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Tonesky

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Posts posted by Tonesky

  1. On 5/7/2024 at 11:12 AM, texasdago said:

     If you like Khruangbin, check out Glass Beams and BALTHVS while there. 

    Never heard of them, but Spotify confirms.  Thanks!  I love Surly!

  2. On 5/8/2024 at 7:43 AM, tokamak said:

    Harris County here. They hit me with a 10.5% increase. I uploaded some comps and photos showing that the house will need foundation work eventually and they just came back with an online offer of 2.6% increase.

    Y'all think I should take that? Honestly I think we should be flat or even down a little bit given the market in the neighborhood, but I doubt they'll see it that way. I'm leaning toward taking it.

    I'd take the offer and reload for next year.  Most of HCAD's comps for sales since 1/1 were adjusted to be higher value on 1/1.  And, the market is still in decline, with no interest rate relief in sight.  I think next year may be the time to drive the value down.

  3. On 5/3/2024 at 4:22 PM, Tonesky said:

    I have an informal scheduled for Tuesday morning.  We are fairly new construction.  I successfully protested value during the build which straddled 1/1/22, but HCAD still has us at about 350SF larger than actual.  I obtained a SF only appraisal that confirms our correct SF.  The plan was pretty much to just argue for a prorata reduction in the improvements value based on the incorrect SF.  But, within days of filing my protest, I got an offer for a 4% reduction on the incorrect SF appraisal.  So, I got an "appraisal contestation report" from protestingpropertytaxes.com to have comparable sales data based on the correct SF.  I am cautiously optimistic for a good result.

    Warning:  My protestingpropertytaxes.com contestation report was rejected by HCAD because 8 of the 10 sales comps they used to calculate my market value are out of my market area.  And, the two that are in my market area were not particularly helpful....  This was a complete waste of $179.

    HCAD accepted my measure only appraisal, permanently reduced their record of the SF of my house and garage, and, after a bit of back and forth, we settled on a 7% reduction.  The measure only appraisal was well worth its $200 price.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  4. 7 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

    The only bands on that list of dogs I would pay to see are Orville Peck, Khruangbin, and Hermanos Gutiérrez.

    Excited for Khruangbin, but fear they’ll be with/backup Leon Bridges and have limited time for their own music. 

  5. I have an informal scheduled for Tuesday morning.  We are fairly new construction.  I successfully protested value during the build which straddled 1/1/22, but HCAD still has us at about 350SF larger than actual.  I obtained a SF only appraisal that confirms our correct SF.  The plan was pretty much to just argue for a prorata reduction in the improvements value based on the incorrect SF.  But, within days of filing my protest, I got an offer for a 4% reduction on the incorrect SF appraisal.  So, I got an "appraisal contestation report" from protestingpropertytaxes.com to have comparable sales data based on the correct SF.  I am cautiously optimistic for a good result.

    One note about protestingpropertytaxes.com.  They factor in only land and house SF.  They do not include or factor in garage and/or porch SF, both of which HCAD includes as individual factors in valuation for the improvements.  I assume that is standard - that other CADs do so too.  I've now compiled those numbers from HCAD, and the protestingpropertytax.com comps have garages ranging from 432 to 805 SF, and porches ranging from 68 to 572 SF.  I'll be pissed if HCAD points that out as reason my comps are not true comps, or that the adjusted value of my comps are not accurate and reliable....   

  6. 2 hours ago, Armybrat said:

    Beg pardon for asking, but has there been an official estimate of the number of fans attending today’s O&W scrimmage?

     

    I predict at least 1 less than the aggy spring game.  Whoop!

    • Haha 2
  7. On 4/9/2024 at 7:05 PM, Tonesky said:

    Or, people bail out when they discover almost all are obviously fake, and the few that might be real lack confirming carpet. 

     

    7 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

    Or as it was also known as in my college days, the patch of truth.

     

    We questioned “does the carpet match the drapes?”

  8. 1 hour ago, royiv said:

    Similar size home in central Houston. $150/wk. for two ladies. They work about 4 hours so about 8 total hours of work.

    That’s what I’m looking for!  If they have an opening, I’d be pleased to have a referral. I’m in Meyerland. 

  9. What is the current rate in Houston for high quality cleaning of a 3400 SF, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath house? 

    We terminated the crew that was inadequately cleaning for $125 a week, when they showed up.....  We have now met with two women who each come highly recommended for quality and reliability, and they each quoted $250.  That was a bit shocking,  but based on some of the comments above from two years ago, that may not be out of line.

  10. On 3/25/2024 at 2:47 PM, troph said:

    But I'm a lazy connoisseur. I know to a 95% certainty how to pick a solid bottle of wine at a store with no help that I can take anywhere and enjoy. I have a few cheat codes based on makers, countries, regions, styles, varietals, price points etc. but after that I have a hard time dialing it in. So I make sure I have people around me who can. Which years were great, which makers are better than others? I hear which ones were good and they go in one ear out the other.

    I keep the current Wine Enthusiast vintage chart saved as a pdf on my phone.  And, for wines I don't know, I use cellartracker (which is what I use to inventory my cellar) for quick quality assessments.

    • Like 1
  11. 10 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

    Prep seems to be the hardest part, from what my wife told me. I'm due.  I have a bidet, so it can't be that bad, can it? 

    Sadly, there is nothing you can do to prepare your anus for this.  But, along with everything else in your gut, this too shall pass.

  12. On 3/24/2024 at 11:48 AM, billfromlaketravis said:

    NY Deli is good, but the quality is slipping some. I like that’s a full restaurant. Pastrami is pretty good and inexpensive.

    The NY Bagel Shop and adjacent deli were bought by a catering company 5 years ago.  One of the two original partners retired at the time of sale, and the other about two years later.  The bagel quality has suffered, but remains the best option in the Hebrew hood.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  13. 20 hours ago, milkman said:

    Can someone elaborate what the hell "imo" means

     

    19 hours ago, troph said:

    Really?

    in my opinion

     

    19 hours ago, milkman said:

    Makes sense but I think its something different. There is a poster in here that puts it after every wine he posts.

    Everyone knows In My Opinion.  But, IMO, that doesn't really fit the context of these posts.  Of course, I was too much a pussy to ask myself....  Thanks Milkman.

    • Like 1
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