[11th_VA]

We should pass a law requiring all engaged couples to work a year on renovating a house together - if they survive, they can get married.

[mylife]

Cheap houses come with a price.

[Ann Archy]

Good for them!!

[RainMan]

Renovation is going to be way more than $50K. $50K is cosmetic only. I built a calculator for estimating reno costs for properties bought at auction, and just from what little is known about the house from the article, I would estimate over $120K

[glorgau]

A good primer for this is to watch the movie "The Money Pit"

[EEGator]

[setter]

“couple Nick Weith and Damian Mordecai “

enuff said..

[libh8er]

Cheap is expensive.

[setter]

“Betsy Sweeny, a 27-year-old bought a turn-of-the-century, “eclectic-style,” red-brick Victorian home on the east side of town for a mere $18,500”

East Wheeling is a rough ghetto. Pretty gal. She will have to lock herself in at night like the Omega Man.

[4yearlurker]

As someone who used to bang nails for a living,remodeling sucks. Every handyman has been in the house through the years doing their halfa$$ repairs before you. Nothing is plumb,level,or square. The more stuff you tear out the more repairs you find. I will say I've seen more bad carpentry/construction work than good.

[Damifino]

There may be a silver lining in this. Once these folks get a taste of building permits, inspections, contractor licensing, ordinances, insurance... there may be a few conservatives come out of the experience.

[Buckeye McFrog]

If they are willing to invest the cash and sweat equity into fixing them up, this could be a good thing.

[PeterPrinciple]

Any damn fool can start a house remodel, but it takes considerable skill to end one.

[nesnah]

It will be fun watching these arrogant, “brilliant” little snowflakes try and navigate a restoration.

[KobraKai]

She got ripped off and is too young and naive to know it. It appears many people are watching too much of Flip the House shows, thinking it’ll be easy peasy to renovate an old piece of crap like that. Good luck dum dum.

[Calvin Locke]

The Brits had a show “The 1900 House” that was brought up to current safety standards for a family to live in as it was done in 1900...

Any way, good wall paper at that time was maybe 30% arsenic. That was just one of the things that had to changed, not to mention any lead paint, lead pipes, asbestos, etc.

[Jane Long]

Any of these Cheap Old Houses located in RED states?

Just curious :-)

[MHT]

Having owned five old houses in a small town, I can assure you that the "price of admission" to the "Old House Club" is low, but the dirty secret is that it costs AT LEAST twice the purchase price to get to the point of pride that most homeowners like. And, most of the work that needs to be done doesn't even show! By the time you can decorate, it is usually piecemeal and settling for less than you would like.

The Millennials will be inheriting The Great Transfer of funds from their parents and grandparents and will be able then, probably in 10-15 years, to get the houses finished, or move on to something easier.

[montag813]

Betsy Sweeny won’t be smiling when she is raped and murdered in that hood house (God forbid). There is a damn good reason no one else bought it.

[magna carta]

if this girl can find a man or several that know drywall, plumbing, electrical & carpentry...she will be in good shape.
We are on year 4 on our very old house in Tyler (mid 1800’s) but my hubby is a German blooded dude that can do it all.
Last weekend he had to belly crawl like an inch worm under the house to chip away at packed earth blocking his path to installing another pier in the kitchen area of the home. He was so whipped that after working at his job the following day he did not speak for 24 hours. He will be chipping away at the earth high spot for the next few weekends. Not for everyone!