New build beat my fixer upper by a mile, and I regret the first one

I bought a 1970s ranch in Austin two years ago thinking I could handle the projects. New roof, new HVAC, new windows, that's like $40k before I even touched the kitchen. Then my buddy closed on a new construction in Round Rock for nearly the same price per square foot. His place needed nothing, not even a paint touch up. I spent every weekend for 6 months at the ranch and still had water stains in the basement. Meanwhile he was grilling on his patio and actually using his weekends. I finally sold the ranch at a small loss and moved into a new build last spring. The difference is not just the money, it's the peace of mind. Anyone else trade a fixer for new construction and feel stupid for waiting?

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ray_webb62d ago

Man, slow your roll there. You sold at a small loss, moved, and now you're acting like you survived a war or something. Fixer uppers are a gamble, sure, but you knew that going in, right? Most people don't buy a 70s ranch expecting zero dirt and dust. Honestly, it sounds like you just picked the wrong project for your skill level or your patience, not that fixers are some kind of trap. New builds have their own headaches too, like HOA rules and paper-thin walls, you'll see. But hey, if grilling on a patio beats having a hobby, then more power to you. Just don't act like you cracked some secret code, you basically traded one set of problems for a different set.