Busted.....

[Jims5543]

In Sept. 2004 Hurricane Francis took the roof off of my office. I could not find any office space available in town so I bought a residential home along a commercial boulevard. I went and applied for an occupational license and was on my way.

Business has been slow these last few months so we have been fixing up the place. A fresh coat of paint outside and in. We did lots of landscaping out in the yard. Trimming trees etc.. The place looks 100% better then when I purchased.

I was just visited yesterday be an Occupational Licensing Investigator who was poking around outside taking pictures of the cars in the driveway. Then he knocked on the door. I came up to meet him and he informed me I am in violation of the zoning ordinance.

I headed to the planning and zoning dept. to see what could be done. As expected they basically told me either I purchase 5 more 1/4 acre lots @ 100K per or move out.

So I am now selling it. I put down 40K so after I sell I should get my 40K plus another 40K+ profit. Maybe.... The selling price will be in the 225-235K range. Much below what everyone is asking in this town. A realistic asking price. Especially since I have installed hurricane panels and a stand by propane 15KW generator.

As I told the zoning agent at the court house. "I am glad this situation forced my hand. As I see it the housing market in this town is going down the crapper. This place will be foreclosure alley in about 3-5 years. I am glad I am cutting my ties to this area now."

There... I feel better now. I would love to know which neighbor dropped the dime on me though. I suspect its the ex- SCCA corner worker across the street. I know the old Italian guy next door loves us and loves the fact that he has no one around next door all weekend and in the evenings.

[Hugh R]

From what I recall, Houston has no zoning codes at all. I remember seening a guy running a forklift across a residential street from one house to another he was running a stone cutting business. Strange. In my neighborhood they're proposing to take a horse farm which is adjacent to residential and turn it into a hotel/mall. Just what I need.