In Salem, OR House Hunters‘ Bethany and Jamal look for duplex, which they plan to rent out to their siblings. Jamal and Bethany met, dated for five months, and then got married–they’ve been in wedded bliss for five years. They also have a young daughter. Bethany has a large family, who are mostly based in Oregon, and the couple recently sold their home to find investment property.
Since selling their place, they’ve been living with Bethany’s parents. Bethany’s sister, Joy and her husband Drew, along with their two girls, will be their first tenants in their new duplex.
Ideally, Bethany and Jamal want to find a place to accommodate both families. They want it to be at least 1500 sq ft, have three bedrooms (but two bedrooms work for Jamal), vaulted ceilings, a low-maintenance backyard, and a garage.
Wish Lists
His: Jamal prefers craftsman style homes. He’s okay with it being painter-ly ready but doesn’t want major renovations. He also wants a large kitchen and work space for projects.
Hers: Bethany also wants space for her work; she makes customized welcome signs. She’s okay with some remodeling, and prefers bungalow style homes.
Bethany prefers for the budget to stay in the $350,000 range, but Jamal’s budget is $400,000.
House #1, $359,900
This home has a ranch style. It does have three bedrooms but only one bathroom. It has zero curb appeal. The home also has a number of other issues, like the kitchen needs renovating, the ceiling is low, and the bathroom has unremovable stains.
The biggest issue with this place is the second unit. It needs a ton of renovations, including adding windows and a kitchen.
House #2, $429,900
This home does have a garage, which the first home lacked. This one also has two bathrooms and two bedrooms. The kitchen is completely remodeled and the backyard needs only a little maintenance. However, that’s because it’s more of a smaller backyard.
All the rooms are on the smaller side. The second unit is a mirrored image of the first home.
House #3, $409,850
This is a craftsman style home with tall ceilings and a more open concept. It definitely needs some updating, like with the kitchen and stairs. The second home is also a mirrored image in this one.
Decision Time: This one seemed fairly obvious. House #3 needed a lot of cosmetic work but more up to living standards than House #1–at least in the second unit. House #2 was just too much for not a lot.
So was the obvious choice the one that they picked? Yup, they picked House #3.
Jamal and Bethany’s brother-in-law and real estate agent, Ryan got the home price down from $409,850 to $399,000. Before moving in, Jamal and Ryan redid the entire floor, renovated some of the kitchen, and cleaned the backyard. They’re still working on things but both families have moved-in, and are pretty happy with the place.
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