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Mountain Home Estate

On a January Friday, fresh into a new year, Caitlyn Sargent made her rookie debut—grouting tile, that is. A few days prior, she tackled another first-time project: faux terrazzo countertop on her bathroom vanity. 

Caitlyn and her husband, Zach, are no strangers to do-it-yourself renovation. Their home in the mountains west of Stevensville is their third project in five years. They’re drawn to investment projects and this estate (complete with 24 acres, a hangar, and a lighted airstrip) is no different. 

The Sargents hadn’t planned to sell their previous home but a realtor friend approached them with a buyer, so in July 2020, they looked for a new project. 

“This house was a mess. It was jam-packed with stuff,” Caitlyn explained. “But we knew it was what we were looking for.” 

The house hosted tired wall-to-wall carpet but boasted phenomenal Bitterroot Valley views. 

“To see that investment potential is motivating,” Caitlyn said. “To see what you can put into it and what you can get out takes practice. I wouldn’t have been able to see the potential in this house five years ago.” 

A big house with big projects requires a strategy, so Caitlyn and Zach made a list of three must-dos and set a goal to complete them by Christmas: replace the roof, nix the carpet, add new flooring, and swap wooden paneling for sheet-rocked walls. 

“One thing I’ve learned is that you have to prioritize. You have to go in with a strategy,” she said. “But also, you need to be able to be spontaneous and pivot. That’s also beneficial.”

And while her master list is long with projects, the big three they identified back in September are done. 

“It’s livable and it’s comfortable. We can do other projects as time is available,” Caitlyn said. 

She knows the temptation to tackle everything at once but she explained that resisting the urge to power through the list means you won’t end up with a houseful of décor you don’t like. 

“There can be so much to do. You have to figure out what’s going to serve you best in your home,” Caitlyn said. “Ask yourself, ‘what can I do to work with what I have so this will be something I like and stay within my budget?’ It doesn’t have to cost a ton of money.” 

She described the bathroom vanity that wasn’t totally their style but rather than starting from scratch, she and Zach cut it down, added legs, refreshed the hardware, and Caitlyn experimented with the faux terrazzo countertop rather than installing the real thing (and a heftier price tag).

She encourages other DIYers to work their way up to bigger projects and to be intentional with purchases, large and small.

“I used to want everything done at once,” Caitlyn explained. “But then I realized, ‘what if I bought all of that stuff—is my mind going to change in a couple of months?’ If you don’t like it, you’re going to be spending money on it again.” 

She said she’s learned to be more patient and more intentional about the projects she starts and the items she purchases—a trend she sees taking hold across our culture as well. 

“I’ve seen so much in the last year: people focusing on simplifying and minimizing in their home. I think there’s a realization of how much stuff is around you and how that stuff can start to feel heavy,” Caitlyn explained. “I see a lot of people having a mindset change. People are really focusing on making home a happy and relaxing place.” 

Living in a construction zone isn’t most people’s idea of relaxation but Caitlyn takes comfort in her home being a work-in-progress, especially as the renovations give her a chance to work with family (Caitlyn’s dad and Zach’s dad both lend their expertise and her kids have learned to scrape carpet staples from subfloor). But on a bigger level, she appreciates the lessons learned.

“I can’t force things. Things happen on a whim,” she said. “We make use of the time and we go with the flow.” 

When they decided to sell their previous home last summer, they worried an investment property would be hard to find. They fell in love with a home that was in foreclosure, only to lose it to another buyer.

“I’ve learned to be patient,” Caitlyn said. “We’re a faithful family. Our home sold, we accepted an offer on it and found this house that we couldn’t have even dreamt of.” 

Caitlyn uses her Instagram platform to give her followers insight and how-to for projects but she hopes that she can encourage people (and her own kids) to take the leap and try something new. 

“Everyone is capable and can be equipped to do this. My family is no different than anyone else,” she said. “You’ll never know if you can do it if you don’t give it a shot. Things seem scary at first but give it a chance. The hard part sometimes is taking a step outside of your comfort zone. You can try new things.” 

Follow Caitlyn on Instagram at @ourmountainestate. 

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