I have a bit of experience when it comes to home renovation. As much as I aspire to one day move into an entirely newly built house, the older homes in need of a little imagination have always gotten my attention. I enjoy walking into a space that is unloved and underused, and seeing what it could be. I have done that for clients many times! But it’s an entirely different experience when the home you are renovating, is your own. Knowing this, I set out to find our forever home, neatly packaged and pretty, ready to move in.
Turns out I am a reluctant sucker for a fixer-upper!
Seeing the potential in a home doesn’t always come easily, but thankfully, I have learned a few things along the way:
- You make your money when you buy
- Aim for the least expensive house in the best neighbourhood
- Get the floor plan – the view from above is a lot easier to work with
- Decide what you would want to change immediately, and what you would be willing to live with for a while.
- Budget, budget, budget – and then stick to it.
- Go for it – what’s the worst that could happen?
How this project started
We have spent the last 12 years living on a farm in the Franschhoek valley in a dilapidated farmhouse. We loved it, but it required A LOT of upkeep. When we decided to sell the farm and move to the nearest town, we immediately started to put together a wishlist for our new home.
My Wish List:
- I, under no circumstances, want a fixer-upper. I am NOT in the market for a home renovation.
- The house must have aluminium windows and doors (avoiding the upkeep of timber)
- It should have 5 bedrooms (that was something I had to convince hubby of, but we reached a great compromise*)
- The house should have a separate office (since I work from home) and a separate TV room/rec room for the kids (since we have 3 loud boys)
- It must have a pool
- It must be spacious and have great flow
His Wish List:
- A house with a view
- The house should be positioned in such a way that you don’t waste space in the front (where we don’t spend time) and maximize backyard space (where we do spend time)
- We want to live in 1 of 3 specific neighbourhoods
- It has to come in under budget
What we ended up buying
The first time I walked into what turned out to be our forever home, I thought: this is terrible. Finishes aside, it didn’t fit any of my wishlist items. This house most certainly was a fixer-upper, it had 2 bedrooms, no office, no TV room, no pool, and no flow. It was painted in a horrid colour and had very special bathroom finishes and an even more special patio (more on that later). It did, however, have aluminium windows and doors, and an enormous 4-car garage that could be converted to something else.
And, most importantly, it cost significantly less than any other property in the neighbourhood.
You make your money when you buy
This is not an original statement, but it is true. You should consider not only the actual house, but its placement on the plot, the size of the plot, and the potential to add or move elements. What is the neighbourhood like, the traffic, are there schools/hospitals/shopping centres/public transport nearby?
And, possibly one of the most important factors to consider: what do the rest of the houses in the neighbourhood look like. Especially in older neighbourhoods, if many homes are being bought by younger families and renovated, there is room for growth. If, on the other hand, no-one is spending money there, then it’s likely that you would not want to spend much either.
Why we chose our house
We looked at many homes before we saw this one. We enjoy doing research when we have to make big decisions. But my gut didn’t immediately tell me that this was the one. It took a few hours of simmering and a couple of phone calls to my husband (who was out of town for a few days).
The placement on a corner plot was perfect, with just enough space in the front for parking, and a good-sized jungle of a backyard. And the bonus: a view across the valley. And the price, of course. I made an offer without hubby even seeing the place – we couldn’t risk losing it just because he was travelling.
And so, in June 2023, we became happily and terrifyingly bonded to what was, no doubt, one of the ugliest homes in the neighbourhood. Challenge accepted!
Renovating a home is kind of like childbirth: it is painful and it feels like it’s never going to end, with loads of screaming and tears. But when you’re done and you look back (after a while), it doesn’t seem so bad and you begin to think you can do it again. That is where I am now.
It’s been a year since we moved in, and while I don’t quite have an appetite for another renovation just yet, I am finally ready to talk about it. Hopefully, some of my learnings will help you on your renovation journey.
So, my first piece of advice on seeing the potential in a home is this:
Make a list of non-negotiables and then be open to opportunity.
Thank you for joining me on this journey and please let me know in the comments if there is anything specific you want to know!
Happy Renovating,
