If your financial situation is limited, yet you’re handy with a hammer and nails, then purchasing a fixer-upper home is an attractive option. Fixer-uppers typically require a bevy of updates and repairs to bring the home up to current market conditions.
Because of this, the listing price is often considerably less than a move-in ready home. And that’s where working with a trusted real estate and mortgage professional can help you decide the best projects to buy and sell.
Fixer-uppers aren’t for everyone, but know that there’s no shortage of resources to tap into if you plan to do most of the repair and upgrades yourself. This post will take a look at some of the resources to tap into if you’ve purchased a fixer-upper.
Here’s are a few ideas to get started:
- At Home: A Blog by Joanna Gaines: Chip and Joanna Gaines are well known HGTV personalities who’ve made it their mission to fix up homes. A visit to Joanna Gaines’ blog is a gateway to renovation and decorating tips, products and real-time photos of projects in action. It’s a great place to go for inspiration.
- Hands-On Workshops: If there’s a Home Depot around your home, chances are you frequent it for all of our hardware needs. But there’s another reason you should stop in: for the hands-on workshops the big box store offers. If you want guidance on things like installing bath vanities, tile backsplashes, hanging ceiling fans, or measuring and installing flooring, there’s likely an upcoming workshop at the store that can give you the know-how and confidence necessary to do it yourself.
- Jeff Patterson’s Home Repair Tutor: This YouTube channel boasts nearly 115,000 subscribers and its how-to videos have racked up more than 30.5 million views. Videos include everything from how to tile a shower floor to installing a motion sensor light switch. If you need detailed step-by-step instructions on how to perform a particular job, chances are this channel has it.
- The Craftsman Blog: Written by DIY fixer-upper Scott Sidler, the blog is packed with how-to advice for certain projects and just general tips for things like painting and plastering. This is a blog for a DIY fixer-upper from a DIY fixer-upper.
- Your local hardware store: The big box hardware stores are great for finding just about any sort of tool you’ll need and for hosting how-to workshops. Generally, however, it’s your local, smaller hardware store that can really give you some great one-on-one advice as it pertains to your projects. These stores are typically family-owned, and part of the reason they’re able to stay in business is because of their high level of customer service. This often includes guiding you on certain projects.
A fixer-upper can seem like a daunting project, making it all the more important to know where to look for the right resources. If you have questions on a potential property to fix up, consult with your trusted real estate professional for additional advice.