If I Bought This House: The Fixer Upper Buyer’s Guide
In this post: Thinking about buying a fixer upper? Here’s how to know if it’s worth the investment before you fall in love on Zillow. I’m breaking down what to look for, what to walk away from, and how to spot potential in the houses everyone else scrolls past.
Disclaimer: This post contains general home buying advice for educational purposes only. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or renovation decisions.
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“If I Bought This House…”
Every time I scroll through real estate listings, I catch myself whispering it: “If I bought this house…”
You know the ones — those listings with 1990s tile, oak cabinets, fluorescent lighting, and maybe a little too much wallpaper. The kind of houses that make you pause and think: could it actually be something?
That’s the spark that started my whole “If I Bought This House” series — seeing the potential in the homes everyone else skips. But buying a fixer upper isn’t just about having good taste or a Pinterest board full of paint colors. It’s about knowing the difference between cosmetic problems you can fix and money pits you can’t recover from.
So before you grab the paint samples and the HGTV soundtrack, let’s talk about what really goes into buying a fixer upper — from someone who’s been there, dreamed that, and done the math.
The Fantasy vs. the Reality
Let’s be honest — HGTV makes it look easy.
You buy a fixer upper, swing a few hammers, throw on some shiplap, cue the reveal music, and voilà — instant dream home.
But real life fixer uppers? They’re messier. Slower. Sometimes even a little heartbreaking.
Still, they can be amazing opportunities when you know what you’re doing.
A well-chosen fixer upper can build instant equity, let you personalize your space, and help you buy into a neighborhood you couldn’t otherwise afford. The trick is learning how to spot the right kind of “ugly.”
That’s where my favorite game comes in: If I bought this house…
The “If I Bought This House” Approach
When I walk through an outdated home, I’m not looking at the orange oak cabinets or the shiny brass fixtures — I’m looking through them.
Here’s how I mentally break it down:
1. What Can Be Changed Easily
Paint, flooring, hardware, lighting, and countertops — these are your cosmetic upgrades.
They make the biggest visual impact with the smallest budget.
If most of what’s wrong with a house falls into this category, that’s a green light.
2. What’s Expensive to Change
Layout, roof, HVAC, plumbing, foundation — the “behind-the-walls” stuff.
If those are failing, the house can turn into a financial sinkhole.
I always ask myself: “Would this house still be affordable after fixing the big things?”
3. What Can’t Be Changed at All
The location, the lot, the natural light.
Those are your non-negotiables. You can’t add sunlight or move a bad neighborhood, no matter how good your vision board is.
That’s the If I Bought This House mindset: look for what’s solid, accept what’s fixable, and walk away from what’s not.
The Fixer Upper Filter: Red Flags vs. Green Lights
When I’m evaluating a potential project, I mentally sort everything into two lists — green lights and red flags. It keeps me from falling in love with bad decisions (which, let’s be real, happens fast).
Green Lights
- Structurally sound foundation and roof
- Good natural light and functional layout
- Outdated finishes (paint, tile, cabinets) but nothing majorly damaged
- Undervalued compared to neighborhood comps
- Solid neighborhood with long-term growth potential
If the problems are cosmetic, that’s your opportunity. Those are the homes where a few gallons of paint and a $79 countertop kit can literally change the story.
Red Flags
- Sloping floors or major foundation cracks
- Roof replacement needed immediately
- Mold, water stains, or lingering smells (they mean leaks)
- Electrical or plumbing nightmares from another century
- A “deal” in a neighborhood where prices never recover
The more you learn to separate these lists, the easier it becomes to spot potential before you even step inside.
Pro Tip: Walk through listings like a detective, not a dreamer. Emotionally detaching helps you make smarter choices — and it saves you from expensive surprises later.
Knowing Your Limits (and Your Lifestyle)
Buying a fixer upper doesn’t automatically mean you need to gut it.
It’s okay to want a project that’s manageable.
Before you make an offer, ask yourself:
- Do I have the time and energy to live in a construction zone?
- Can I handle delays, dust, and decision fatigue?
- Do I have a realistic budget for “surprises”? (Because there will be surprises.)
- Do I want to DIY, or will I hire help?
It’s not about being fearless; it’s about being prepared.
Fixer uppers test your patience — but they also reward your creativity.
How to Estimate Renovation Costs (Realistically)
You don’t need exact bids before you buy, but you do need a ballpark idea.
Here’s a quick guide to help you gauge what’s worth your effort:
| Upgrade | Typical DIY Cost | Full Remodel Range |
|---|---|---|
| Paint | $50–$150 per room | $300–$700+ |
| Flooring | $2–$5 per sq ft | $5–$10 per sq ft |
| Cabinets (paint vs. replace) | $100–$150 | $2,000+ |
| Bathroom Refresh | $300–$500 DIY | $3,000+ |
| Kitchen Refresh | $800–$1,200 DIY | $10,000+ |
Always leave a 10–15% buffer for the things you didn’t plan — because they’ll find you anyway.
Look for Potential, Not Perfection
Here’s a truth most people miss: fixer uppers aren’t about instant gratification.
They’re about seeing potential others can’t.
When I tour an outdated home, I don’t see the carpet — I see the hardwood underneath.
I don’t see the brass lighting — I see how black matte would pop against a warm greige wall.
That’s vision — and it’s what turns “unsellable” houses into dream homes.
But vision has limits. You can’t paint over bad bones or buy your way out of a poor location. The goal is to find something with good structure and ugly finishes, not the other way around.
“If I bought this house,” I always ask myself, “what’s the first thing I’d fix — and could I live here while I did it?”
That question alone saves more buyers than any inspection report.
The Emotional Side of a Fixer Upper
Nobody talks about the emotional work it takes to bring a tired house back to life.
It’s exciting at first — the plans, the paint chips, the ‘before’ photos.
But then there’s dust. There’s waiting. There’s the moment you wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake.
And then one day, it happens — the space finally looks like the vision you saw in your head the first time you said If I bought this house...
That’s the magic moment every DIY dreamer lives for.
But it only comes when you go in with both eyes open.
If I Bought This House, Here’s What I’d Remember
- Don’t fall in love with “potential” before you know the costs.
- Focus on what can’t be changed: structure, layout, and location.
- Budget for the boring stuff first — plumbing, roof, electrical — then the pretty things.
- Be patient. Transformations take time, and good design takes living in the space a little.
- Always trust your gut. If something feels off about the house, it probably is.
Watch It Come to Life
If this post made you rethink how you look at fixer uppers — or gave you the courage to go tour that one house you keep saving — you’ll love my YouTube series:
“If I Bought This House”
I’m walking through the mindset, red flags, and real examples of homes that could be amazing if you know what to look for.
👉 Subscribe and follow on You Tube HERE.
Because sometimes, it’s not about finding the perfect house — it’s about seeing the one that could be.
Next Read: If I Bought This House: The $500 Bathroom Glow-Up Plan (No Demo, No Drama)
Keep Dreaming and Designing- See you in the next listing!
Shannon and Shelbee
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