Would you rather buy a house that was ready to live in or buy a house and deseign and renovate it yourself?

[thegreenyogi]

Updates

1 y

Personally I will always prefer buying a property and designing it myself. Probably that has to do with me being a creative. But I am very aware many prefer not to have to deal with the bother. It's interesting to hear others and their views on this topic.

[WindAtMyBack]

If the price is right I might get a fixer-upper. It depends on the price, what type of work it needs, and whether I want to bother with it.

I know how to build a house from the ground up. But I have never done it, because it's one hell of a lot of work, very time consuming, and financially risky. Of course I could sub everything out, but that loses most of the financial incentive for doing it in the first place.

I would also not want to design a house from scratch. I'd be far more likely to modify an existing house, especially if it's a house I built and already know what things I'd change. I learned from building many houses that looking at house plans is a VERY poor substitute for actually seeing the house and walking around inside. House plans are VERY deceptive and a horrible way to pick a house layout.

[TommyMountainFigure]

Great question.
I bought my house a lot cheaper than market value, because they said it was in need of modernisation. I had it rewired, all new gas boiler and radiators fitted.. the whole thing decorated and furnished to how I wanted. I had the whole garden re-laid with a roll of grass which was then driven over by a lawn roller to be like a putting green, and it cost me tons less than if it was already done. Even then it wouldn't have been to my design.

[TommyMountainFigure]

Thank you @thegreenyogi for the MHO

[thegreenyogi]

Welcome!!

[provokeesmokee]

I mean, we're talking housing, so I'm going full fantasy balls to wall, here.

If I can afford a home, I'd ideally want to buy the land and build my own. Net zero emissions (got the designer and builder already), large food forest with livestock run, off grid power sources, ideally also water rights on the land.

The home would be designed with the builder and designer.

Ideally we're talking a fair sized acreage. I can split land and sell portions or rent as grazing land to pay for the build and supplies.

With what's left, I'll have space to build homes for all my friends and partners who wanna live with me. Including a large communal house.

[FreyaRed]

I've learned a lot of things while finishing my house that I got from my parents. If you have no clue or you don't have any trust person who has basic clue about electric, hydraulic, tile laying and finishing houses in general, it's better to buy already finished house. Otherwise you will make a lot of mistakes which aren't easy and cheap to reverse.

[SotiCoto]

I'd totally build one myself... if it could be done with a game-like interface and grossly oversimplified the entire process.
In reality though it is so far into the "too much hassle" zone that I wouldn't bother.

Then again, in really real reality, I'm stuck in the rental trap forever and the idea of owning my own home is delusional.

[diversethought]

I bought a foreclosed property while living in my house. I made it my personal hobby by fixing it up for about a year. If I didn't already have a day job, I'd of had it done in 1 month. I moved into the new home and sold my old house above market value. I might rinse and repeat.

[Staximus]

If I could afford to buy one that was in the right location and ready to live in, I'd do that. I'd choose a "fixer-upper" in a great location over a house in a less desirable location that was ready to live in. Less desirable locations to me are the ones in the city.

[exitseven]

I had my house built for me. Then we added on to it twice. We had a 2 car garage and a big family room. Then when my kids were in high school we had a master bedroom suite bult with a bonus room upstairs which I turned into a home theater.

[IslaTheWitch]

I would buy a house in a good shape but redesign it anyway if needed

a lot depends on the house itself and how much effort would be needed to make it look as I want it...

[EmmaMary]

@thegreenyogi

With my husband being an architect, he designed our home (with my input as well of course) and then we had it built from the ground upwards.

[electromagnetic]

We bought a house and demolished the interior walls. The house itself was spacious and beautiful but the layout wasn’t to our liking.

[CrabCakes11]

Live in. I don’t care about the structure of the house as long as it is reasonable and it has no furniture already

[worldscolide]

In a fantasy world, i want to design and renovate my self. In the real world, i dont have the time and patience for that, so id rather it was ready to go. I can make improvements later.

[Account]

I am not allowed to think about that since I don't have money for either.

[petitedollbabee]

Design and renovate myself, if I had the time and money.

[loveslongnails]

House renovations are a monster unless the original price is so low you can do whatever you want.

[MacDaddyRico]

In my younger years, I'd have chosen to design and renovate.
But these days my physical condition would make that nearly impossible to do in a timely manner.

[LiZiqiLiZiqi]

I prefer to buy a house and design and decorate it myself so that it suits me.

[ChicoFromThe305]

Can go either way, although not having to move everything in sounds pretty comfortable

[edmwarrior]

Ready to move in. I’m so tired these days from work

[bolverk]

I'd rather buy something purpose built house like something from Huff Haus.

[OddBeMe]

The flip industry is great if you know what you’re doing. I just invest in prebuilt with good foundation.

[Twalli]

I wouldn't renovate. My biggest changes would be for electronics.

[Astarlessnightsky]

If i could afford a house i would be so happy.

[Anonymous]

it doesn't matter to me; let it be as my wife wants it to be

[Opinion Owner]

waaow, yogi+creative

[LiamJHayden]

All other things equal, design it myself.

[LiamS95]

I designed and built my house

[thisAppIsGarbage]

I'd rather buy Bitcoin.

[msc545]

Ready to livein.