A young couple who purchased a run-down house for £216,000 have detailed how they’re turning it into their dream property after the coronavirus crisis ruined their chances of buying their perfect first home.
TikTok user @this_home_bird decided to buy a property that needed some serious TLC after Covid-19 and rising house prices meant they could no longer afford the original home they had their hearts set on.
The pair, who purchased the three-bed home in the West Midlands, say they had been saving “for years” for a house deposit and so decided to “change our approach” to make their dream a reality.
Sharing their fixer-upper journey online, the couple - aged 24 and 25 - explain how they’ve already "painstakingly" removed wallpaper from every room, ripped up old carpets and knocked through walls.
They’ve also torn down a spider-infested shed, tried their hand at plastering and rewired the whole house as part of the huge renovation project.
In their video, that has been watched 788,000 times so far, the couple joked: "Our first home renovation journey so far who’s laughing now COVID."
They said: "We saved for years to buy our perfect first home but Covid and the rise in house prices meant we couldn't afford the home we wanted anymore.
"So we decided to change our approach and buy a house that we could TURN INTO our perfect first home.
"We bought this three-bedroom house at aged 24 and 25 for £216,500. It only had ONE previous owner. We had no idea where to start, but we got going straight away."
Detailing their work, the couple - who also post on Instagram - joke they’ve made “a LOT of mess”, have “spent hours cleaning up” and worked tirelessly “through the worst heatwave”.
Their project has also seen them plant a new garden and make a time capsule to hide in the house for future generations.
The couple haven’t said how much they’ve spent so far, or how much work is yet to be done, but they say they’re around one month in to the renovation.
TikTok users have so far been impressed with their project.
One person said: "Making good progress for one month."
Another said: "Well done guys! Keep at it."
A third added: "Me and my partner are about to be in the same boat... good luck!"
The pair also had advice for other people who said they're planning on buying their first home.
One person asked: "Currently 21 hoping to buy next year, any advice?"
They replied: "Just save, save, save. In a Lifetime ISA if you can so you can get the government bonus."
