Buying A Home – How Much Fixing Up Are You Willing To Do?

If you’re a homeowner on a tight budget, you may have contemplated purchasing a fixer-upper just to get your foot into the real estate market. While the benefits of owning a home may be appealing, the outcome can be disastrous for your finances if you select the wrong fixer-upper.

The best type of fixer to buy would require a few simple repairs such as scraping off ugly old wallpaper or replacing outdated fixtures. But because there’s a lot of competition from other home buyers and investors searching for these type of properties, it’s rare you’ll stumble across these type of properties. While these type of properties may be rare, you’ll find other opportunities in fixers passed up by these buyers.

The extreme opposite of the simple fixer is the home requiring significant renovation such as foundation work, moving or adding walls, adding more bedrooms and much more. Unless you have a rich uncle or a contractor in the family, you should walk away from these type of properties, especially if there are significant health violations (like mold) or can’t be lived in because of extensive damage to the roof or floors. Let’s study the 3 main concerns when buying this type of fixer-upper:

1) Bank Approval May Be Difficult – A bank may deny your loan until you complete a minimum number of repairs. If your budget can’t afford these repairs, you won’t be approved for a loan.

2) Repair Costs Can Exceed What You’re Willing To Spend – If the reason you purchased a fixer was due to financial limitations, how will you come up with the money for additional repairs? Don’t be fooled into thinking a basic cosmetic fixer won’t need some minor reconstruction work. If you still decide to buy a home needing significant remodeling work, be sure you set aside additional funds for future projects.

3) Be Prepared For Extra Stress And Commotion – Going through a major remodel can disrupt your daily life. Not only will you experience extra stress, you’ll have to take time off work to periodically monitor construction projects. Make sure your family has discussed how to cope with these additional inconveniences.

The best type of fixer-upper strikes a happy medium between the first two extremes: a property needing simple cosmetic repairs you can accomplish by yourself or with the help of an experienced handyman or contractor. Choose a home only needing minor cosmetic work such as a new paint job, replacing flooring, or upgrading fixtures. Don’t buy a property needing major repairs like a complete rewiring job, replacing a roof, or foundation work. If you’ve been fortunate to come across a property fitting these criteria, be sure to:

1) Consult with your local city’s building department to determine if the changes you want to perform are acceptable. Most cities have restrictions and codes regarding wiring and plumbing remodels, setback distance, height limits, and other restrictions.

2) If you plan to add a second story or a room, be sure to consult with an architect, contractor, and engineer about the feasibility of the project and estimated costs.

3) If you’re buying a fixer-upper with another party, be sure to discuss how everyone will deal with the resulting stress and extra responsibilities coping with contractors and workers.

Want to find out more about buying an Orange County starter home? Then contact these local Irvine Realtors or Santa Ana Realtors to help you find one.

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