The Pleasant Project is a house that was an “accidental” find. Another investor sent me a message one day a few months ago and said he had too many projects going. He needed to sell one that he had recently purchased with the intention of flipping it. He knew I had done another project 6 months earlier in the neighborhood from when he ran the comparable sales for his purchase.
After checking out the house and deciding against it, I decided to check the other active listings in the neighborhood. The majority of the homes in this area are on the smaller side but I spotted one that had nearly 1100 square feet on the main floor and had been on the market for a high number of days for the area so I decided to walk through. Immediately, I knew this house had potential. First, the size was much larger than most houses in this area and the basement was completely unfinished. There was also an existing master bedroom in the upper level but the bathroom was a half bath and the ceiling had been installed lower than it needed to be.
After submitting the offer and agreeing to the purchase terms we began to plan for the project renovations and the scope of work so we could start the bid process.
The roof was less than two years old so that didn’t need to be replaced which was a significant savings. The stucco exterior was a standard ivory and brown color scheme that is very common amongst these homes and also happened to be identical to the house next door. I chose to highlight and add a modern feel to the classic bungalow exterior with a dark paint selection.
Before and After
The space on the main floor was large enough to relocate the dining room to the front of the house. The heating system was updated in the home and central air conditioning was added so the radiators were no longer needed.
Thinking about how to connect the interior to the exterior was a bit different in this house. There’s no access from the back of the house (there are two bedrooms there) but there is an amazing front porch. From the very beginning of this project, I knew we needed to change the window from the dining room and make it a French door. I can just see having those doors open to the screened in porch to get the perfect breeze into the house.
Although the master bedroom was a space that was usable, it had been finished in a way that left opportunity. Improving the master bedroom included opening the walls by removing paneling and adding the metal railing. The bedroom ceilings were raised, the master bathroom was expanded to include a five foot shower and a bar area added. An all -around upgrade for function and the perfect place to start (and end) each day.
This house was the second that was completed since mid-March and while we didn’t know what to expect, we knew this house had many spaces that were unique and would, hopefully, match with what a buyer was looking for, and that’s exactly what happened, and on the very first day.
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Amber
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