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Maximize the “Zillow Phase” of your House Hunt

3 min read Listen in on a chat with first time home buyer – and my sister – KJ Hansmann on how she’s using the early “Zillow Phase” of her hunt to plan for her dream home.

Finding the right Mid-Century home to make your own is an exciting challenge for a first time home buyer. To kick off Season Four of Mid Mod Remodel, this week I chat with my sister, KJ Hansmann. She is in the earliest “Zillow” phase of planning to buy a modest MCM ranch to fix up with her partner.

We’ve been talking about her house hunt process so much in recent weeks. Finally, I realized that I should capture it for the podcast. Listen in as we dish on some family history, chat about why she’s choosing to live near her work place and have some fun discussing this essential phase of any millennial’s house hunt!

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My sister, who is newly super into Zillow, recently tried to describe this type of roof to me. Here's how she put it: ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ "So … you have a regular roof. But where it meets in the middle, it doesn't go to another part of the roof but instead there's a skylight, that's up and down instead of side to ⁠side…" ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ At which point I cut her off, and told her to send me a picture, so I could figure out what the HECK she was describing. She accused me of not paying attention properly. I told her it was a shame I wasn't a professional house expert. From there we devolved into friendly name calling. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Anyway … I love clerestory windows. I bet these provide GREAT light and views of the sky to the living room.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I can't get over how simple and elegant this house is. It gives no F***s about a front door on the street … but then who really uses those today? I think it's fun. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

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My little sis and her significant other, Kevin, are planning to make a jump. Now, they’re going from the cosy but cosy one bedroom apartment where they’ve been living, playing with two cats and remote working two pretty intense jobs for all of “quar” to  buying a first house together. 

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Here's my sister's Mid Mod (styled) apartment for #nationalsiblingday. I miss her! Even though we live just across town, my little sis and I have been responsibly social distancing and haven't hugged in weeks. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Here's a pic of her apartment where I helped her layout and mount these fantastic Ikea shelves. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ In the second snap I'd just mounted this round mirror and this super neato West Elm coat rack unit and we took a selfie for our mom. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Third pic is some furniture I'm working on for her in my basement. I'm jazzing up a basic white Target shoe rack into a stylish mcm-style console able. More progress shots to come.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Wish I could go over there and split a pizza and beers with her and her guy tonight!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Who are you missing right now?⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

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I’ve helped KJ improve every place she’s ever lived – starting with her childhood bedroom. So, I’ll be busy bodying myself into their first home purchase and remodel also. Honestly, I can’t wait!

I hope you enjoy our sister banter. 

How you can use the “Zillow Phase” to turbo charge your Home Search

We have a lot of fun but also get into the details of why some soul searching is really necessary at this point and how you can start to zero in on deal breaker details and desirable neighborhoods even before (as) you lock in other connections like a realtor or mortgage agent.

Coming up in Mid Mod Remodel Season 4

This is a great intro to the upcoming season where I’ll be looking at some big umbrella topics around planning an MCM remodel. Stay tuned through the season to hear about:

  • My official advice on House Hunting for an MCM Fixer Upper
  • The Time Capsule House / Stripped and Flipped house Dichotomy
  • How to add Sustainability to your Remodel
  • Planning your Home Update for Accessibility
  • What to do with the YARD of your MCM home
  • How to Create a Personalized Style Guide to Keep Your Remodel on Track

In Today’s Episode, you’ll hear:

  • An Invite to come ask me for design advice. I’m really booked up at the moment. That just means you should jump in the queue. Use the form on my services page to reach out [1:15]
  • My intro to Season FOUR of Mid Mod Remodel and what’s coming up [2:10]
  • Our chat: starting with how my sister believed she would never be a homeowner. COVID changed her mind [4:10]
  • How she, her boyfriend and two high energy cats have kept up two full time jobs and the kick off of her PhD within the four walls of their ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT [5:00]
  • The great triumph of her quarantine house updating: when I talked her through mounting a black out shade using a power drill via zoom [7:15]
  • The AMAZING murals of Banyan Bridge. KJ plans to absolutely to get one for her new home as soon as its hers. [8:40]
  • Using my Ready To Remodel course content to workshop what it is they really want and identify their key deal-breakers before they even find a realtor [9:40]
  • The “Super into Zillow” phase can help you identify what can be updated in a fixer upper. And what can’t be easily remodeled [13:50]
  • One of which is the neighborhood. A little rant from both of us on the importance of walkable, well connected, socially varied neighborhoods and living where you work [17:20]

Listen now on

Apple | Google |  Spotify | Stitcher

Resources and more on Zillow Phase House Hunting Mentioned in this Episode

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