Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Finding Your Perfect Home in a Fixer Upper

Noopur Gupta June 3, 2024

 
If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper. That’s a house that needs a little elbow grease or some updates, but has good bones. Fixer-uppers can be a really great option if you’re looking to break into the housing market or want to stretch your budget further. According to NerdWallet:
 
“Buying a fixer-upper can provide a path to homeownership for first-time home buyers or a way for repeat buyers to afford a larger home or a better neighborhood. With the relatively low inventory of homes for sale these days, a move-in ready home can be hard to find, especially if you’re on a budget.”
Basically, since the number of homes for sale is still so low, if you’re only willing to tour homes that have all your dream features, you may be cutting down your options too much and making it harder on yourself than necessary. It may be time to cast a wider net.
 

Sometimes the perfect home is the one you perfect after buying it.

Here’s some information that can help you pinpoint what you truly need so you can be strategic in your home search. First, make a list of all the features you want in a home. From there, work to break those features into categories like this:
 
  • Must-Haves - If a house doesn’t have these features, it won’t work for you and your lifestyle.
  • Nice-To-Haves - These are features you’d love to have but can live without. Nice-to-haves aren’t deal breakers, but if you find a home that hits all the must-haves and some of these, it’s a contender.
  • Dream State - This is where you can really think big. Again, these aren’t features you’ll need, but if you find a home in your budget that has all the must-haves, most of the nice-to-haves, and any of these, it’s a clear winner.
Once you’ve sorted your list in a way that works for you, share it with your real estate agent. They’ll help you find homes that deliver on your top needs right now and have the potential to be your dream home with a little bit of sweat equity. Lean on their expertise as you think through what’s possible, what features are easy to change or add, and how to make it happen. According to Progressive:
 
“Many real estate agents specialize in finding fixer-uppers and have a network of inspectors, contractors, electricians, and the like.”
Your agent can also offer advice on which upgrades and renovations will set you up to get the greatest return on your investment if you ever decide to sell down the line.
 

Bottom Line

If you haven’t found a home you love that’s in your budget, it may be worth thinking through all your options, including fixer-uppers. Sometimes the perfect home for you is the one you perfect after buying it. To see what’s available in our area, let’s connect.

Recent Blog Posts

Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.

More Starter Homes Are Hitting the Market
When Will Mortgage Rates Come Down?
Sell Your House During the Winter Sweet Spot
Should You Sell Your House As-Is or Make Repairs?

Home Selling Tips

How To Get Your House Ready To Sell in 2025
What’s Behind Today’s Mortgage Rate Volatility?

If you’ve been keeping an eye on mortgage rates lately, you might feel like you’re on a roller coaster ride. One day rates are up; the next they dip down a bit. So, wh… Read more
More Homes, Slower Price Growth – What It Means for You as a Buyer
Tips for Buying a Fixer Upper
Avoid These Top Homebuyer Mistakes in Today’s Market
View All
subu redfin
Pratima Gluckman
WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

While working with Noopur, I realized she's the perfect blend of big-tech professionalism combined with passion for real estate. Her product manager background truly shone through. Noopur was incredibly systematic, her analyses of homes and prices were spot-on, and she kept everyone informed with clear next steps. Additionally, as a seasoned real estate investor herself, Noopur's knowledge went far beyon...

— Devesh Y.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

We wanted to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for all the hard work, dedication, and expertise you have put into helping us find and close our future dream home. Working with you throughout this journey has been an absolute pleasure, and we are overjoyed with the outcome. Your promptness and responsiveness was what set you apart from others. Even during the closing process, we truly appreci...

— Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

We recently bought our home with Noopur in San Jose. It was a great experience working with her, having her in the house hunt journey has been comforting and a fulfilling experience! She does her fiduciary duty at all times by advocating for us as a buyer with full transparency. Also helped us with figuring out investment strategies as we were moving up. She is very dedicated, thorough, patient with a...

— Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Even though we weren't first-time homebuyers, my wife and I still needed a lot of guidance navigating this competitive market. Noopur was an absolute rockstar! Her knowledge of the local market is top-notch. While we had some experience, the market had changed significantly since our last purchase. Noopur expertly brought us up to speed and identified homes that fit our evolving needs and preferences. S...

