Buy a house in Houston with the renovation already priced.
Every buyer tours with an agent who can tell them what a house is worth. Almost none tour with someone who can also tell them what it costs to fix — which is the number that decides whether the deal is good.
What happens on a walkthrough
I run two evaluations at the same time, and I say them out loud as we go.
As the agent I'm reading the comparable sales, the days on market, the seller's position, what the listing history tells us about their motivation, and where the negotiating room actually is.
As the contractor I'm reading the roof geometry and its age, whether the slab or the pier-and-beam is moving, the electrical panel's amperage, the HVAC's size and age, the plumbing material, the setbacks, the deed restrictions, and whether the addition you're picturing is buildable on that lot for anything close to the number in your head.
Most buyers get one of those two evaluations. The gap between them is where money is made and lost.
The five checks I run on every Houston purchase
- Flood — properly. Not "does this neighborhood flood." Current FEMA determination, elevation certificate, claims history verified independently, reservoir pool status where it applies, and a bound insurance quote rather than an estimate. The full checklist →
- Foundation. Houston's clay swells and shrinks dramatically with moisture. I want to know what it's doing now and what correcting it costs — before the option period ends.
- Permit history. Unpermitted square footage frequently can't be counted in the appraisal, and it surfaces in underwriting around day 25. That's a deal-killer you find now.
- What you're allowed to change. Houston has no zoning, which people hear as "anything goes." In practice deed restrictions, HOA architectural committees, historic district review and MUD rules govern far more than zoning would — and they're often stricter.
- The bracket above you. If the next price tier in that zoning isn't far enough up, no renovation pays for itself. This is the check that saves people the most money.
Send me the inspection report too
Twenty pages of findings and a five-day deadline is a bad combination. I read inspection reports as a licensed GC and tell you which items are real money, which are noise, and what a fair repair credit looks like. How that works →
Where Houston buyers most often lose money
Two mistakes, both from the same gap. Paying retail for someone else's renovation without checking whether it was permitted or well done. Or buying the cheap unrenovated house without knowing what "renovating it" means on that specific lot, with that specific foundation, under those specific restrictions.
Both are avoidable in an afternoon.
Guides for buyers
Foundation repair & buying
What it costs, whether a repaired house is a good buy, and how much to negotiate off.
ReadSlab vs pier-and-beam
Which is cheaper to repair, which is friendlier to renovate, which handles water better.
ReadHow to spot a bad flip
The tells that separate a real renovation from a coat of paint over a 1962 panel.
ReadStart where you are
Just browsing
Search Houston listings and set up alerts that reach you before the portals do.
Search homesLooking at a fixer
Find out what the slab, panel, permits and flood history will cost you.
Underwrite itChoosing an area
Six Houston markets covered in depth — flood, schools, renovation rules, resale.
Neighborhood guidesFound a house? Send me the address.
Free walkthrough, no obligation, usually same day. You'll get the comps and the construction number in one conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Can a realtor tell me what renovations will cost before I buy?
Most cannot, because pricing construction requires hands-on building experience. Mike Zare holds a Texas real estate licence and works in residential construction, so the renovation is priced during the walkthrough — while you still have negotiating leverage — rather than after closing.
What should I check before buying a house in Houston?
Flood status for the specific address including reservoir pool and levee district where applicable, foundation condition on Houston's expansive clay, electrical panel and HVAC capacity, permit history for any added square footage, and what the deed restrictions or historic district will allow you to change.
How long is the option period in Texas and what should I do with it?
The option period is negotiated in the contract and is typically short. Use it to complete inspection, flood diligence, insurance quoting, and — if you plan to renovate — a construction walkthrough. It is the only window where all of this costs you nothing but time.
Is buying a fixer-upper in Houston a good idea?
Only when the price gap to the next bracket in that specific zoning exceeds the cost of the work with room to spare. That is arithmetic, not optimism, and it is what the free walkthrough answers before your option period ends.
Does it cost anything to work with a buyer's agent?
Compensation arrangements vary and are disclosed and negotiated in writing before you tour. Mike will walk you through exactly how it works in your situation at the first conversation, with no obligation.