Thanks for visting my blog! Follow me over the next few months as we transform a neglected mid-20th century home in a stunning ocean view location from drab to fab. Renovating a “fixer-upper” isn’t easy or cheap, but it’s usually the least expensive way to get into a neighborhood you want at a price you can afford. It has other benefits: you’re not paying a premium for someone else’s renovations, and you can customize the house to your tastes and needs.
Here’s our new house at 930 Stratford Street in Pismo Beach, California. We closed on December 31, 2012. Purchase Price: $410,000.
From the street it’s a modest bungalow that needs work. But walk in and look outside:
The front yard and every front window has an unobstructed ocean view for miles. It’s a lucky (and valuable) quirk of topography in this hillside neighborhood called Pismo Heights, where renovated homes are selling for $600,000-$800,000 and more. Along the way I’ll provide a running tally of our expenses. Because we picked a run-down house in a fantastic location, with careful planning, budget management, and knowing when to save and when to splurge, we should be able to dramatically increase the value beyond our investment in the renovation and $410,000 purchase price.
930 Stratford 