Buyer Beware

While walking in my neighborhood the past few weeks I've noticed the progression of an old Victorian house go from old and falling down to old and falling down but you don't know it.

There used to be a FOR SALE sign in front of this old house, probably built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. It's here in the historic district, and the asking price was $140,000. It's in pretty bad shape. The foundation is horribly cracked and crumbling in places, bricks were falling off, a new roof, etc. No telling what the inside looked like, but I've been inside enough of these old houses to be able to guess.

It did mention on the flyer that it was a handyman's dream, so it was obvious this was a house that needed some work. A few weeks later I notice the FOR SALE sign is gone and a handyman truck is parked at the curb. For weeks I've heard hammering inside as I pass and sawhorses in the yard. Last week they were putting plywood on the outside of the house from the ground to about waist-high, effectively covering up that broken foundation. Today when I walk past they have neatly stuccoed the plywood, created a small shelf-like wall all the way around and stuccoed over the crumbling brick and painted it all one color. It obvious this new ledge/shelf will be decorated with pots and garden items and give a warm-and-fuzzy feeling to anyone looking to buy it. What they WON'T see is the crumbling foundation. Who knows what they did in the basement to cover up the foundation from the inside...

When they finish, I'm sure the stucco will be offset with a bright trim on the windows, plants on the new "ledge, and a garden gnome out front to provide some much-needed curb appeal to the old house.

Something about it just makes me sad. And I feel bad for the person who buys it, not knowing what's lurking beneath the embellishments...