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Just curious: As a buyer, do you want a home that is move-in ready or one that almost needs to be gutted or somewhere in-between?
My husband is all about "move-in" ready. He'll gladly paint a room or hang shelves but that's about all he wants to do. I, on the otherhand, prefer a blank slate. I do want something structurally sound and not leaking noxious gases but other than that, I truly want to make my home "my own". For our next home, I plan on looking for one where the kitchen needs to be gutted and the bathrooms need updating, etc. Mostly because I don't care for a lot of what's trendy now in homes, etc. and I like to be historically accurate (when possible) in renovations.
What about you out there in City-Data? What do you want? I'm trying to get a feel for negotiating power on fixer-uppers versus homes that are updated but perhaps not to my liking.
Looks absolutely perfect, so called move in ready give me pause. Makes me wonder if it is a flip and short cuts could have taken place...or deeper flaws covered up somehow, that ole 'looks' can be deceiving LOL
Something in between- habitable but needing TLC but not major fixing is okay with me
I think most buyer want clean, uncluttered, well maintained.
Some buyers have the gift of envisioning what could be. I am not one of those. I marvel at the transformation - even staging.
More buyers want turn key than fix. I hear it over and over. Even construction guys say the last thing I want when I come home - is another work project.
I didn't care either way. My hubby wanted "move-in ready."
We bought a home in a great neighborhood that needed total updating. Very livable just ugly...rust colored counter tops, 1970's cabinets...
We just take on one project every year. You have to be willing to live with ugly for a while, unless you want to totally remodel it before moving in.
Me...I go for schools, neighborhood, floor plan, lot first. I don't care about the other stuff. I can also tell you that many buyers today, are leery of taking on homes that need updating. They really prefer the homes to be ready to go.
I didn't care either way. My hubby wanted "move-in ready."
We bought a home in a great neighborhood that needed total updating. Very livable just ugly...rust colored counter tops, 1970's cabinets...
We just take on one project every year. You have to be willing to live with ugly for a while, unless you want to totally remodel it before moving in.
Me...I go for schools, neighborhood, floor plan, lot first. I don't care about the other stuff. I can also tell you that many buyers today, are leery of taking on homes that need updating. They really prefer the homes to be ready to go.
+1
Depends on the price point too. When I bought this place, at $1 million, I don't want to have to do anything. If I'm spending $150,000, I'm probably going to be looking for a fixer-upper (in my local market).
I like both. It just depends. I flip houses, so of course in that respect, I don't want updated.
I like fixers. This house is a work in progress, most of it cosmetic.
So far we have had a plumber install new lines to the bath tub and that is the only work we have hired out. We have ripped nasty VCT and replaced with ceramic in the kitchen/breakfast nook/powder room/rear entry, painted 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms/kitchen/breakfast nook/rear entry, installed new flooring in main bathroom, ripped some hideous wallpaper, repaired a few windows, and fixed a leak around the chimney.
Current projects include running new plumbing to the kitchen, painting the dining room, and working on the landscaping.
Future projects include tiling the kitchen counters, painting the foyers/stairwell/landing/living room, and refinishing the original wood floors.
I, on the otherhand, prefer a blank slate. I do want something structurally sound and not leaking noxious gases but other than that, I truly want to make my home "my own". For our next home, I plan on looking for one where the kitchen needs to be gutted and the bathrooms need updating, etc. Mostly because I don't care for a lot of what's trendy now in homes, etc. and I like to be historically accurate (when possible) in renovations.
That's pretty much what we look for. Besides, I really don't like to pay for other peoples' "taste" in upgrades.
When I was in my 20's I was married to someone handy and we were always cash poor. So we bought fixers. Now I am married to someone who isn't handy. So we buy turn key. I used to really like victorian houses and turn up my nose at new.. but now after knowing a few things now that I didn't know then I am leary of older; we were in the middle of a remodel for 8 months that had wallboard down and wall board dust floating thru the house ( we were amateurs at best) and then I find out years later that sometimes old wallboard has asbestos in it (doh!) who knew.. I didn't.. I think I prefer newer with modern safety knowledge backing it ( but then you have this chinese wallboard problem in some parts of the world....)
newer also has other perks though, less likely to be wrong with it.. less likely to wake up to a foot of water in your basement, less drafty = less money spent on electricity.
you lose some of the quirky charm but newer isn't necessarily charmless as I once thought it to be.
It's a moot point for me anyway at this point of my life. My husband is not handy. just earthquake proofing my bookcases makes him frustrated and grumpy.. better off with mostly turn key.
My current house, although - not really a fixer upper, it was bank owned and had been sitting for awhile..It needed a lot of attention.
The last house I sold, was move right in - Absolutely needed no work...Stress free, I might add
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is okay with me
