First time buyer- fixer upper

[Mummabear1821]

Hey guys just hoping to hear from people that fixer upper homes isnt the worst idea in the world.
We have finally found a home we can afford lovely location and lots of potential! We have a very low budget, its literally down to buy cheap and brush up diy or move and be stuck in rental forever we have a baby due in 12 weeks and my hormones are driving me crazy.

The survey isnt good but isnt too bad. We need some quotes to fix some damp issues downstairs and a roofer to check and old infestation of woodworm has definately gone and not migrated, all finding can lead to negotiation.

We have budget for walls and carpets and the kitchen is very dated but liveable for a year until some more money in the bank

I still feel positive and upbeat i want to move forward and im happy to accept that it is going to be hard graft and some savvy diy, just a hormonal lady after some reassurance im not crazy for still loving my fixer upper

We are the other end of the scale in that I’m a last time buyer hopefully. We’ve bought a doer upper as we wanted no mortgage. It can be hard work but you learn lots of new skills on the way. The tasks can seem never ending but we are not in any super hurry and do things when budget allows. Don’t forget to take before and after photos .

We're doing it at the moment.

We both work so it's all being done at the weekends. We couldn't take on a shell as we need to be able to get on with work during the week. One bedroom was dry and mould-free so we have somewhere nice to sleep. The living room is ok except for terrible wallpapering so we have somewhere to relax. The kitchen is ok, the bathroom is grim but liveable after copious amounts of scrubbing and bleach!
Ours will be a very gradual process over a couple of years (but no DC yet so we have time). Main things so far have been paying for a new roof, completely gutting the master bedroom, and safety related things like removing polystyrene ceiling tiles as they are dangerous in the event of a fire (ceilings look bloody awful but at least we are safer!).

Baby can stay in with you for a while so I'd focus on getting the master bedroom and living room sorted. Then you can shut the door on the chaos and relax in those rooms. Rope in family / friends / paid help to scrub the kitchen and bathroom so you can use it comfortably.

If the kitchen is just dated but the units are fine, you might be able to get away with painting or replacing the cabinet doors and work surface, so a little less upheaval and expense.

I don't know where you are in the process but your purchase may take more than 12 weeks, or baby might be a bit early, so make sure you are either happy to live in it for a bit, or have somewhere you can stay if needed until you are happy. Good luck!

We also have a 2 year old but are lucky all the main work seems to be downstairs so we all have a safe place to sleep. And have saved rent so we can have an extra month in current rented to get the bedrooms safe and start downstairs then move.
It is good to hear lots of people take it on. Everyone we know who has bought just had bigger budgets and didnt have much on advice.
We are very lucky that our DF and DFIL are an electrician and a double glazer by trade so we should have some really good hands on help too
Already feel a little calmer hormones have been intense today
Think when you mention the word damp people pull a face that scares me but again they all had bigger budgets so feeling more relaxed thank you lovely people
And yes the before and after photos will be my favourtie part of buying our first home

Nothing wrong with a fixer upper - and you're more likely to get a bargain, since they put off so many people who 'can't possibly live with' e.g. an avocado bathroom or a swirly carpet.
More fool them, IMO.
Both my dds have bought fixer uppers - - one as a 2nd buy, one as a first. Dd2s house is even more dated than her sister's was, but it's perfectly liveable until she gets the time and money to get it all done.
You will feel enormous satisfaction, too, once it's finished.
Yes, it will sometimes be a PITA, but so well worth it in the end.

One word of warning - we had a fixer upper with a baby and a 2 year old and the fixing up was really really disruptive. We had no bathroom for a month and had to take the kids for baths with the neighbours, and at one point no working loo for 2 days so had to move out altogether.

When we didn't have a kitchen I also had to move out to my parents' for a week or so as by then I was going a bit crazy. Paint fumes, dust etc weren't great for the baby either.

Fixer uppers are better in my experience for people without small kids - I imagine much easier if you don't have any!