A couple who bought a rundown property have increased its value by 12 times what they paid for it after spending four years renovating the home.
Candi and Jake Whitlow from Missouri bought the spacious historical property, called Hoefer House, for $7,000 in 2018, and have been lovingly restoring it ever since.
Candi, a 32-year-old stay-at-home mother, and Jake, a 34-year-old service manager for a local car dealership, have done everything from installing a brand new porch to decorating to painting.
Now they estimate that the property is worth $90,000 — and they expect the value to go up further when they complete more renovations.
A couple who bought a rundown property have increased its value by 12 times what they paid for it after spending four years renovating the home
Candi and Jake Whitlow from Missouri bought the spacious historical property, called Hoefer House, for $7,000 in 2018, and have been lovingly restoring it ever since
Candi, a 32-year-old stay-at-home mother, and Jake, a 34-year-old service manager for a local car dealership, have done everything from decorating to painting
The couple started hunting for a larger house after the birth of their son, Henry, who is now six.
They had not spotted anything on the housing market that caught their attention — until they saw this property in 2017, almost totally concealed by vegetation and seemingly abandoned.
Enchanted, Candi and Jake tracked down the property’s owners and asked to buy the house, closing the sale in April 2018.
‘The house was in great disrepair, but it had so much charm,’ Candi told Jam Press.
‘The front porch is really what sold us — we’ve both always wanted a big old house with a nice front porch to hang out on.’
‘The house was in great disrepair, but it had so much charm,’ Candi told Jam Press
They learned that the property, built in 1904, was more than 100 years old, and that it had been ravaged by a fire in 1914
The house had changed hands only once before the Whitlows purchased it, and had been in the possession of the Hoefer family for 95 years, hence its name
The hardest job, Candi says, was draining the standing water that they found in the cellar
Candi said: ‘We’ve always worked on the house together. We’ve enjoyed every minute, but it hasn’t been without its challenges’
They learned that the property, built in 1904, was more than 100 years old, and that it had been ravaged by a fire in 1914.
It had been constructed as a family home and had been used as one for most of its lifetime.
The house had changed hands only once before the Whitlows purchased it, and had been in the possession of the Hoefer family for 95 years, hence its name.
By 2018, however, the house was vacant and had fallen into disrepair.
Candi and Jake set to work with renovations the day after they closed the sale.
The property was crumbling and needed major work, including new plumbing, electricity, heating, and insulation.
The hardest job, Candi says, was draining the standing water that they found in the cellar — a task that the couple tackled together for two weeks.
Crunch time came when the couple sold the house they had been living in when they bought the property, giving them just 60 days to bring Hoefer House to a liveable condition
‘It was a whirlwind of family and friends helping us get it out together enough to be able to move in… we ended up putting in a wood stove for our heat source this past winter,’ Candi said
They continued to work on renovating the house for years, and still have a ways to go
‘It’s even more special because my great grandmother’s house was a block away and two of my uncles would regularly play here when they were kids,’ Candi said
Candi said: ‘We’ve always worked on the house together. We’ve enjoyed every minute, but it hasn’t been without its challenges.’
Crunch time came when the couple sold the house they had been living in when they bought the property, giving them just 60 days to bring Hoefer House to a livable condition.
‘It was a whirlwind of family and friends helping us get it out together enough to be able to move in… we ended up putting in a wood stove for our heat source this past winter,’ Candi said.
‘Since we were only living on the first floor, it worked quite well.’
Remarkably, Candi also discovered that she had a personal connection to the house.
They really loved that the house had a front porch but got to work fixing it up
‘It’s been incredible. We’ve met so many supportive people on the old house community who are in the trenches of restoration like we are,’ Candi said
The porch is pictured before they started any of their renovations
They added new wood to the porch and painted the outside of the house
‘It’s even more special because my great grandmother’s house was a block away and two of my uncles would regularly play here when they were kids,’ she said.
In April, four years after they purchased Hoefer House, Candi and Jake posted a video of the charming wooden porch they had built on Instagram, complete with a swing seat, flowers, a table and chairs, and new columns.
The couple have shared their journey on their account, posting before and after photos and charting their four years of labor.
‘It’s been incredible. We’ve met so many supportive people on the old house community who are in the trenches of restoration like we are,’ Candi said.
‘We’ve also had some people tell us we’re crazy, but they’re still following the journey anyway.’
In April, four years after they purchased Hoefer House, Candi and Jake posted a video of the charming wooden porch they had built on Instagram
Candi and Jake estimate that, in its current state, their property could be valued at around $90,000 now
They’ve made it a home with furniture, though they mostly live on one floor right now
Their new porch has been set up with furniture include a table and chairs
‘This has really been a passion project for both of us,’ Candi said
‘We couldn’t imagine our life any other way,’ she added
There is still work to be done, however, including installing a new kitchen, getting the second floor ‘up and running’ and decorating some of the interior.
Candi and Jake estimate that, in its current state, their property could be valued at around $90,000 now — more than 12 times the amount that they paid for it.
Despite the challenges of a renovation project like theirs, Candi and Jake have no regrets.
‘This has really been a passion project for both of us,’ she said. ‘Living like we do isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s such a rewarding experience knowing that you’re saving a piece of history.
‘We couldn’t imagine our life any other way.’
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