Allison and Ryan bought their first little fixer upper in their early 20s. Ryan wasn’t so sure about the location; growing up on 5 acres in the country, he wasn’t keen on the idea of being able to reach out the window and shake hands with your neighbor. The first night, he heard the train, which rattled the house. Next, an airplane flew over. Then sirens wailed nearby.

He then heard some commotion outside and decided to sleep with protection under his pillow. He said to himself, “What did we just get ourselves INTO?!”

Allison had always lived in older “fixer uppers” in city limits. Her mom and dad worked at Greenville Memorial Hospital, and needed to be close to work. Her dad was handy and her mom loved interior design. Allison lived in several “gut renovations” and saw her parents take a shell of a house and make it into a home. “Sweat Equity” was their lifestyle before HGTV ever existed.

Ryan’s parents fixed up their first house too; he was just a later-in-life baby and didn’t arrive on the scene for the transformation. However, that didn’t deter Ryan from transforming a bank foreclosure into a beautiful home he and Allison loved. Ryan inherited his skill for design and functionality from his dad, a retired engineer.

Ryan and Allison gutted that house to the studs, finding original 10’ bead board ceilings covered up by a dropped ceiling. It took 3 years to restore the house, in a most definite a “labor of love.” Thirteen years, 2 pregnancies, and 3 children later (surprise, the last was TWINS!), they were quickly outgrowing their cottage. After searching for 18 months, the Lord provided another home that was perfect for their growing family (and dual potty training twin 3 year olds - much easier with two bathrooms!).

They were fortunate enough to keep their first house and lease it, providing a way for Allison to stay at home with the kids while investing for their retirement. When the youngest ones started school full-time, she wondered what to do with her extra time. Ryan said “You love houses - why not transform another one?” So she did.

With the tight rental market and lack of quality housing, Ryan and Allison are looking to turn more houses into quality homes. Whether old and neglected, in disrepair, or simply needing updates for modern-day life; they would love the chance to have a conversation with you about any house you might be interested in selling.