Fixer-Upper to Dream Home: 3 Things You Can Do to Make Your House a Home

Buying a fixer-upper is one of the most exciting investments that a family can look back on. Conducting home renovations that turn a house...
a person and a child in a room

Buying a fixer-upper is one of the most exciting investments that a family can look back on. Conducting home renovations that turn a house into your own home is one of the best ways to grow together as a family and bring a flood of memory-making opportunities into the home that you will continue to shape and build for years to come. The best part is, turning a fixer-upper with potential into that dream home is easier than you might think.

1. Consider an open layout.

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Everyone loves an open floor plan at home. Open spaces achieve natural light all across the house, accentuate the kitchen and living space, and are great for entertaining. An open floor plan makes the home feel larger and can be used to creatively show off your decorative flair throughout each room without having to take guests on a guided tour. It provides an immersive feeling that can make guests feel more welcome and your house cozier while sitting on the couch alone with your family, too. These work great with a family that loves to cook as well. The ability to allow the fragrance of your masterpieces waft through the sitting room creates an inclusive feeling in which the whole house becomes a single extended living space that flows seamlessly together. This choice can also add extra value to your home’s price when or if the time comes to sell because homeowners get the best of both worlds with a blank canvas. They can leave the floorplan the way it is, or easily add walls to virtually any space to segment off rooms if they would prefer another style.

2. Tackle the exterior.

Landscaping and improvements to the exterior structure are also essential for creating and maintaining that perfect home for your family. Utilizing a Denver roofing company to install a new roof in place of the leaky one you have or making some minor improvements to shore up the structural integrity of your home’s lid should be your top priority. If your roof is leaking it will eventually damage the interior structure as well — if it’s not already causing additional chaos inside. A roof project is a big one, so it’s a good idea to find a roofing service or a professional roofer that you trust and like working with sooner rather than later. Your roof literally keeps the outside out, so getting the best roofers around really can’t be recommended enough. There are great roofers who can do a roof replacement for variable rates, and having a new roof will probably raise your property value as well.

Likewise, painting the exterior and planting some new shrubs, flower beds, and a lawn can quickly make the house feel more like a home. No one wants to be greeted every day by a dead lawn and withered plant life at their doorstep. Taking the time to show your garden some love can go a long way to improving the feel of your entire space. Similarly, tackling the back yard can create the perfect relaxation space to enjoy those summer holidays in style with the ones you love.

3. Keep track of your finances.

Your financial situation is extremely important during a remodel. You should obviously conduct a home loan comparison before jumping on any property you may be considering in order to lock in the best rate available. But you also need to keep an eye on your credit score and credit utilization after the deal goes through. Buying a fixer-upper takes a lot of additional time and money, so understanding the budget you have to work with on upgrades and improvements, and staying within its limits is essential to maintaining good financial health. If you need to take out a mortgage or a loan to buy the house you’re working on, work with an online tool to get an exact loan estimate and plan your financial goals carefully. Look into the type of loan and the mortgage rates before you sign any documents. You don’t want to fall behind on your mortgage payments, as that can have a devastating effect on your credit score. But don’t worry! There are online mortgage calculator tools that can help you figure it all out so that you can

A house is not a home without your personal touches added to it. Buying a structure that requires a little work is the best way to introduce your style to every aspect of the house, making each room, and each memory your own in the process. Just remember to keep a tight grasp on your budget and plan the layout for maximum enjoyment for you and your family.

Gretchen Crawford is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, USA, and currently resides in Tulsa. She is an editor at Urban Tulsa.
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