ARMANDO DAWDY
Armando Dawdy was born on November 16, 1962 in Houston Texas. Armando has been married to Francesca Avonda Dawdy since June 6, 2002. Together they have two sons, Liam and Connor. Armando graduated from the University of Houston in 1986. Armando Dawdy is currently a Wine Director at Brenner’s on the Bayou since August of 2009 to present. Armando was formly a general manager at the Pesce Restaurant, a Wine Director at Tony’s Restaurant and a Bar and Grill Manager at the Ritz-Carlton.
In what city/state was your first house located and approximately what year did you buy it?
It was in Houston, Texas, in an area called the Heights. It was in 2001.
What was your living situation prior to buying your first house? Where/with whom/etc?
I was living in an apartment and wanted to build some type of equity. At the time I was living by myself.
What motivated you to purchase your first house?
I was tired of paying rent. I wanted to build some equity and have something that I could call my own.
How did you go about getting the money together to buy it?
Believe it or not, I worked a second job, and I also had a collection of wine that I sold.
When you purchased, were you thinking of it as an investment or as a place to start a family?
It was really both. Shortly after that we got married and started a family.
What did you like best about the house?
The neighborhood, the Heights, was a cool, emerging neighborhood at that time. It was built in 1928, the same year my father was born. It had a special charm and warmth about it.
Was there anything you didn’t like about it?
It was built in 1928, so I had to improve on the air conditioning system.
Did you make any improvements or renovations?
Yes. I put in a great air conditioning system. I also added a bathroom, a closet, and another living area and office because it was so small.
Please share your memories from living there.
No, I sold it for a nice profit which enabled me to put down a very large down payment on our next house.
Do you still live there?
[renting]
Any advice for first time home buyers?
Be patient and find the right house. We probably looked at 30 or 40 houses before I found the one that I really wanted.
