This next house we toured was impressive. The owners had recently lowered the price by nearly $40,000, which suddenly made it fall within our budget. They had already moved out, and after four months on the market they were clearly motivated to sell. That motivation caught our attention. Here’s a closer look at the house:
THE STATS:
- Year built: 1977
- House size: 2,772 square feet
- Lot size: 0.4 acres
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathrooms: 2.5
THE PROS:
- Attractive price after the recent reduction
- Beautiful exterior and well-maintained landscaping
- Polished interior details such as crown molding, custom window shutters, and exposed beams
- Several high-end extras: a Wolf range, two outdoor deck heaters, a car lift in the garage, and a full yard irrigation system
- Kitchen needed significant updates — a project we like to take on
THE CONS:
- The overall finish felt a bit too “fancy” for our taste
- Aside from the kitchen, the house didn’t require much work
- Location and nearby schools were not ideal for us
- Even with the price drop, it was still near the top of our budget
- The house was larger and newer than the smaller, older fixer-upper we’re really seeking
Interestingly, this was one of the first homes we toured inside, and it made a strong impression. We even put in an offer — mostly to test the waters. We submitted a lowball bid, cutting another $20,000 off, and included a contingency to sell our current house first. We expected a quick rejection. The sellers accepted the contingency, but they wouldn’t move further on price, which is understandable given their recent reduction. So we walked away.
That experience turned out to be a useful rehearsal for a future offer on a house we truly love. In hindsight, we realized we prefer more of a project home: older, more modest in size, and begging for renovation. Something with character and plenty of room for improvement. If that perfectly imperfect house is out there, we’re ready to find it.