Scott McGillivray is a real estate expert and host of HGTV Canada’s Income Property and Moving the McGillivrays.
When it comes to weird houses, you name it, I’ve seen it. When you look at as many properties as I do you’re bound to see some strange stuff. And since I’m often looking for rental properties that I can renovate and make a profit on, I’m not exactly looking in the high-end markets. As a result, I’ve seen all kinds of bizarre home improvement and design projects – some dangerous, some definitely illegal, and some just plain weird. Here are a few of the weirdest things I’ve seen while shopping for rental properties.
Kitchens
I try not to be judgmental when it comes to other people’s decorating styles. Everyone’s tastes are different, and what looks good to one person doesn’t always look good to another. I’m also a big fan of the outdoors, and I enjoy the occasional stroll through the woods. So you’d think when I walked into this kitchen I would have found some redeeming quality. But nope. I have never seen a weirder or less functional kitchen in my life. I recommend that if you’re a fan of the outdoors you try to spend more time outside, and let the kitchen be a kitchen.
Entryways
Ever walked from a front entrance directly into a bathroom? I have. And I hope never to do it again. I was checking out a house with a basement apartment and since it had a separate entrance I thought I was off to a good start. But as soon as I walked in the door I almost tripped over a toilet and hit my head on the shower head. Not ideal, and definitely not legal.
Bathrooms
The debate continues – is it better to have a shower or a tub? A lot of people these days are foregoing the tub in favour of a luxury shower, while other people still prefer to relax in a tub. The owner of this bathroom clearly recognized that the ideal solution is to have both. And why spend the money on a costly renovation when you can have the best of both worlds for the cost of a trip to the hardware store and a simple garden hose? But hey, at least they splurged on a fancy nozzle…
Layouts
When it comes to student rentals it’s great to have a lot of bedrooms because you can rent by the room and really maximize your income. However, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked into a student house and found myself standing in a bedroom. There’s no common living space at all – just a kitchen, a bathroom and a bunch of bedrooms. I suppose once you’re in you can use the rooms however you want, but you’ve got to feel sorry for the person who has to use what was clearly meant as a living or dining room as a bedroom. Let’s hope their roommates gave them a break on the rent in exchange for the lack of privacy.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are pretty straightforward. They should generally be an empty space with or without a closet, and a window for light and egress. Some even have extras like balconies or ensuites. This one had both – sort of. The balcony was great, but the “ensuite” left a little to be desired. I appreciate what these people were trying to do, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this bathroom jutting out of the wall wasn’t built to code.
