“Initially, I was just looking at a few Cleveland neighborhoods. I used to live in Gordon Square, and I love Edgewater Beach. I spent almost a year searching, and I was looking for either a renovated home or a fixer-upper. But so many of the renovated houses I saw were poorly done. This house was different.”

The property, fully renovated by Cuyahoga Land Bank, immediately stood out. Coral was particularly impressed with the thoughtfully added second bathroom and the upgraded kitchen and baths. “The renovation was done right,” she said. “That was a huge selling point.”

The comprehensive renovation included a new front porch, driveway and sidewalks, new windows, a completely renovated kitchen and baths with high-end appliances and finishes, and updated electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems.

“The quality of the renovation was exceptional,” Coral emphasizes. “And the one-year warranty offered peace of mind, which was a nice bonus.”

While Coral had some familiarity with Cuyahoga Land Bank through a friend, she wasn’t aware of its home renovation program until she discovered the West 95th Street property.

“I didn’t initially know it was a Land Bank renovation,” she admits. “I found out after.”

When asked about the best thing about her new home, Coral reiterated the location and the quality of the renovation. “Location is still the best thing,” she said. “Also, because the renovation was done so well, I don’t have to worry about things falling apart. This house is all updated and done right.”

Coral’s experience highlights the Land Bank’s commitment to creating high-quality, move-in-ready homes that revitalize neighborhoods and provide lasting value to homeowners.

The post Land Bank Homes Makes Another Homebuyer Happy with Quality Renovation, Updates in Historic Neighborhood appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Boris Gringauz has been buying and renovating Cuyahoga Land Bank Homes for years. As owner of Monocle Go, a full-service property management and residential real estate construction and consulting firm in Cleveland, he appreciates the opportunity to buy homes needing a little TLC at a bargain price from the Land Bank. “The first property I redeveloped I purchased from the Cuyahoga Land Bank in 2015,” says Boris.

Boris, who moved to Cleveland in 2011 to work in corporate finance, is finishing his most recent home renovation Ð a three-bedroom, one-bath Cape Cod-style home in Maple Heights he purchased through the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow program, in which the deed to the property is held “in escrow” by the Land Bank until all renovations are complete and have passed a final inspection.

Boris and his team at Monocle Go performed all the renovations, including installing a new roof, all new windows, and new HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems. “We also completely renovated the kitchen and bathroom,” says Boris. “It is now a true gourmet kitchen with beautiful cabinetry and light fixtures. There’s a large basement and backyard. It’s like a brand-new house!”

Boris plans to list the renovated house for sale in the hopes of selling it to a first-time home buyer. He is proud to have played a role in revitalizing the community and creating a beautiful home for a new family to enjoy.

“I would absolutely recommend the Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow Program,” says Boris. “But I caution people not to get in over their heads with the renovations. Sometimes bigger renovation jobs should be left to a professional.”

Boris’ story is a testament to the power of renovation and the potential of land bank properties. With a bit of vision and a lot of hard work, these neglected homes can be transformed into vibrant and valuable assets for the community.

Take a look at some before and after renovation photos.

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The post From Vacant to Vibrant appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Timothy Austin watched for nearly 15 years as a house across from his home in East Cleveland passed from owner to owner, each one leaving it in a worse state than the last. It fell into disrepair and finally foreclosure. When he noticed one day that the house was now part of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s inventory, he jumped at the chance to buy it.

As a former East Cleveland City Councilman, Austin was familiar with the Cuyahoga Land Bank and its work in the community. A retired veteran who runs his own small construction company, he knew the house was ripe for renovation. “It was a shame how bad the house got,” says Austin. “There were huge holes in the roof and so many raccoons. Someone even stole the entire sandstone porch off the house.”

With plans to move his mother into the home, Austin set out to renovate the house from top to bottom. He replaced the HVAC system and a lot of the ductwork in the house, installed a new driveway and built a new garage. He updated the kitchen and bath and painted the entire interior and exterior of the home. And, of course, he added a lovely new front porch.

“Working with the Land Bank on this house was so easy, and it worked out very well for me,” he says. “Regular inspections kept me on task, and the inspector was more like an advisor. He checked in regularly to make sure everything was going well and offered advice throughout the process.”

Austin is thrilled with the renovations and that he had a hand in revitalizing the vacant and blighted house. “There are lots of things that make me happy about this project, but knowing this corner in the neighborhood will have life in it again means a lot to me.”

As he puts the finishing touches on the house and awaits final inspection, Austin admits he is interested in potentially buying another Land Bank home to renovate. “I would do it again. I would also recommend the Deed-in-Escrow program to anyone wanting to learn, grow, and succeed. This program can change lives.”

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The post Bringing Life Back into the Neighborhood appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

A community development professional tries his hand at renovating a house.

