I Bought a Neglected House!

I had been working for a live entertainment company in Texas for several years and rode the wave of it growing from 30-ish employees to over 200. Along the way the company got bought out by an investment firm and they took away everything that was great about working there. So I started looking around for another growing small company. I found one in SoCal and left Texas on New Years Eve for California.


I started on January 6th and things were going great, all the promise I saw while interviewing was looking like reality. I managed to lower my cost of living while increasing my quality of life, things were looking good. Then on March 11th I was laid off because EVERY show the company had was cancelled. Well, technically I was bumped to part-time, but with no hours, so I could keep my health insurance. But there were just no shows, in the span of a week my entire industry came to a screeching halt, something that has never happened before. Thanks COVID!


I sat around for weeks waiting to see what would happen, nothing. Then about 8 weeks into doing nothing I saw a job opening for my skillset on a FB group, so I sent in my resume, and sent the guy a message introducing myself. A few weeks later I was on a plane for the interview and a week of work. I eneded up getting the job, and a few weeks later moved to Cincinnati. I threw my stuff in storage and just rented a room until I could get the lay of the land.


One day my boss and I were driving somewhere and we went past some small houses. I mentioned that I'd love a house that size, but with a huge garage. He said that his grandmother just moved out of her house and it had a two car detached garage. I didn't think much of it at the moment. Then the next day the homeowner where I was renting sent me an email, he was giving me 30 days to leave because he wanted to move back in, so I asked my boss about his grandmothers house.


I looked at it that day, and boy was it in bad shape. I've done remodels before, but never on my own home, I've never actually owned a home. While this house looked bad, it seemed solid. So I made an offer that turned out to be right in the ballpark the flippers were giving. They decided to go with me because I'd actually live in it. I moved in on October 4th and started the cleanup process right away.


I've decided to make a YouTube page showing the work as I tear into this project. The first video is a tour of it the very moment I first stepped in it after closing, I walk around all the junk left behind and point out issues and plans for things. The next video are of progress I'm making on it. I've only been here three weeks, but it looks significantly better already!

I will check out your videos & good luck with your project!

Also, thanks for sharing your background

My daughter's boyfriend, a really good and nice kid, recently graduated from a specialty college in Florida and started work down there in the Live Show/Event business (production lighting and sound), came to Sacramento with a friend and was working at a radio statio until his lease was up when the plan was to go to LA to pursue the Live Show/Event business but then Covid hit, he was laid off early, had all sorts of problems getting his unemployment, and then before I knew it in August he was signing a lease for an apartment in LA. I didn't even get a chance to talk to him about being patient, I would have offered him the downstairs guest room even though my daughter would be living 3-1/2 hours away, 1/2 mile from her campus, and taking classes remotely.

I worry about how long he can last down there given this is one of the last business, IMHO, that will be coming back and when it does, it will come back slowly. Doesn't help my mind set either that my daughter wants to move done there at the end of the school year and she wants to work in the fashion business, times are changing...

There is a split among people in the industry right now, those who are holding on and waiting form it to return, and those who have left the industry permanently. I think when the industry returns, those who waited it out will take all the work they can get, but there will still be a shortage of techs, day rate will go up. I believe that the industry will be GREAT for people who survive the shut down, and even better for the few of us who have been able to work the whole time.

I think the thing no one is expecting is that this industry is full of workaholics, and for the first time ever they have ALL been forced to take time off. I think most have learned that time off is enjoyable, and six months after the industry comes back they will start wanting time off again. As more techs turn down work in favor of time off day rates will rise again.

Good perspective

This week I add on to the security system, find another water leak, and start demo in the garage: https://youtu.be/pNj2KFK1Z6M

This week I changed some light fixtures and cleaned up the garage some more: https://youtu.be/h7O3MOHICKY

We've been watching, the videos even inspired the misses to go through some cabinets to thin things out for down the road, of course our problem isn't vintage clothing and fabric. We have way too much furniture, knickknacks, and collectibles. Then in the garage its all my fishing and golf gear, a couple of vintage cars, and my now growing collection of tools and audio related stuff. Our kids will not be happy when it comes time to clean the place out...

This week I chase down water leaks and start demo on Bedroom Three: https://youtu.be/2Lpg0RYjHJw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MegaG

We've been watching, the videos even inspired the misses to go through some cabinets to thin things out for down the road...

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That's super cool! Thanks for watching and the feedback!

This week I tear through the second bathroom: https://youtu.be/u9DOZOlVqcY

This week I start getting Bedrrom Two ready to rent, and finish cleaning up the stuff left behind by the previous owner: https://youtu.be/xoY-Y2Hbmm8

This week I get Bedroom Two ready for paint and complete a couple other minor projects: https://youtu.be/KWDkcbLSbgo

https://youtu.be/oaiQq7er64o

This week i cut open what I've been calling the "Death Beam" and it turns out, that was the right name for it: https://youtu.be/oaiQq7er64o

What happened with the house? It's 2 years later