— Ranjan N.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

My experience with Noopur was outstanding. She exuded trustworthiness from the start, ensuring transparent communication and always prioritizing my best interests. Their negotiation skills were top-notch, securing favorable terms while maintaining positive relationships with all parties involved. Noopur was incredibly efficient, never missing a beat in the fast-paced real estate market. Her passion for ...

— Chaitali I.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur Gupta is a top-notch real estate agent who knows a lot about the local market, communicates well with her clients, and acts professionally. She is honest and reliable, good at negotiating, and quick to respond. Noopur loves her job and works hard to help clients, offering useful advice and making the whole process smooth and enjoyable. I would recommend Noopur to anyone looking to buy their dream ...

— Prasanth S.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur Gupta played a pivotal role in helping us discover our first real estate property, and our excitement knows no bounds. Being first-time real estate investors, we initially found the process quite intimidating. However, Noopur stood by us through every phase. She was consistently available to address our questions, offer reassurance, and provide valuable suggestions. With an extensive network of co...

— Pratima G.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur did an outstanding job in finding us our new vacation home. She is very thorough, and stays on top of everything. She showed us many good options, and laid down the pros and cons. She has great negotiating skills. I would work with her again in my future ventures.

— Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

I had the pleasure of working with Noopur as my realtor, and I cannot say enough good things about her. Noopur was incredibly on top of communication throughout the entire process. She went above and beyond to ensure that all parties involved were kept in the loop, and was transparent and honest in all communication. One of the things I appreciated most about working with Noopur was her willingness to he...

— Shashidhar D. | Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur, our exceptional real estate agent, made our search for a vacation home in Monterey County an absolute breeze! Her diligence, extensive area knowledge, and meticulous research truly set her apart. Noopur's deep understanding of the Monterey County area was evident as she guided us through a variety of beautiful properties. What truly stood out was her transparent approach – she walked us through ...

— Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

We loved working with Noopur on our recent home purchase. She is very experienced and savvy about real estate investments and made a complex process fairly easy. Noopur has a great understanding of the entire home buying process and is very knowledgeable of the area. We had a few challenges during the closing process, but she advised us and kept us informed each step of the way minimizing our stress. N...

— Anu T.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

We are out-of-state investors. Noopur Gupta knows Bay area and Marina like the back of her hand. She pinpointed neighborhoods with serious growth potential that fit my investment goals. In this game, local knowledge is power, and Noopur has plenty of it. It's rare to find a realtor with such a combination of local market knowledge, professionalism, dedication, and personalized service. I wholeheartedly r...

— Shaachi G. | Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur did an amazing job helping us find our home and at a great price! Her expertise in researching on the property, consistent communication with the listing agent and transparency in communicating with us at each step were huge pluses and built our trust on her. Noopur was very confident negotiating a good price. She was very responsive and available whenever we needed her, be it setting up home view...

— Arch A, | Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur did an outstanding job of assisting us with the buying of our house. Her expertise in the market's geographic area was good. She was very much involved in all aspects of closing. Her attitude towards everyone was friendly and responsive. Noopur carried out all the procedures painlessly and stress free for all of us. She was knowledgeable and was very hands on throughout the entire process. Thanks ...

— Manali D. | Buyer

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur did an outstanding job assisting us with the purchase of our first home. Her passion and expertise in real estate shone through every step of the way. She patiently guided us through the entire process, offering invaluable advice during the bidding phase and maintaining exceptional communication throughout. Looking back, Noopur's empathy and commitment to us were particularly commendable. She took...

— subu redfin | Bought a Single Family home in 2024 in Lorelei manor, Menlo park, CA.

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Noopur Gupta played a pivotal role in helping us close our dream home and first real estate property, and our excitement knows no bounds. Being first-time real estate investors, we initially found the process quite intimidating. However, Noopur stood by us through every phase. She was consistently available to address our questions, offer reassurance, and provide valuable suggestions and always goes abov...

— Pratima Gluckman

View All

Work With Noopur

My goal is to make the home buying/selling experience for my clients least stressful possible. I provide them resources, knowledge, insights, trusted consultants for finances, property management, vendors etc.

Let's Connect
Get in Touch
Contact Details

Noopur Gupta | CA DRE# 02199446

(650) 800-3793

[email protected]
Schedule a Call



1377 El Camino Real 
Menlo Park CA