Boxy Babe is on the Market and Looking Good! 4132 Oleatha, 63116.

It has been a journey, but she is ready to go! Check out the link now!

Just listed: 4132 Oleatha Ave, St Louis, MO 63116 for $104,900

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:

It's a Jungle Out There

So, after switching companies ( I went to Re/MAX Results) and hiring an awesome new assistant (more to come on her), I am back to blogging. I fell off, not thinking anyone was reading them. I couldn't have been more wrong. Problem is, since I am not on the job site everyday, the fun hi jinxes the boys get themselves into seem to be less. Or maybe, they are reporting about them less? Or maybe, just maybe... the boys are not having anymore issues. Things are sailing along as smooth as a boat on a lake of glass, NOT! That couldn't be the answer.

True,  Stärke, Inc. has come a long way, and the guys who work there have set into a routine. Not to mention, they are able to handle much more work, and do it with more precision. However, rehabbing/renovation in itself is a HI-JINX. You never know what is behind the wall, what the previous owner had rigged himself, what lies beneath, what lies in the fridge, who has hidden what where (the things we have found, lemme tell you) and so on. So, here I am. Stuck between trying to be entertaining and provide real substance in these blogs.

The funniest "Incident"  I have to report right now is the winky-dink that the recent lawn person pulled. He was getting paid to do the lawns, twice a week. Which he was kind of doing. Sorta. OK, not really. Not thinking, we would drive by the properties and look at the lawns and make note. They looked OK, we knew he wasn't there as often as he said, we knew that. Guess what was happening? He was only  mowing the FRONT lawns. Mean while the backyards of properties we were trying to sell looked like a cougar could come out of the grass and snatch your face off. Lesson learned here? Supervision is a constant must in property management, rehabbing, renovations and the like. While the cat is away, the mice will play.

Next Blog: I will introduce you to the newest member of  Stärke's inventory, who is almost ready to hit the market....SHE'S a BRICK HOUSE. Mighty, Mighty in Tower Grove South.

Soon to be followed by our "NEW PROJECT"- Hopefully, I can get the guys to take more pics on that one as they go.