The most common question I get
How do you find these houses?
Every single time I share a new project, this is the first thing people want to know. The honest answer: it depends. I find homes in a number of different ways - sometimes through my database of distressed properties, sometimes through my network of agents, and sometimes, like this one, through a friend.
The owners of this property were ready to relocate out of state to be closer to family. They wanted an easy transaction - no drawn-out process, no uncertainty. That's exactly where I come in.
What makes my offer attractive to sellers
I pay cash and close quickly. I don't do inspections and I purchase homes as-is, which means my offer is a sure thing. Sellers don't have to worry about a deal falling through or a long list of inspection items coming up at the last minute.
I also let sellers leave behind anything they don't want to take with them. For people who have lived in a home for a long time, that alone can be an enormous relief. This family took advantage of that - and we had a lot to work through.
I brought in Rick from Department of Junk to go through everything over the course of about a week. He and his team donated as much as possible - including 5,000 books - gave some things away to neighbors, and the rest went to the dumpster. It was a serious operation.
Why I fell in love with this property
You know I love Stratford Landing. The neighborhood alone would have gotten my attention - but this one had something even better.
That lot is the real story here. A .4-acre flat lot in Fort Hunt is rare, and if you have ever wanted a yard big enough for a pool, this is exactly what that looks like. There is also a huge deck off the kitchen overlooking the backyard that is honestly dreamy. On top of that, at just about 3,700 square feet, this is one of the largest homes I have taken on.
Demo has started - and the surprises are already rolling in
This is the part nobody warns you about on HGTV. We started demo and it became clear pretty quickly that the only place a large kitchen can realistically go is in the center of the house. That decision triggered a chain of work I hadn't budgeted for:
- A load-bearing wall needs to come down, which means adding a beam.
- Ductwork has to be relocated to accommodate the new layout.
- Plumbing needs to move in order to relocate a bathroom and shift walls for the kitchen.
None of this is unusual on a project this size - but it is a good reminder that no matter how experienced you are, the house always has something to say once the walls come down. More updates coming as we get deeper into the renovation.
If you'd like to follow along on my latest renovation, you can check it out on I HEART FORT HUNT Instagram or Facebook page in the coming months. If you're looking for a fully renovated home in Stratford Landing, reach out to your questions about this house.
