Columbia has a bevy of older homes that can be turned into dream homes for adventurous buyers. The Kevin Carroll Team of Douglas Realty helped homeowner and renovation expert Usman Jan to purchase a home in one of those older communities and turn it into an updated retreat for his family.
Because the homeowner owns Integrity Real Estate Group, a company that rebuilds and refurbishes Maryland homes, going from outdated to stylish and functional was easier, by far.
The whole house was renovated—top to bottom. Usman completely gutted and extended the kitchen. He blew out the living room wall to create the open concept style that has become so popular and functional. When the home was purchased, there were four bedrooms upstairs.
Since he has two children, he took the space from one of the bedrooms and used it to construct a luxury master bathroom and a huge walk-in closet.
The home started with a full, unfinished basement, and that has been transformed into a complete living space of its own, with a bedroom, bathroom, playroom and lounge area with a full-size bar.
Usman says there were just some details on which he could not compromise.
“Unique touches that we were adamant about were black doors and a few pocket doors. We also wanted a small breakfast nook and we got it by extending part of the kitchen by two feet,” Usman says.
The children got some input too, choosing their room colors and their playhouse for the back yard.
Buyer’s agent Kevin Carroll says, “More people are looking for move-in ready homes, but there are gems to be found in the rough. Financing something that is already done is easier, but when you find something that’s ripe to be renovated, you need to have resources to self-finance or to obtain a renovation-style loan, where someone can guide you in which contractors to pick. It can be frustrating.”
Usman agrees about the frustrations that come with a full renovation. “The most difficult part was living in the home while remodeling," he says. "Things were a little testy from time to time, like when we didn’t have a kitchen for a couple of months, and things were a little messy there for a while."
Kevin explains that while there is new construction in Howard County, there is not a lot of new construction in Columbia—and few single-family communities. Because of developer taxes, he says there may not be for a while. So, for those brave enough to take on a renovation project as large as Usman's, Kevin has a few suggestions.
“If you’re going to do it, do a whole lot of research. I don’t think people understand exactly how much things cost. You can go online and price out materials, but people don’t know how to price out labor. Labor fees can be costly, and management of a project can be, too. It’s very time consuming, and it can be risky,” Kevin says.
The proliferation of renovation shows has emboldened buyers to consider renovations, he says, but those shows don’t actually show unexpected money drains, such as fees and carrying costs. If you hire the right people to manage the project for you, “it can be great,” Kevin explains.
Such an extensive remodel can have many benefits, as well.
“We definitely added value to the house," Usman says. "Not every remodeling decision was based purely on added value. We considered personal preferences and things that were aesthetically pleasing and functional. It truly turned out to be a custom home that’s to our comfort and satisfaction. And that, to us, is invaluable.”
