I Bought An Abandoned House For $16,500 — And Completely Transformed It | Unlocked

Betsy Sweeny, 30, bought a dilapidated 3-bedroom Victorian house for $16,500 in Wheeling, West Virginia in 2020. Then she secured a $100,000 construction loan and got straight to work.

Unlocked is a home tour series focused on how much people across the globe spend on their housing, what they get for the money and what they had to sacrifice to make it happen.

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I Bought An Abandoned House For $16,500 — And Completely Transformed It | Unlocked

[ShortSindrome]

This hit so hard for me. I bought my first home at 24 years old, single while I lived with my mom. It was small, rough and built in 1910. I didn't know anything about renovations but I sanded and painted everything, replaced all the floors myself and had all 11 new windows installed. I loved that house and would have kept it forever if I hadn't gotten married and my life moved away from my hometown. If I ever get the opportunity, you bet I'm buying it right back. I hope the people who bought it saw its potential and love it the same way I did.

[feliciad.hutchins]

Motivation. I went from bankruptcy to homelessness to a homesteader in less than a year. People right you off when you don’t have. My home was only $50, 000.00 with 3 acres in the woods. It is my retreat. Because I was able to buy low, now I can afford to upgrade my kitchen and bathroom fixture to brass and my countertops to quartz without borrowing. I just pay as I go. My home is my forever home that shield me from all of the people
that counted me out. Slow remodel with and understanding that all one needs is a roof with one little patch to lay on. Eventually with sweat equity, you will wake to a home that was customized by you without debt. I am so great full. Thank you for your inspiring story.❤❤❤

[heathermetz]

This was a fantastic find for $16, 000 with a loan of $100, 000 just for repairs. Glad she explained that it still has work to be done in stages. No one is in a rush to buy her house, nor is she selling it. Great idea to repurpose materials in the house for the remodel.

[SundiMyint]

I swear, Betsy changed my entire outlook on what I thought a "home" could be in her first videos in 2020. Now I live in my own old home that definitely needs work but has so much original charm. Before Betsy, I thought the clean line modern aesthetic was my vibe. Thank you Betsy for bringing your point of view to the world!

[stephaniem]

As someone who is currently renovating a house built in 1890, I really appreciate the work put into this house. There are so many beautiful old houses in the United States (and the world) that can be restored into the jewels they were meant to be. Thank you, CNBC for telling this story!

[ravi]

$17K for purchase. $100K for renovations. It's still a work in progress. Thanks for showing a realistic world. Thanks for saving a good home.

[madnessintomagic]

Bless you for finding a home for yourself, renovating it for yourself, and not having the intention to flip it just for profit. It’s nice to see. So many of us are priced and bureaucracie’d out of home ownership, primarily because of mercenary bulk-home owners artificially inflating rents. You’re an example of what’s healthier and more ethical.

[King-bxxt]

I am from London, U.K. Your renovated house looks very much like our Victorian/Edwardian era house In England. Especially, the front of the house, bay windows, staircases and the front door…we always renovate period properties and live in it like you. Thanks for showing.

[CassVanCat]

I live in a 1960s condo townhome. There isn't much character as you see in those century homes. But it is built like a rock and is fantastic for saving energy because it isn't open concept.

[NC-qcwd]

I am a modernist retired architect, and what she has done is really nice and simple. Of course, her work experience helped to achieve what she did. Good for her and congratulations. I do hope she finishes her project.

[tmc]

I have ALWAYS loved the beauty of these types of older homes, such class and distinction. These homes were built well and built to display beauty, refinement, sophistication and elegance. I absolutely love these types of homes with all of my heart and soul. Absolutely amazing!

[janinafisher]

I'm so with you... all these stunning old houses are so worth saving. The stuff they build now is so cheap and characterless, and won't be standing in another 100 years like the old ones. I'm so happy when I see young people buying and restoring old properties. It is a work of love. Enjoy your beautiful old home. You'll get to the rest of it in time.

[duganred]

Big respect for doing this for YOU and not for profit. I was born in Wheeling in 84’ and sad to say, it looks the exact same. My wife and I live in Columbus OH and we have been looking at property in southeastern Ohio and now the Ohio Valley to carve out a space to get away from the city. Thanks for inspiring us and giving a great visual of what COULD be again. Hope you can inject enough love to give wheeling the renaissance it deserves. Maybe we will bump into each other in the future. ✌🏼

[arielleyasmine]

"Think more as a collective and less like individuals". I absolutely love that because she's so right

[wickandde]

I hope more people our age do this, not only does it restore beautiful old homes buy also its a lot more affordable and rewarding. We got an old house with a few quirks that we need to fix, its amazing, has a beautiful vibe and just so unique as oppose to cookie cutter houses

[HonJazzz]

They simply don’t build houses like this anymore. I’m so happy to see another home like this saved. Great work!

[ohaggie]

This is a nice investment; although, it is located in a small town (Wheeling, West Virginia). She spends $1, 047 a month to live in the house which includes her mortgage, utilities, property taxes, and insurance. Besides her initial $100, 000 construction loan, she will still need more money to compete the entire renovation but until then, this is a beautiful home. Good luck to her.

[carolczina]

Yeah! So wonderful to see a beautiful sensitive restoration of a gorgeous vintage property. I have been renovating an 1873 house in Burlington VT for the past 20 years. It is so exciting to see it all come together as restoration progresses. The model of repair and restore is such a win for neighborhoods. My street is much improved from when i moved in. Neighbors follow neighbors as renovation spreads from home to home on my street. Gardening also has spread so the landscape of the street has improved. We have gone from a somewhat undesireable street to one of the nicer streets to live on in the Old North End.

[AvecPoesie]

I purchased a 1940s Colonial Revival architectural style Home in a rather small town far from where I grew up and it was the best Life decision I have ever made. Betsy is absolutely correct, in that, one can indeed purchase an older Home for WELL UNDER 100k and revel in it. I fervently hope more people do the same. 🖤

[barbarawillis]

The house has beautiful custom features. I love that people preserve old homes. You did an amazing job, Betsy Sweeny. Your dog is so cute and looks right at home.