My husband and I were working on remodeling our house when there was a fire.
We were trying to save money by handling the renovations ourselves.
We have experience with replacing windows, hanging drywall, installing insulation, hanging cupboards and refinishing floors. We should have known better than to mess around with electric lines. While we were very careful with how we installed new wiring, the electric panel was old and outdated. My husband and I were staying at a hotel while the house was under construction. The fire started when no one was around. It had already caused major damage by the time it was noticed and the fire department arrived. Along with the fire, we had damage from the fire department’s efforts. After spending so much time and money on renovating the house, we were devastated. We didn’t have the energy or funds to start over. We wouldn’t have known where to begin. Much of the structure was beyond salvage. The roof was a mess. The house probably needed to be leveled and rebuilt from the ground up. Listing it through a real estate agent wasn’t a good option for our circumstances. A buyer couldn’t possibly get financing on a property that wouldn’t pass inspection or meet local safety codes. Our priority was to unload the property as quickly as possible. We found a local cash home buyer who provided a reasonable offer. There was no hassles with inspections, insurance or repairs. The offer was straightforward and involved no agent commission. We were able to close on the property ten days later.