Have you regretted buying a fixer-upper?

[Anonymous]

I think this house has great potential, but we wouldn't be able to do major renovations for a few years.

http://www.redfin.com/MD/Rockville/202-Dale-Dr-20850/home/10509922

[Anonymous]

To answer your question - do I regret buying a fixer upper? Many days, but not all.

Would I consider that a "fixer upper"? No, not at all. Its a little dated, yes, but the issues are minor.

[Anonymous]

It looks like it needs kitchen and bathroom updating. That isn't a huge deal in my book. The pool is the deal breaker for me.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but ours was far worse than that. That needs updating. It doesn't probably need new windows, roof, floors and siding. That needs more kitchen, bathroom, interior doors. If you can pay a contractor it should be fine. If you DIY it will be a lot of work but if you buy it as is, it is clean and livable (ours was barely).

[Anonymous]

I loved our fixer upper.

[Anonymous]

Assuming you don't do anything structural (e.g., moving water or gas, opening currently load-baring walls), that place shouldn't be bad as it is mostly facial.

[Anonymous]

Looks like a good house that needs some updating. I'd love a pool in my backyard- the summers are so hot here! And the yard/location looks very nice.

To answer your question, no, I don't regret buying fixer uppers- we've bought a few. It can be a pain in the rear to go through the process, but you get to choose what you want.

[Anonymous]

I love ours, but I would never buy a fixer upper as my first home. You learn a lot by working with contractors for small projects and dealing with normal house maintenance issues for a non-fixer-upper home. Also, you need to prepare yourself psychologically (not kidding--it is really stressful and there are guaranteed disappointments and setbacks) by having gone through the smaller ordeals of home-ownership first.

[Anonymous]

I swore after that last fixer upper, NEVER AGAIN. We live in a new home.

[Anonymous]

I love our fixer (which, after 7 years, is mostly fixed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but ours was far worse than that. That needs updating. It doesn't probably need new windows, roof, floors and siding. That needs more kitchen, bathroom, interior doors. If you can pay a contractor it should be fine. If you DIY it will be a lot of work but if you buy it as is, it is clean and livable (ours was barely).

This. This house doesn't look like a real fixer upper. I have mixed feelings about buying a true fixer upper. It was creative and I liked being able to remake the house just how I wanted it. But it was stressful and expensive and in the end I wondered if I would have been better off knocking the old house down and building new.

[Anonymous]

Tear down better

[Anonymous]

Ours was a true fixer-upper. We had to do substantial work to it to make it habitable. It continues to need a lot of work, but we're taking the plunge and undergoing a substantial renovation. No regrets. We had to do a lot of things on the cheap and its not perfect, but it's a great house in a great location. This is my answer now. In a few months or more, maybe stress and regrets. There are always trade-offs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swore after that last fixer upper, NEVER AGAIN. We live in a new home.

We bought a fixer upper, did a ton of work and now are getting ready to tear it down. I wish we had Done that fom the beginning. The major systems are still old and low ceiling height can't be changed.

[Anonymous]

I love my fixer upper. It allows me to slowly polish it into the gem I know it is underneath. And I can personalize it, which I couldn't justify if all finishes were new. If I weren't planning on staying here forever, it would feel like a money pit. But I salivate every time something small breaks and I get to buy a new one without guilt.