How much effort will you put into making your dream home a reality?
Are you moving to another country? Why not try renovating the interior of a space that was never originally meant to be a home?
For the Americans who invited CNBC Make It into their homes for the Unlocked Tour, thinking outside the box turns unexpected spaces into dream homes, including an abandoned lighthouse, an old baseball stadium, and a dilapidated estate in Italy. I was able to change it to .
Take a look inside some of the most unique homes we’ve toured and learn how they came to be.
Abandoned baseball stadium to be transformed into $14 million luxury apartment building
Stadium Lofts has 138 units, and the neighboring four-building complex, Stadium Flats, has 144 units.
Michael Potter on CNBC’s “Make It”
When Michael Cox first told people about his plans to turn the former Indianapolis Baseball Stadium into a 138-unit apartment complex, people thought he was crazy.
But after a $14 million renovation and renovation, Stadium Lofts is now one of the city’s most unique apartment complexes.
The old stadium was home to the Indianapolis Indians from 1931 to 1996, but eventually fell into disrepair and was in danger of being demolished before Cox’s plans were implemented.
Cox, along with business partner John Watson and his two sons, purchased the landmark property for just $1.
Stadium renovations began in August 2011 and were completed in just under two years. By the time it opened in July 2013, all 138 apartments were leased.
It has been converted into 95 one-bedroom apartments, 26 two-bedroom apartments, and 17 lofts. Rent in the complex ranges from $900 to $1,700, and each apartment comes with a washer and dryer.
The developers made sure to retain certain features that pay homage to the ballpark’s past, such as the original scoreboard, old ticket booth, and press box. They even moved the bases back onto the field.
“We designed it so that when you walk into the building, you feel like you’re walking into a historic stadium, not an apartment building,” Watson said.
They converted the old school into a 31-unit apartment building.
“Bowtie High” has been converted into a 31-unit apartment complex.
Alexis Zakis
Jesse Wigg had never started renovating an abandoned school, but when he was approached in 2019 about an off-market deal to buy the property, he was intrigued by the space’s potential.
After enlisting the help of real estate investor Adam Colucci and developer Dan Spanovich, the trio purchased the abandoned Bowtie High for $100,000. They began an 18-month renovation in 2020, turning it into an apartment building.
The price tag for the $3.3 million renovation exceeded expectations, but once leasing began, it was fully booked within six months.
Monthly rents for one-bedrooms in the building start at $1,400, and two-bedrooms start at $1,600.
Some units, which were once classrooms, have original blackboards, and large windows throughout the space allow for an enviable amount of natural light.
Apartments also feature stainless steel appliances, in-unit washers and dryers, and walk-in closets.
After Bowtie High School, the team decided to purchase and renovate an abandoned school across the street, turning it into a 33-unit apartment building with amenities such as a rooftop deck, indoor parking, and a lounge.
Pilots pay $4,000 a month to live at a residential airport
Sobchak bought the house for $698,000 and has a $4,000 monthly mortgage.
Katie Tarasoff. Photo courtesy of CNBC Make It
When test pilot Joe Sobchak was looking for a new home, he wasn’t worried about square footage or backyard space. Instead, he wanted land where he could store his planes.
In 2017, he found what he was looking for at Pine Mountain Lakes Airport Residential Airport, buying a 5,000-square-foot home with three bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a 3,600-square-foot hangar for $698,000. I bought it at
His community has dozens of homes with hangars, each with deeds to use the Tuolumne County Airport’s taxiways and runways.
As a test pilot, Sobchak primarily works at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Instead of the three-hour drive, he hops on a plane, takes a 45-minute flight to nearby San Carlos Airport, and drives 15 minutes to SFO.
Sobchak owns three homes, but calls this one his favorite. The former US Air Force fighter pilot is an expert on the rural lifestyle and has no plans to leave anytime soon.
“I plan on staying here for a while,” he says. “I can live here. I can hop on a plane, avoid the Bay Area crowds, get some fresh air, and travel to Yosemite in 30 minutes. That’s the justification I need.”
She bought an old lighthouse for $71,000 and spent $300,000 converting it into a home
Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse is located in Ohio and overlooks Lake Erie.
CNBC Make It’s Peter Bittner
In 2009, Sheila Consaul’s search for a second home took an unexpected turn. The 65-year-old communications consultant was initially looking for a regular home, but when he learned the U.S. government was putting the lighthouse up for auction, he quickly became interested.
Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2000. This law allows the government to auction or transfer “federally-owned historic lighthouses that are declared to be beyond the needs of the competent authority.”
Console had previously restored historic homes and was interested in the challenges that restoring a lighthouse would pose.
Built in 1925, the three-story lighthouse has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and approximately 3,000 square feet. Console is the first person to live at the lighthouse since it was abandoned in the late 1940s.
She lives in the lighthouse from May to October, but when she’s at her home base outside Washington, D.C., the lighthouse is empty.
Consaul began renovations in the summer of 2012, and more than a decade later, the project is nearly complete. “The renovation process was long and arduous,” she said.
Because the facility is half a mile from the nearest parking lot at Headlands Beach State Park, large appliances such as stoves and refrigerators had to be transported by boat and then lifted by crane to the lighthouse platform.
Despite exceeding the original $200,000 renovation budget, the time and effort was worth it for Consaul. “This was a great challenge and a great opportunity. I loved every minute of it,” she said.
These Americans bought an empty house in Italy for $1 and spent $35,000 renovating it.
Luvia Daniels has three dream projects: a vacation home, a restaurant, and a wellness center.
Provided by Luvia Daniels
Luvia Daniels was excited about the opportunity to purchase a building in Sicily for as little as 1 euro. The only prey? The property had extensive mold, water damage, termite infestation, and roof collapse.
The deal was part of Italy’s efforts to attract foreign investors to the town, which is experiencing population decline. In exchange for the symbolic price tag, homebuyers are expected to renovate their homes within three years.
Daniels told Make It that when she looked at the three dilapidated buildings she purchased, she didn’t just realize there was endless work ahead of her. Instead, she visualized the end result of three dream projects: a vacation home, a restaurant, and a wellness center.
Daniels is building her dream home, but “it wouldn’t be possible in California because the costs would be so much higher,” she said. Daniels visited his home in Italy for the holidays and plans to split his time between California and Sicily after retirement.
Do you want to earn more money at work? Take CNBC’s new online course, “How to Negotiate a Higher Salary.” Our expert instructors will teach you the skills you need to earn more. This includes how to prepare and build confidence, what to do, what to say, and how to make a counter-offer. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD to receive a 50% off introductory discount through November 26, 2024.
Plus, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter for tips and tricks to succeed at work, money, and life.
