I have often said that there is value in buying the ugly duckling. You know, the house that has not been updated since grandma moved out. We have all seen them. With so many buyers today wanting a turnkey home that, at most, requires a little paint inside to meet their preferences, the homes that need some TLC tend to get marked down in valuation (and certainly in demand). I know I am not the first one to ask, "Why not buy this home with yesterday's features, and upgrade those features to what YOU want, and not settle for those features that someone else wanted?" I know I have seen plenty of nice kitchens find their way to the dumpster, because it wasn't exactly what the homeowner desired in the first place. But now this renovator has paid for both the nice kitchen, and the new one.
I was fortunate enough to come across a homeowner who purchased an ugly duckling who will let me do a series of before and after shots of his ugly duckling home. This buyer got a fair deal on the home, a home that needed many upgrades. But even in today's market, this will be a profitable venture should they opt to sell in the near future. One of the first shots I will show you is the before and after on the exterior.
BEFORE
AFTER
Here is a case where contractor David Thorn http://www.thornrestoration.com completed a total exterior renovation. The existing screened in porch was removed and replaced with a traditional wrap around farmer's porch. You will notice to the right he added an enclosed front vestibule and new wider front steps. What a difference it makes from the street. All of the exterior siding was replaced with fiber cement pre-painted clapboard siding and composite trip around the windows and throughout the porch.
I am told that the home owner will be re-landscaping in the spring which will only help the curb appeal of this exterior renovation. The other items on that will be done upon the arrival of warmer weather will be the addition of window shutters and some trim painting to complete the project.
This is a prime case of a home for this particular neighborhood that would have been considered a "drive by", that would now garner lots of attention should the home come back on the market. Getting back to my initial statement above, here is a case where the home was purchased cheaper than it should have been because it was dated. The exterior siding was already in need of repair, and the porch sagging. With the money saved on the purchase, the curb appeal as been elevated, and so too, most likely, the value of the home. And there are homeowners who have the front porch they desired in their home search. And a good looking front porch to boot!
Lastly, I can say that the home owner had nothing but kind words for the work that David Thorn and his crew did for this job. If you are in eastern Massachusetts, and are in need of a home remodeling contractor, David Thorn and Thorn Restoration are the folks to call. Contact info can be found on the link above.
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