5 Things to Look for When Choosing a Home to Make Your Own: Fixer-Upper Checks (2026)

Updated October 2026. Renovation loan limits from HUD and lead paint rules from the EPA, read October 30, 2026. Written for buyers who plan to change the home they buy.

When you choose a home to make your own, look first at what you can’t change: the location, the lot and the structure. Then price what you can change. As of October 2026, an FHA Limited 203(k) loan lets you roll up to $75,000 of repairs into the mortgage, and homes built before 1978 come with a federal 10-day window to test for lead paint.

Jump to: 📍 Location · 🪜 Structure · 💲 Budget · 🏠 Room to grow · 🤝 Your skills · ❓ FAQ

Buying a dream home can turn into a bit of a nightmare when the plan is to fix it up. A turnkey house shows you what you get. A fixer-upper asks you to picture something that isn’t there yet, and to pay for it. The checks below keep that picture honest.

Is it in the right place for the next ten years?

Location is the one thing no renovation can fix. Before you fall for a run-down farmhouse with great bones, map the drive to work, school and the grocery store at rush hour. Then set firm limits on the areas that fit your family.

Look at the lot, too. Which way does it face? Does water pool after rain? Is there space for the addition you have in mind, and does zoning allow it? A quick call to the city or county planning office answers that. Our guide on how to choose a neighborhood has a short checklist for the street itself.

How much work does the house really need?

Before you plan paint colors, find out what’s wrong underneath. Hire a home inspector. Ask for extra checks where the house hints at trouble: a structural engineer for cracks or sagging floors, a roofer for an old roof, a sewer camera for older pipes.

Sort what you find into two piles. “Bones” problems are the foundation, roof, wiring, plumbing, drainage and termites. They’re expensive and hidden. “Skin” problems are the kitchen, baths, floors and paint. They’re what you wanted to change anyway. A house with good bones and ugly skin is the classic fixer-upper, and it’s where most cheap houses worth buying hide. A house with bad bones is a different project, priced as one.

Age matters for one more reason. If the home was built before 1978, the EPA says it’s more likely to have lead-based paint, and about three-quarters of US homes built before then still contain some. Federal rules require sellers to disclose known lead paint and give buyers a 10-day period to test, unless both sides agree in writing to change it. If you’ll sand, cut or demolish painted surfaces, the EPA’s renovation rule requires certified, lead-safe contractors.

Can you afford the house and the renovation?

Run the mortgage first. Before buying any home, check here to see whether the monthly payment fits your budget. Then add the renovation as its own line, with a 10% to 20% cushion for surprises.

Get real quotes from contractors during your inspection period, before you’re locked in. A rough number on a kitchen from a friend isn’t a quote. If the work is bigger than your savings, a renovation loan can fold it into one mortgage.

Our guide on choosing the right loan type compares 203(k) with conventional and VA options. To see what similar homes sold for once they were fixed up, try the Beycome property value calculator. If the finished home would be worth less than the price plus the work, keep looking.

Does it give you room to grow?

The right home fits you now and the life you expect in five or ten years. If kids, a parent moving in or a home office is on the horizon, plan for it today. Otherwise you may be moving again sooner than you’d like.

Room to grow doesn’t always mean more square feet now. A dry basement, a big attic or a lot with space for an addition can carry you for years. Just remember that every future project adds to the budget you set above. Our guide on how to prioritize renovations puts safety and systems ahead of the fun stuff.

What skills do you bring to the table?

Making a home your own takes either money for pros or your own time and hands. Be honest about which one you have. Painting, flooring and trim are good weekend jobs. Electrical, gas, structural and roof work belong to licensed trades, and most need permits.

Write down each project and mark it DIY, hire out or not sure. The “not sure” column is where budgets go wrong, so get quotes for those first. Before the first swing of a hammer, read what to know before renovating. Once the big work is done, our ideas for Interesting Décor Ideas To Implement In Your New Home help with the finishing touches.

What should you ask the seller before you offer?

Sellers know things inspectors can’t see. A few direct questions, asked early, can save you a month of guessing.

• How old are the roof, the furnace or AC, and the water heater?
• Was past work done with permits? Ask for copies, then check with the city’s permit office.
• Any leaks, floods or insurance claims while you owned it?
• Is there an HOA, and does it limit exterior changes, fences or additions?
• Are there plans, surveys or old quotes for the work you’re thinking about?

Unpermitted work is the big one. An addition or a finished basement built without permits can be hard to insure, finance or sell later, and the city may ask you to open walls. Our guide on renovation mistakes that hurt home value explains why.

How can you buy it for less?

A fixer-upper leaves less room in the budget, so every dollar at closing counts. The Beycome buyer program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents. There’s no upfront fee. Beycome keeps 1% of the price, with a $1,499 minimum, and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission to you at closing, with lender approval. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers.

Still looking? Our tips to find your dream home cover the search itself.

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