“We got carried away,” says one couple who bought a house through Facebook Marketplace
A COUPLE have revealed the stress they went through after purchasing their forever home on Facebook Marketplace.
Chris and Becky said “things got a bit carried away” when they moved into their run-down home in Wales.
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HOUSING CRISIS
The couple's problem started long before they had packed their belongings and loaded the van.
They planned to move into a house they would call their forever home, but the buying chain above them fell apart and their dreams of moving to Wales were shattered.
Without a home, the couple was forced to ask for help while they looked for a new property.
“We had already sold our house, so we were homeless,” Chris said.
“Our friends Sarah and Ian offered us a rental property in Hay-on-Wye while we continued our search. That was luck and kindness as the Covid lockdown made things quite difficult.”
Chris and Becky found another house near the Welsh border, but once again the sale fell through, leaving the couple back at square one.
Not long after, Chris and Becky found their dream home in the most unexpected place: Facebook Marketplace.
We saw a house on Facebook Marketplace and as soon as I saw the pictures I said 'that's the kind of place I'm looking for', but I thought it would probably have already been sold.
Chris
The pair had to wait anxiously all weekend before contacting the estate agent, who, according to Chris, was not keen to sell the property.
Chris and Becky eventually went to see the house in Wales, but it wasn't what they expected.
They admitted that the house was dilapidated and in dire need of work.
Becky was not keen on the property and told Chris not to make any offers, which he said was fortunate as the estate agent would only accept one after the couple had given it some thought and had a second viewing.
Chris said: “But I was struck by it from the start and could only see the potential. On reflection, perhaps I should have considered how much work was needed.”
The interior was fine, but all the rooms needed work and the exterior was in a “sorry state,” Chris claims.
Still, Chris fell in love with the house because it offered plenty of space and the property was beautifully “nestled in the hills with a large driveway and a large barn.”
When he convinced Becky that this could be their dream home, the couple purchased the property and got to work right away.
Chris asked his friend, a construction worker, to come see the house.
Although there were a lot of repairs to be made, he wasn't too concerned, Chris claims.
HANDS ON
Chris and his family spent the next three years renovating their home, which is now almost complete.
During the first year they spent solving the biggest problems, such as drainage and making the stable strong.
This would prove to be a good move as the couple later had to move in while they repaired the main house.
Chris explained: “It was all exciting stuff and in my view it all had great potential.
“The oak barn had been added about twelve years earlier but never completed, so that was a project in itself.”
They spent most of the second year repairing the exterior of the house and also converted the garage into office space.
Chris and Becky focused on the land around the house, creating “an orchard” at the back of the garden.
The pair cleared two streams that run through the property and Chris planted more than 300 trees, which he said was “difficult”.
After three years of hard work, the couple finally moved into the main house, but there was still a lot of work to be done.
They had to replace all the windows with “double-glazed wooden casement windows to best match the originals”.
Starting from scratch, Chris and Becky took the opportunity to “insulate as much as possible” and had to redo the flooring, plumbing and electrical.
Chris explained: “Pretty much everything that came out has been reused, all the floorboards are now being used to clad the walls in the shed and workshop.”
The pair admit that living locally has been stressful and at times it seemed like it would never end.
We lived in chaos, Becky likes a clean house and everything in order, this whole project was the antithesis of that.
Chris
To escape the fear, they regularly went for walks in the picturesque hills of Wales.
Chris said, “No matter what challenges we faced, after a few hours of walking and talking we always came away with a plan and a better mood.”
REAR VIEW
One factor that Chris says was overlooked is how much they would have to spend on materials the builders needed.
Chris added: “We didn't appreciate the sheer size of things and the amounts of materials required, and the winters were very, very cold no matter how much wood we burned.”
The couple have accepted that their forever home will always be a project and look forward to working on their garden for “many years to come”.
“Plan, plan some more, then plan again,” Chris said.
He added: “Don't rush things because you might change your mind or see a better way to do something.”
Chris admits he's not good at coming up with solid plans, but says cash flow has kept him from making rash decisions.
He added: “Don't underestimate the hidden costs, little things add up, nails, glue, screws, tape, brushes, these alone can run into thousands.
'Above all, be patient, seek advice and ensure good transactions.
“Facebook Marketplace can yield great bargains, a spiral staircase, eight huge sliding doors, milk can bar stools… and of course, a house.”
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