Recap: Properties We've Renovated Thus Far

Every time I share a new project on Instagram, I receive a handful of confused messages about which property is which. So today I’m setting things straight and recapping the properties we’ve renovated thus far.

Strelkov Bungalow

We renovated our very first home in 2015. That’s where it all started. We bought an old, dilapidated house with nearly six acres of land. It had stood abandoned for 20 years. To say that it was not in a livable condition would be a major, major understatement. That was the Strelkov Bungalow, above.

The irony of it all is that we weren’t even looking to buy a house at the time! We randomly came across a Craigslist ad for a dilapidated, old house with nearly 6 acres of land and thought, “Hey, this could be fun – right?” Fun fact: I didn’t even see the house until after we signed the contract!

Catch up with that renovation below, or check out all the posts under the “Our Bungalow Renovation” tab.

Edgmon Ranch

We divided the 5+ acres from the house, kept the land and sold the Strelkov Bungalow for a nice profit about three years later. That is when we decided to pursue real estate investing full-time. Our next project was the Edgmon Ranch, above.

In Slavic culture there’s a saying, “He who doesn’t take risks, doesn’t drink champagne.” So we jumped headfirst into real estate investing and in October of 2019, we bought the Edgmon Ranch at an auction, sight unseen.

At the time of purchase, the house was unlawfully occupied. So, it wasn’t until mid-January of 2020 that we were able to step foot inside and begin the renovation process. We wrapped up the renovation towards the end of May.

Catch up with that renovation below, or check out all the posts under “Edgmon Ranch” tab.

Greenfield Remodel

Then in October or November of 2020 came the Greenfield Remodel, above. A couple things were different this time around. For starters, we lived in the house while remodeling it. We hadn’t done that with our previous two properties. This setup had its advantages and disadvantages, of course.

Our ultimate hope was for a more balanced lifestyle, as we tackled the remodel, worked full-time and raised our children. It’s actually during our time living at the Greenfield Remodel that we transition into full-time real estate investing, with the husband leaving his corporate job.

Catch up with that renovation below, or check out all the posts under “Greenfield Remodel” tab.

Greystone House

About one or two months into 2021, mid-renovation of the Greenfield Remodel, we bought the Greystone House, above. The irony, however, is that we actually put in several offers on the Greystone House even before purchasing the Greenfield Remodel. But for one reason or another nothing came out of it – until it did.

Initially, the plan was to quickly renovate the Greenfield Remodel and list it, and to take our time on the Greystone House while also living in it. Obviously, that’s not how it all went down at all. We ended up living in the Greenfield Remodel for almost two years – nearly all of which we spent renovating the Greystone House.

Catch up with that renovation below, or check out all the posts under “Greystone House” tab.

Then, we sold both properties and transitioned to full-time RV living. But let’s backtrack a bit…

Fairmont Flip

In April of 2021, a month after buying the Greystone House, we bought the Fairmont Flip, above. I’m not sure I ever even mentioned it here, because it was a fast fix-and-flip project.

We sold the Fairmont Flip in September.

Winwood Rental

In July 2021, we purchased the Winwood Rental, above, but it was newly remodeled and already had long-term tenants. So I’ve never actually stepped foot inside, let alone completed any projects there.

Based on the Zillow photos, though, there are a couple items I’d change if ever given the chance.

Bennett Rental

Then in November of 2021, we bought the Bennett Rental, above. We renovated the entire house except the kitchen, but I’ve yet to share a single project from that property.

The thing about rental properties is that the remodels typically move extremely fast – because the longer it sits, the more money you’re losing. But then once the tenants move in, it’s not like you can swing by and shoot some room tours, ha. So there’s a very small window of opportunity to shoot content with rental properties.

Cape Cod Rental

Now we’re wrapping up the Cape Cod Rental remodel, above, which we bought last month. Once again, we renovated the entire house except the kitchen. I can’t wait to share more about this one! In the meantime, catch up below, or check out all the posts under “Cape Cod Rental” tab.

Wow, what a whirlwind! Each house, each renovation has taught us so, so much. Our ultimate goal can be summed up in one word: freedom.

Most people mistakenly think that property investing is all about getting rich, fast. Sure, that may be the case for some people, but it has never been our intention.

When we sold that first bungalow, we realized something very important: With hard work, self-discipline, temporary sacrifices, and the right strategy, property investing could give us a more intentional, more self-sufficient life and the freedom to prioritize what is actually important to us.