Tom Stone knew precisely the type of house he needed for his first home rehabilitation investment project, a hidden gem with solid potential. And he knew just where to find it Ð the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “I worked closely with the Land Bank through the years,” says Stone, who served for over 22 years as the Executive Director of Mt. Pleasant NOW Development Corporation, addressing housing needs on Cleveland’s east side before forming his own economic and community development consulting company in 2018. “I knew I could get a house for a fairly low cost so I could invest more on a quality renovation.”

Stone found the perfect three-bedroom, one-bath Colonial in Cleveland’s North Collinwood neighborhood. He purchased the home through the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow program, in which purchasers must renovate properties to mutually agreed-upon standards and specifications. The deed to the property is kept in escrow until the renovation is satisfactorily completed. In Stone’s case, there was much work to be done.

He removed a wall to create an open floor plan, completely gutted the kitchen and bathroom, replaced all the electrical and HVAC systems, installed new windows, and added fresh paint and carpet throughout the home. “The entire interior is basically like a new house,” he says. “I wanted to ensure the new owners don’t have to worry about any major systems for many years.”

With plans to buy, renovate and sell more homes, Stone, who was born and raised in Cleveland, also sees an opportunity to give back. “We will introduce an employment training component with the next project,” he says. Through the pilot training program called Nehemiah, participants will learn many hard and soft skills that will allow them to prepare for jobs in property maintenance and renovation work. “Participants will not be learning a trade like an electrician or plumber but will learn a lot about finishing work Ð hanging drywall, mounting light fixtures, and installing windows. These are significant skills that can help individuals get better jobs that pay a living wage. We will also teach soft skills like the importance of showing up on time, a proper work ethic and how to handle conflict. Not only will we be able to return these properties to productive use, but also help people gain employable skills and a higher income.” Gus Frangos, President of the Land Bank said “Tom is just the kind of socially conscious investor we are looking for. We look forward to Tom’s next project.”

Stone will be keeping an eye on the Land Bank’s inventory for his next project. “This renovation was a learning experience for me,” admits Stone. “It was very beneficial to start with a realistic “spec” plan of renovations to be made, and the rehabilitation specialist at the Cuyahoga Land Bank was available to make recommendations or steer me in the right direction if I had a challenge. Our goals are the same. We want to create good-quality housing opportunities.”

Here are some before and after photos of Stone’s renovation project.

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The post A Man With a Renovation Plan appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

When Amanda and Bernie arrived in Cleveland from Los Angeles in 2017, they planned to buy and renovate a multi-family property in Cleveland Heights as an investment and return to L.A. a few weeks later. But the restoration of the large 4,500 square foot three-unit apartment building took months, and by the time it was complete, the couple had given up their sunny California house and moved full time to the Coventry neighborhood of Cleveland Heights.

Amanda and Bernie, who both work in the film business, have since renovated and currently manage 15 multi-family unit properties in their neighborhood, and will soon close on several more.

While they usually do not look to renovate single-family homes to sell, they were drawn to a house on Canterbury Road in Cleveland Heights in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory last year. “We just love the neighborhood,” she says. “There is a cute bakery and a lot of great stores nearby, and when we did a walk-through with the inspector, we fell in love with the house.”

Vacant and abandoned for several years, the home needed significant repairs. The stairs leading to the basement were completely gone, and water damage from a leaking gutter had deteriorated a whole corner of the house. “It is the worst house we’ve seen,” says Amanda. “We typically buy distressed properties, but this one was far beyond the usual. We were surprised no squirrels or raccoons were taking up residence,” she jokes. Other large-scale renovations included mold remediation, all new HVAC and electrical work, refinishing all the hardwood floors, installing a new roof, and building a new garage.

While the couple does a lot of the renovation work themselves, they also rely on a crew of carpenters, plumbers, and electricians in their renovation work. “We design everything ourselves, and let the experts do the technical work.”

This first property purchased from the Cuyahoga Land Bank through its Deed-in-Escrow Program took a year to renovate, but was well worth their efforts, says Amanda. “It was fun to have the Land Bank’s inspector come out monthly and see the progress we were making and how much work we put into it,” she says. “The house had a reputation as the biggest eyesore in the community. All of the neighbors were excited to see the renovation, and we were happy to walk them through the house and show them what we were working on.”

The house recently sold for over asking price after multiple offers. The restoration also spurred more home improvements in the area, including renovations to the houses on either side of the home, one of which has been vacant for 30 years.

“Buying a house to renovate through the Cuyahoga Land Bank is a great opportunity,” says Amanda. “Maybe not one at the same level of distress ours was in, but what a fantastic value if you can do some of the work yourself. Even if you hire a contractor, you can add nice finishing touches and make it your own because the purchase price is low. I would highly recommend this program to anyone.”

The post Investment in a Neighborhood appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.