I called Lone Star Management, the company that collects home association fees for Casa Bella Owner’s Association, to see if the Nagins have made a last-ditch effort to save their cute little Frisco abode, but no one would comment. Here is the list of properties on today’s auction block in McKinney.
You remember Clarence Ray Nagin, Jr., yes? The Mayor of New Orleans? Well, Ray and his wife have a townhome in Frisco built by D.R. Horton, off the Dallas North Tollway and Stone Brook Parkway, which he has referred to as a modest “second hurricane home” since his wife has family here. But seems he hasn’t paid his home association fees of $1507.14. And in Texas, we know what that means: though we are a strong homestead state, not paying HOA dues can result in foreclosure. And in fact, the Casa Bella Owners Association has filed suit against Nagin for the past due moola. If he fails to pony up, the property will be auctioned off April 7 in Collin County. Over the weekend, CBS11 reported that the Nagins plan to “sell off” the property to pay off the debt; Collin County has the property, which he and his wife bought May 31, 2007, valued at $181,968.
I’m re-thinking my stance on hating homeowners associations.
D.W. Skelton and I have talked about this for the last five years — he contending that we will soon see the end of the mega mega home, even in Dallas. Now our Virginia McAlester agrees, and tells The Washington Post’sElizabeth Razzi that big homes were de rigeur at the turn of the 20th Century for the wealthy: 20 or 40 rooms, which required a tremendous income (and staff out the wazoo) to keep up. Now, predicts McAlester, you will see smaller homes built with tremendous green consciousness, especially when it comes to energy efficiency. Other experts say our homes will not get all that smaller — the average U.S. home size is increasing — but will focus more on quality, rather than size. So tell me, where is this happening in Dallas besides Little Forest Hills?
This is the “Mother” of all stoves, the Aga — invented by physicist Dr. Gustaf Dalen, retail about $23,000. This stove is the centerpiece of a kitchen in a neighboring listing/townhome and just may give the unit belonging to Julius Jones a little competition.