I am a big fan of buying homes in the months where traditional buyers may not be as active. Between the end of November and January, you’ll find me bundled up and on the search. That is how I came across the house featured in this week’s reveal. This is another rambler, but as you can see from the exterior photos, the garage is a tuck under. This could be a pass for some buyers, but I’ve got a bit of practice when it comes to homes like this.
The first time I walked through the house, I knew it would be a great project. Just in the very few minutes of my initial walkthrough. Here’s what I made note of:
- The house had three bedrooms on the main floor, including a master bedroom with a small bath. Always a plus. Even better was the very large main floor bath backed to the smaller master bath, so I knew we’d be able to combine and expand the master bathroom space easily.
- The kitchen, dining room, and living area had a ton of space and were only separated by a large fireplace. More on that later.
- This lower level was a standout when it came to space. one only had 1 room finished and was a walkout basement with a full wall of windows in the family room. Pretty much a perfect scenario and plenty of room to add another bath, a bedroom, workout room, office, laundry, and the type of mudroom that dreams are made of.
During the planning of this project, we knew immediately that all of the large ticket items needed replacing. With the home having been built in the 1960’s we knew that there was no existing hardwood flooring we needed to account for a good amount of the budget towards purchasing nearly 1400 square feet of new engineered white oak flooring.
Of all the decisions made with the design of this house, the one that made the most impact to the main floor was removing the fireplace. After waiting until the absolute last minute to demo, it was clear that the house would be so much more connected, and each space would be maximized if we eliminated it. It’s difficult to see from the photos, but it was installed at an angle that created odd dimensions for the remaining rooms. Primarily, it blocked the kitchen view from the front door and left a dining room with little space for seating.
There was really only one way for this house to shine—a completely open floor plan on the main level. And a whole lot of renovation along the way.
Replacing all of the exterior items led to selections of a wide plank siding, black windows for contrast and a charcoal shingle. A classic black white profile fit well amongst an established neighborhood. The siding selections were limited since the material was ready-to-install and didn’t require painting. With the house positioned higher than the street the 3/4 light door and windows offer plenty of natural light and a tree house like vibe from the interior.
We also wanted to make sure that the indoor and outdoor spaces were connected. The area above the garage didn’t allow for any access to the back yard. That was remedied by installing steps so that the extra large lot is now able to be enjoyed from the main floor entrance and the lower level walkout.
With every space and decision there was intention and thought so that this newly imagined home will bring joy and function every day.
Ready to take that next step when it comes to flipping?
After seeing just a few key peeks of this renovation are you considering a flip of your own?
Make sure you have the Fixer Upper Checklist so you know which areas are key to added value in a home.
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Amber
Want to buy a property and renovate it?
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