Prior to us closing, we knew that renters were living in the house. On one hand, that was a great thing because it meant the house was kept at least in working conditions throughout the winter. On the other hand, we didn’t realize how filthy they would leave the place. When we did our final walk-through just hours before closing, the renters were still moving out, leaving a trail of dirt behind them. Many people have asked “why couldn’t you do anything about that!?” but honestly we had very little recourse. It basically had turned into an as-is sale, so our choices were to (1) buy the house, or (2) not buy the house. That’s it.
So, as lovely as the house seemed via the pictures from the listing, here are the real before pictures of what we are working with. Unfortunately they don’t even do it justice…
first order of business: changing the locks
What sounds like fun in a two-story foyer? Screwing a basketball hoop into the wall, that’s what!
living room, with stained carpet and children’s toys
view of living room into the dining room
look closely at the door frame. yes, there was another basketball hoop there, complete with ball smudges on the ceiling.
dining room. with a razor and shaving cream, just in case you need a quick shave before dinner
cash back at closing, whoop whoop!
utility closet. yuck.
1/2 bath on first floor
anybody hungry?
yum
some sweet cracks in the kitchen counter
leaky plumbing
bad weather stripping
paper towels fix leaky weather stripping, right?
family room. or in other words, another room of stained carpet.
stairs. quick – how fast can you find the chewed bubble gum?
upstairs hallway
view from the upstairs
master bedroom
master bathroom
bedroom #2
bedroom #2
bedroom #3
bedroom #3, with countless nail holes in the walls
upstairs bathroom, where the tub/shower should be. but yes, we at least knew about this little detail when we first saw the house.
entering the finished basement. too bad the picture can’t capture the stickiness of the floor.
basemenet
repair job on the broken wall
remnants of the repair job and other associated garbage.
note the missing rocks on the wall and the outpouring of ash
the only working shower in the house
yuck. yuck yuck yuck.
who knows.
laundry room
that’s where our new washer and dryer are supposed to go? oh dear.
I can see why you love it, but omg! It’s like the tenants were angry at the damn house! So gross and mean!
I just realized we are never going to see you guys again! 🙂 Chad is going to be a busy boy!