Balboa Before

With the remodel of our own new home well underway, I thought it would be fun to a look at where we started. I recently ran across these photos taken in June of 2020, on one of my first trips to the property.

The home was For Sale By Owner, with a handwritten sign and a San Diego-based phone number. It took several phone calls and several weeks to arrange a "showing" with the owner.

Given the state of the exterior, I wasn't expecting much from the inside, but I was definitely not expecting the MESS that met me inside.

After seeing these photos, you might be wondering what I was thinking when I bought the house. David wondered exactly the same thing...

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The Exterior

Our neighbors have recently been raving about our improvements to the exterior, which was mostly just a process of subtraction! We removed truckloads of weeds and a mountain of decades-old bougainvillea that was well past its prime.

Once inside the front gates, the yard was equally neglected.

The pool area, which greets you just inside the front gate, was overwhelmed by a gazebo. The empty TV box is a nice touch, don't you think?

On the side of the house, but still out front, there old appliances and just general debris. Our haul away and dump fees were quite significant.

The pool had no water when we bought the home, and still doesn't.

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The Living Room

What's your favorite part: the massive tube television, the tasteless sculpture, or the career criminal sitting in the background?

I walked right in and said, "I'll take it!"

Looking at these photos now, I am thinking it's amazing that I am still married. It's a good thing David loves me and puts up with me!

Yes, the seller left the house just like this, and we had to deal with all this stuff.

I regret to report that there were no hidden treasures amidst all the junk. No Picassos in the attic, sadly...just stuff like these...

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The Kitchen and Laundry Area

The kitchen had no cabinets or appliances when we purchased the house. We learned later that the seller had collected over $100,000 from a water damage insurance claim, but never used the money to replace the kitchen.

The laundry area was as dirty and unkempt as the rest of the house. Apparently, they could not even be bothered to close the cabinet doors.

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The Primary Bedroom Suite

I don't think clothes thrown on the bed count as "staging" -- do you?

We donated as many clothes as we could to various charity thrift stores.

The seller left his toiletries for us. How generous, right?

Despite the well-sized closets, the owner was showing the home with a rolling rack of clothes in the middle of the primary bathroom...

Thanks for going on this walk down memory lane with me! We will be posting lots more progress photos of the construction, very soon, so stay tuned.

xo

CK