What a cool house!

[Belinda Barfield]

It's a shame that this family may lose, or be forced to sell, their home - but this such a cool house! I love the idea of working with what you have, and what a great history for the cave.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=12135317

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/02/20/cave-house-for-sale.html

[Mark Hix]

It is really cool. I saw it on some tv show a while back. I hope he can save it.

[Belinda Barfield]

It is really cool. I saw it on some tv show a while back. I hope he can save it.

So do I Mark. Something like that really has to be a labor of love and I can't imagine how heartbreaking it would be to lose it.

[Dewey Torres]

I saw that!

300k doesn't sound like a bad price.

[Ben Franz]

Very interesting "house" - some people are so creative. I seem to remember a house on one of the DIY or HGTV channels that was built in a missle silo control bunker. Not sure if I'd be up to living in a hole with that karma.

[Aaron Berk]

I saw the bunker house also, pretty cool place.

This cave though, kinda calls at my primal instincts:D
Maybe I'll drop a bid lol
Honestly though, pray the best works out for the guy and his family.

[Gary Herrmann]

Hmm. Maybe he can give tours to raise some money.

[Phil Thien]

Sometimes when I can't fall asleep at night (because my mind is racing), I imagine what it would be like living in different kinds of shelters. A cave is on my all-time favorite list.

Sure hope he can save it. Or, if he can't, that he doesn't get hurt too badly if he does find a buyer.

[Ken Garlock]

Sympathy is in the dictionary.

It is a clear case of one of the three percent who bought more than he could afford. You have to plan beyond tomorrow or next week. 97% of the home owners are paying their mortgages. They are the ones that bought within their means.

Foul you cry, no say I. I have taken out fixed period loans where I paid only the interest. But I knew from day one that I could pay off the principal at the end of the period.

Of course there is the sub-prime fiasco that charmed people into buying more than they could afford, but that is a whole discussion in itself. :mad:

Finally, The Declaration of Independence stated that there existed "unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." (This oft quoted phrase is not part of the US Constitution.) No where does it state that that happiness is guaranteed. You work for it; it is not a government entitlement.

[Gene Howe]

Hey Ken,
I like your thinking.
If Texas ever decides to exercise it's right to revert to a separate country again, try to annex AZ, will ya! :D

[Frank Hagan]

This is not a guy with a sub-prime loan; he's a guy who took out a common interest only loan while he was building his house, and now cannot re-finance the original note. None of us could have foreseen that happening. He's really a victim of the credit crisis, not someone who "bought more than he can afford". He mentioned the problem of no comps available, and that may be the sticking point: money is available, but there are stricter rules on it now (for instance, investors can't have more than 5 property loans and get a new one, you have to have at least 20% equity, etc.)

But the politics aside, it does look like a neat house. I had cousins who lived in a house that was half cave; the earth sheltering half the house made it very economical to heat the home in winter (and they never worried about cooling it).

[Neal Clayton]

meh, the idea is great, but the execution, not so much. from looking at the pictures the interior walls are just like any other house (plain drywall, horrid loud colors, no moldings). if they had done a brick, textured plaster, or maybe even a textured stucco on the inside walls it would have wound up more appealing.

the streotypical black granite countertops and wood veneer cabinets don't really work either. more rough tile, less wood, and less of whoever picked out the neon green paint.

a great idea, until they decided to finish it out by sticking suburban house #21309834098 inside of a hole.

not to belittle his struggle in keeping it, i hope he manages to work the money problems out, but the house is potential wasted to my eyes.

[John Shuk]

meh, the idea is great, but the execution, not so much. from looking at the pictures the interior walls are just like any other house (plain drywall, horrid loud colors, no moldings). if they had done a brick, textured plaster, or maybe even a textured stucco on the inside walls it would have wound up more appealing.

the streotypical black granite countertops and wood veneer cabinets don't really work either. more rough tile, less wood, and less of whoever picked out the neon green paint.

a great idea, until they decided to finish it out by sticking suburban house #21309834098 inside of a hole.

not to belittle his struggle in keeping it, i hope he manages to work the money problems out, but the house is potential wasted to my eyes.

I kinda felt the same way.

[Belinda Barfield]

I kinda felt the same way.

I agree with you guys. I should have started the thread with What a Cool Concept, as that was what I really meant. We once considered "remodeling" a grain silo, but really didn't have the time to devote to the project. I think that would have been kind of fun, and the view from the top floor would have been great. I fell in love with this property, mainly the master bath and the idea of sunning on the rocks by the pool like a lizard!

http://thecavehouse.com/

[John Shuk]

I'd like to see that cave with the Mark Singer touch!

[Leigh Costello]

hmmm...never knew it existed. And I only live a short bit from Festus. Well, 25 miles or so. I would contantly worry about earthquakes, creatures from the depths and snake and spiders and Batman's enemies....

[Darius Ferlas]

The concept is not really new. In Europe, Asia and the Americas people adapted caves to houses a long, long time ago. I have been in one such house years ago in Southern France. A vegetarian hippie type lived in a nice 2 bedroom cave with a bath and modern kitchen.

Now, this cave dwelling is for some hard core tourists:

http://www.eyecatchypics.com/2008/09/29/cave-hotel/

[Belinda Barfield]

I would contantly worry about earthquakes, creatures from the depths and snake and spiders and Batman's enemies....

Come now Leigh, you must be Jokering! :p