"I bought my first home in 1989 a townhouse in Tustin Ranch built by a developer. One of the best parts was going to the design center and choosing everything: the paint, the flooring, the cabinets, the countertops. We got to finish the house the way we wanted."
That memory stuck with me. And now, over three decades later, it became the inspiration for a brand-new listing strategy I'm collaborating on with Brendan Kane of Ardor Realty in Corona, CA, one I believe could change how investors, agents, and buyers think about fixer-upper properties.
A thoughtful investor. A well-prepared home. A smarter exit.
Brendan reached out on behalf of a savvy investor-client who purchased a 79-year-old fixer-upper in an established Corona neighborhood and did what smart investors do tackled all the major systems that needed to be updated. A new roof, updated plumbing, new water heater, electrical and HVAC system and leaving a blank slate for the buyer to customize on their dime financed into their 30 year loan.
Rather than making a hundred finish decisions, waiting 8–10 weeks for contractors, and hoping the end result matched what buyers wanted, the investor stopped there. On purpose.
The idea? Sell the home as-is with all the hard, expensive, invisible work already done and let the buyer choose the finishes themselves. Just like a builder would.
Think about what builders do: they build the structure, install the systems, and then invite the buyer into the design center before the finishes go in. The buyer personalizes their home. The builder gets a motivated, emotionally invested buyer. What if we applied that exact strategy to a fix-and-flip?
That's exactly what we're doing with this listing: ready4remodel.com
Can you imagine a future where the systems that were on their last leg were updated and modernized? The fun choices are left to the buyers within their budget.
Imagine no more raw fixers where the expensive, invisible work is already done:
What's left? The part that makes a house yours (the buyer's). Paint colors. Flooring. Kitchen cabinets and countertops. Bathroom vanities, fixtures, and shower doors. Go to Home Depot, Lowe's, or any design center and build it the way you want it.
One loan. One closing. Total customization.
Here's where the lending strategy makes this even more powerful. An owner-occupant buyer can finance the purchase and the renovations in a single permanent 30-year mortgage through FHA 203(k), Fannie Mae HomeStyle, or Freddie Mac CHOICERenovation programs. No second mortgage. No high-rate construction loan. No cash out of pocket for finish work.
And on that large lot in an established Corona neighborhood? A buyer could also add an ADU for a family member or as a rental income unit and roll that construction cost into the same loan. One closing. Generational flexibility built right in.
Welcome to the Fixer-Upper / New Construction Hybrid.
What Brendan and his client have created here isn't just a clever marketing angle it's a genuinely better product for a specific buyer: someone who wants an established neighborhood, a real lot, and the opportunity to make the home their own, without paying new-construction prices on a tiny lot.
The investor did the hard work. The buyer gets the creative work. The lender brings it all together in one clean, permanent loan. That's a win for everyone at the table.
If you're a buyer, agent, or investor curious about how renovation financing can make a deal like this work let's connect. Skip Schenker sschenker@onetrusthomeloans.com 714-681-3768.
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