Next-Gen Gurus

"My husband’s clothes were on rolling racks!” exclaims Jan Bartholomew of hubby Dave Wood, who took up residence in his then brand-new wife’s Tanglewood home after they were married a few years ago. “There is no space for the man when he moves in after a woman has lived there for a few years.” The 50-something couple, who both work in finance, knew they’d need to renovate or relocate, to make the shared space work for both of them. They spent nearly two years searching for a new place, but nothing on the market appealed to them. They decided to bite the bullet and remodel their existing home.

Bea and Ford Allen, like so many Houstonians, spent years trying to find their dream home in the city. “And when you do find something good, eight people show up and it’s gone,” says Bea.  “I just wanted land and to be free! But not live in the ’burbs.” She and Ford found plenty of great homes built on small lots, and plenty of run-down houses on larger plots of land. “I wasn’t crazy about this house when we found it. But I saw the backyard and that was it. There are four huge mature trees, and they provide the perfect umbrella over the yard.”