can be your best sales people too. Let them know you are going to be selling the house and it will give them a chance to pick their own neighbors if they have friends or family who are going to looking to move.  The next door neighbor for one of our current flips even let us use his electrical outlet for a week while we waited on our favorite electrician to install a temp electrical pole installed.  We gave the next door neighbor $100 and he was very happy and allowed our guys to be able to work for a week instead of sitting on their hands or having to just use generator power. 

Good luck with everything!  Let us know how it goes. I have no patience for people who want something for nothing. Praying all goes well. 

We had a teenager maul over with his car our two mailboxes at our commercial building. Anyone in Memphis have any recommendations on a company that sells and installs commercial metal mailboxes?  They were bolted into a concrete slab so professional installation is needed. Thanks in advance for any recommendations. 

@Dean Letfus - Corky = cute + dorky all rolled into one 🙃

We are currently flipping a house not far from your Bruce house on Felix in CY. 

Midtown is a hot area for flips and rentals. I not only live in midtown (Central Gardens) but invest in midtown. Rentals in the ~$1,300 per month range get snatched up in a hurry.  If you choose to buy a house that will eventually be a rental in midtown, my advice is:

1) Buy a house with 2 full baths (2/2 minimum but 3/2 is ideal). The house doesn't have to be huge, but having 2 full baths is very in demand.  Often it is 2 roommates who want their own space.  I've seen many half baths be made into full baths by being creative with the space.  There are some corky houses in this market so you have to think outside the box.

2) Most renters who want a house in midtown want a small fenced yard for a dog.  Many times that's why they want a house versus an apartment.

3)  In midtown, it's all about location, location, location.  One street over in the wrong direction can make a huge difference -- no exaggeration!  

My parents live in Germantown and I know that area very well, as well.  I'm often shocked at prices per square feet in midtown versus Germantown.  For some reason, midtown is the trendy place to live and since more than 1/2 of the people in Memphis rent, it is definitely a lessor's market in my "hood".  The most important thing to consider is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!!!

@Adam Soyak, we are in the middle of renovating a bathroom that looks very similar to your picture. It's long and narrow. We took out the window and replaced it with a high hung picture window. It was only about $10 more to get it tempered. I'll take a picture of it in the next day or two and send it to you. I showed my husband your pic and he thought it was our reno before we replaced the window!

@Michael Mcghee, I didn't mean to insinuate that you suggested to work against them.  I was merely meaning that I have known people that have tried to and it did not end well.  For some reason, new investors in our area of town think they can do certain things without approval and it has ended up being very costly for them.  This is NOT a case of "Easier to ask Forgiveness than Permission."

I love the idea of looking at the maps -- if only for a historical perspective.  Evergreen is under the control of Landmarks Commission (as is my neighborhood in Central Gardens).  There are several neighborhoods in midtown that are not.  I just don't want Michael Seeker to start building a garage just because there used to be a carriage house at one time shown on a map at the library.

You may or may not have already reviewed this information, @Michael Seeker, but it is important to do so when working in Evergreen.  There is specific information about adding a garage.  If only the roof can be seen, you still have to get the plan approved, but should have little problem.  If it is in clear view, you have to go through the entire process.

https://shelbycountytn.gov/index.aspx?NID=389

If you have something large that needs to be approved, timing is also important since Nancy Jane Baker and her board only meet once a month and there are things that you must handle (i.e. Sending notes to your neighbors about the project you are proposing within a certain amount of time before the next MLC meeting).  

Actually, with the Landmarks Commission, it has nothing to do with what was there BEFORE when it comes to being grandfathered in for certain features of houses in our neck of the woods. It has everything to do with what is there NOW.  For instance, a carriage house (back house) that existed in 1907 but was torn down at one time cannot be replaced because it simply "used to be there".  

As a matter of fact, a carriage house that has been rented out continuously since the Landmarks regulations changed can be rented out but if there has been a time where it was left unrented, it is no longer supposed to be a rental property.  Knowing this when we moved to Central Gardens, we have always rented our carriage house to our company in order to comply. 

@Michael Seeker, when you move to Memphis, I can introduce you to a couple of board members of the Landmarks Commission. It's a lot easier to work with them than against them..... Trust me, I know 😳

@Michael Seeker, I just sent you a message. We have two flips going on right now in midtown. Working on 100+ year old homes can be daunting, but the end result always makes it worth it.  When do you relocate to Memphis?  

Looking at the picture you posted, I wouldn't replace them at all.  I think the house has a lot of potential and could be quite nice!  Put some charming window boxes under those front windows (with some colorful fall foliage) and no one will think twice about the windows ..... except about how beautiful they are!  Keep us posted on your progress.  I would love to see complete "AFTER" pics!