We get asked all the time to describe the typical buyer for our home renovation program. The short answer is, those buying land bank homes each have their own stories. In fact, a very diverse group of rehabbers in search of the right fixer-upper have found their way to the Cuyahoga Land Bank. While the idea of taking on the renovation of a vacant and abandoned house sounds daunting to many, more than 1,102 people jumped into the DIY renovation waters and purchased a house to renovate from us over the last 10 years. Here are a few of our favorite Cuyahoga Land Bank buyers that have re-invested in formerly abandoned properties.
Michael Rubin Sr. and Michael Rubin Jr., a father and son duo, completed most of the renovation work themselves on this cozy home by counting on family and friends with experience to lend a helping hand. Convinced his son was wasting money paying rent every month with nothing to show for it, the father teamed with his son to purchase and renovate a house from the Cuyahoga Land Bank, just doors away from the elder Rubins’ house in Cleveland’s Lee-Seville neighborhood. The result? Lots of father/son bonding, practical experience gained and one awesome transformation!
First-time homeowner Bridgette Newell bought her two-bedroom one-bath fixer-upper in Bedford from the Cuyahoga Land Bank after extensive online real estate searches. Vacant and blighted for years and once tentatively slated for demolition, Bridgette jumped right in, completing extensive renovations to this well-located home just steps away from a municipal park. She loves her spacious home and is especially proud she was able to purchase it outright without the burden of a long-term mortgage.
Realtor Ryan DeLuca paved his own way to homeownership when he spotted a hidden gem in the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s inventory. It was a lot of work fixing up his two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow on a well-kept street in Euclid, but well worth the effort. He compares the completely renovated interior of the home to that of a newly constructed home. While currently residing at the house, his future plans include converting it into an investment property.