Did you catch House Hunters Family on HGTV last night? One of our Zaarly team members and his family were featured on the show with their ReeceNichols agent, Joni Burroughs as they searched for the perfect home for their family!
*spoiler alert*
If you caught the show — you know that the Donovan family went with the fixer-upper (house 3) so they could create the home they really wanted — we’re guessing the green carpet is not going to stay.
Fixer-uppers are definitely a labor of love, time and often frustration. While House Hunters Family is only thirty minutes the process of buying a fixer-upper is a little more complicated.
“Buyers are always amazed at how much the fixer REALLY costs! Shows on the TV set a different view of remodel,” warns Joni Burroughs, ReeceNichols real estate agent featured on House Hunters Family with the Donovan family.
Buying a fixer-upper is not just a matter of seeing the house, deciding you’ll buy it and signing on the dotted line. There is a process that begins with getting pre-approval from the lender. “We want to get an idea of what is affordable to purchase. You also want to make sure the repairs fit within the lender’s guidelines for purchase. FHA/VA loans are more critical of what they allow to purchase.” says Joni.
When it comes to financing, Joni tells her clients to make sure the repairs are not over their head. She likes to remind clients that it’s important to enjoy their life still — and if all of your free time and finances are wrapped up in your fixer-upper, it might not be worth it.
Joni has helped a lot of clients purchase fixer-uppers, and she tells us that there are a lot of rewards. “There is a tremendous pride of home ownership. You made the house how you wanted it to be!”
If you’d like to start your search for the perfect fixer-upper (or move-in ready) home, Joni can help! She can also give you $50 to use on your first home project with Zaarly — just be sure to ask when you reach out to her.
At Zaarly, we pride ourselves in making the process of any home project one that you not only love the outcome of but one where the process does not mean extra stress for you. We monitor every job and hold our service providers accountable for their work.
Find the right providers for all of your home renovations (big and small)!
Part 2 — Tips from service providers on purchasing a fixer-upper.
