How to Transform a Fixer-Upper into a Dream Home
Purchasing a fixer-upper can be exciting yet daunting for many reasons. While the opportunity to create your dream home is thrilling, you still can be left with a laundry list of challenges to overcome first. However, with right vision and approach, you can create the home you have always wanted.
Step 1: It all starts with a vision. Do not focus on what is in front of you right now but what will be in the future. Picture yourself and what you want in a home first. Is it that cozy back porch, or maybe a grand kitchen with open floor planning? The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Step 2: Take a look at the structure of the home to make sure you can actually live in it. God forbid you buy a property hoping to do it all up and you come to find out you have to put a lot more money into it than originally thought. It would be a very costly disaster before you even get started.
Step 3: If all goes well, and the structure is ready to go, focus on parts of the house that need repairs first or have priority over others. Probably the primary bedroom and bathroom as well as the kitchen, living room, and downstairs bathroom should all come first. This also depends on time and budget constraints.
Step 4: Determine what you can do yourself and what you need the pros to do. DIY projects can help lower costs by not having to outsource the work. If you can paint, drill, or knock down some walls yourself, you are in luck because this can save you a ton of money in the backend. I would leave plumbing and electrical to the pros on this one.
Step 5: When the inside of the home is starting to come together, begin to focus your attention outside. The initial potential curb appeal is what brought you to the property in the first place. Be sure to give the same effort to the outside as you gave the inside.
Step 6: Begin to add personal touches. Once you have mostly everything finished, start hanging up artwork, photos, and moving in your belongings into the house to make it a home. Personalize your space by how you envisioned it in Step 1.
Step 7: Have patience and faith that in the end you will be standing in your own dream home that all started from a vision. It will be a daily reward every time you walk through the front door and think to yourself “wow we really did this.”
Like I said, a fixer-upper has many challenges, but with some thought and preparation it can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. If you are looking to purchase a fixer-upper for yourself, contact us here and we can lead you in the right direction.
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