Hey Everyone! This girl has been busy looking into house buying possibilities. Right now we are renting and spending a lot of cash on our current housing. A mortgage would be at least 3/4 -1/3 cheaper for us right now. We would rather be putting that extra money into a house that we will eventually be able to sell, rather than down the “renting drain.”
We really want to buy a house, but since we’re military, there is always the “risk” of having to move on short notice. With that said, we are looking for a cheap fixer upper property that won’t be too risky finance-wise. That way, if we have to turn around and move, we won’t lose much if we can’t sell our house right away.
Honestly, my plan is to make the house so irresistible, that it will be snatched up by a buyer right away… but you do have to consider the worst case scenarios too.
So we went house looking today. I had high hopes for this 65K property below…
Isn’t it lovely? Haha… NOT! I photoshoped a Google Earth view of it to see what we could do curb appeal wise… but we still hadn’t actually seen it in person.
Now that I have seen it, lets just say that there is a reason it’s only 65K… totally non-fanciable… mold so bad you couldn’t breath… and it had a horrible, ugly interior, with sloping floors. I was expecting the ugly, but hoping there wouldn’t be any water damage. I think we are going to pass on this one… okay, I KNOW we are going to pass on this one. Bummer, because it had a really nice lot.
One reason I wanted to share the above transformation is for all the boxy ranch haters (myself included!) to see the possibilities in a property that you would otherwise ignore.
A little bit (or a LOT) of love can really transform a simple house into a character home. Transformations like painting, adding a curvy porch and landscaping, and window trim go a long way.
This next transformation is from one that we are actually considering. It’s at the top of our price range though… but it also doesn’t have any health issues that would prevent us from moving in while fixing it up… or kill us. That’s always a plus, right?
What do you all think? Am I crazy? I mean, I’m 3 months pregnant with a two year old!
Do fixer uppers scare you? Or are you ready to tackle a project to save some money? Let me know in the comments below!
Ps. Most of the concepts I used for the transformations are based off of my “Dream Home” Pinterest board. Check it out HERE.
I'm in a fixer upper 1940's house in downtown Seattle and I will say this: it's a love-hate relationship.
There is always something to do, but the "after" is just so rewarding that you kind of forget about the "in progress."
With your skills, Hannah, you'd be just fine! But honestly – yes, I think you're crazy to do it while pregnant with a toddler! 🙂 Good luck in finding your dream home!
Thanks Sarah! I guess I'm not alone in thinking I'm crazy, lol! There are some lovely historical fixer uppers in the area, but they are all just too far away, or too unlivable. Part of me wants new, but the other part wants something creative to pour myself into!
XO
Hey Hannah!!
I found your blog not too long ago and I'm officially obsessed with it!
I recently studied Interior Decorating so fixer-uppers are kind of my favourites. I can see what great curb appeal you could have given the first house but with all those issues, renovation would've been really expensive and most of all, time consuming!
As far as the kitchen, I really like what you've done. Though my style is a little less (actually much less :P) classic, I think you're really headed in the right direction.
If I may offer a few suggestions, something I love lately in kitchens with white cabinetry are wood counter tops! They really add a lot of character, though if you're thinking of sticking with laminate I think one that's a bit darker, maybe slate gray or even black would give more contrast and interest. If not that, I'd probably add a contrasting backsplash tile, maybe some ceramic with a little stone or glass mosaic detail, and then your countertops don't need to have the backsplash…lol!
I don't think you're crazy for wanting a fixer-upper, I would too 😛 But it is something to consider, especially with your little one (who is adorable, by the way!) and another one on the way.
For me, fixer-uppers are always going to give you the most benefits if you're willing to invest the time and effort, you can really make great profits, sometimes with just simple aesthetic changes!
Good luck and I look forward to all your future posts!!
A fixer upper not only will take up time you don't have with two children but would be a stressful environment with two little ones. There are so many reasons to put this idea on hold. You are young so you have time! I am thinking of dust in the air, noisy construction work, just a chaotic environment overall. I don't think living in that would be good for little ones. And I do not forget how different the transition from one to two kids was! It seemed everything took twice as long, a whole new schedule…and yes, you will get that down, however, I suggest putting a fixer upper on hold. You still have so much you can do with a newer home and doing cosmetic changes vs. more of a gut job.