MetroHouse - $449k - Central Austin
June 10th, 2008
This remains one of my more favorite MetroHouse. Their newer stuff has been less interesting to me (at least from the outside).
Update: As Jonathan points on in the comments, I meant to say MetroHouse. Not sure where MetroHome (exception just being lazy on checking and quick with my post) came from though apparently there is even a company called that. Update the references here the post.
Entry Filed under: 1995 and newer, Modern Homes For Sale
3 Comments Add your own
1. Jonathan | June 11th, 2008 at 8:31 am
It’s a MetroHouse, not a MetroHome. It gets confusing, but both have produced modern-inspired dwellings in Austin. Owners of both products are among my friends, so I’ll clarify as much as I can.
MetroHOUSE builds the detached modernist duplexes on infill lots, such as this one. These are spec projects, each individually designed for the site. They don’t repeat floor plans, but they do recycle the basic gestalt of some designs from time to time.
It’s important to note that while there are no shared walls (apart from the carports/garages), these are technically 2-unit condominiums in legal terms.
MetroHouse is still an active concern with several new projects underway. The website is here.
MetroHOME, on the other hand, was a side project by a conventional builder (unfortunately, I forget which one). They built a small group of modern-inspired homes in South Austin, just north of Ben White.
These were sold as standard new-construction home purchases. Like many production-home projects, there were only a few different floor plans, but they were iterated with sufficient variation that the little mini-community does have a pretty natural feel to it.
As far as I know, the builder apparently decided not to go further with this little experiment, and has not continued producing homes of this type. I’ll ask my friends if they have any further information.
Anyway, back to this specific MetroHOUSE. It is one of their more appealing designs, but it seems overpriced at $449k for 1800sf. $250/sf is a significant premium when you consider that at the time these were built, the developer was selling brand-new units for about $170/sf (give or take $10 depending on the location, materials used, etc).
They’re very cool, but I don’t believe they deserve that kind of rapid appreciation. The tax appraisers appear to agree.
2. Jonathan | June 11th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Some further info on MetroHomes:
They are actually built by Central City Builders, who are primarily a custom builder that appears to work in styles ranging from conventional to semi-modern. If you look at their past projects, you’ll see a lot of stuff that is very conventional.
The Heritage Walk project on Byron Circle was apparently a spec project to promote their “Metro Collection”, which now gives them a product line to offer for buyers who don’t have the time or budget for a fully-custom home.
My friends like their home in general, but warn that the builder has been very slow to complete finishing touches like the landscaping, and still has not turned over the HOA to the residents.
My own impression was that the homes are certainly deserving of the “loft-style” adjective: open and airy, with high ceilings and semi-open plans. But they’re not really pushing any boundaries design-wise. The MetroHouses will always have some “wow!” features to them, whereas these MetroHomes are pretty much just typical loft-apartment-looking things.
3. David Mathias | July 23rd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Both sides are now for sale. The side pictured above is slightly larger, and the price is now $439K. The other side is listed for $399,700.
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