Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Renovation Theory







A friend of mine recently bought a house. As we discussed all the renovations she was going to make to her new home, it got me thinking that perhaps purchasing a property was not so different from dating.


For starters, there is a shortage of both houses and men in Sydney. Finding the perfect one can require hours of hunting, many lost weekends, and a little imagination, because what looks fabulous in pictures on the internet doesn't always live up to expectations in real life. It's amazing what the right light can do.


Both require a background check in order to make sure the foundations are healthy, because what seems glossy and wonderful on the surface can be riddled with termites or disease as soon as you start stripping it. And trust me, if that central supporting beam is diseased, you want to know sooner rather than later.


When it comes to committing to that final purchase, I have a tehory that it's best to go for a 'fixer-upper' rather than one that's already renovated.


Now, I’m not talking about turning a dud into a stud. I have no desire for my dating life to reflect an episode of Extreme Makeover. Instead, I’m talking about the guys that are almost there—good foundations, right post code but just requiring a lick of paint/upgrade on bowl-haircut. They have everything a girl could require, but just need a little customization.

Like houses, guys that are already ‘done up’ have an overinflated sense of their own worth, and thus sell for a premium that requires you to stretch your budget. You have to sacrifice far more that you were originally willing in order to have them. Sure they look great and you can have your friends over straight away, but very rarely is it to yourtaste--you may wish the kitchen was a different color, or that they didn’t wear their hipster jeans quite so tight.

Yes, fixer-uppers are the perfect antidote to the Man Drought, as long as you remember the golden rules of renovation: Measure everything first, and be sure you nail it properly.

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