Woman who bought an abandoned home for $1.47 million details the horrors she discovered inside its walls

• Jenna Phipps, a content creator, acquired a rundown midcentury modern gem
• In its heyday, the coastal, West Vancouver house was featured in a magazine
• Years of neglect caused it to fall into disrepair but Jenna was undeterred

Many fantasize about buying a beat-up old house and renovating it DIY-style to their liking, fancying the decrepit structure a diamond in the rough.

Still, most are too daunted at the enormity of such an undertaking to go through with it – but not Jenna Phipps. 

The Canadian social media creator, 28, who initially gained a following with DIY-focused content, put down $1.47 million for a dilapidated midcentury modern gem nestled in an idyllic hillside overlooking the Salish Sea off the coast of Vancouver late last year.

The pitiable state of the house could not be overstated, given the extensive water damage that had created holes in the ceiling and floors, and was gradually causing the roof to cave in.

Jenna admitted to DailyMail.com that the house’s condition was so bad when they’d first gone to see it with a real estate agent that they’d had to sign a ‘waiver’ just to go inside.

‘Much of the roof collapsed, there were buckets everywhere collecting water, and clothing still in the closets,’ Jenna told Newsweek, adding that the realtor had considered it a ‘tear down.’

That said, the location was in the heart of a picturesque West Vancouver neighborhood that Jenna and her long-term boyfriend, Nick, had frequently biked through in the past.

‘We thought it was so beautiful, because it was by the water. It was so peaceful,’ she told DailyMail.com of the area. They had eventually started fantasizing about settling down in the scenic locale, and began scouting available properties.

‘When I saw this home, I just fell in love because I saw the potential there. And we could do something really cool, and also save this home – because otherwise it’s getting knocked down and they’re gonna put a mega mansion or something there,’ Jenna reasoned to DailyMail.com

The DIY expert, who at one point thought she’d become an architect, added that the midcentury modern style ‘spoke to [her],’ and that the find felt like a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity.’

The design of the home, she further noted, was rare for the area, reflecting more of a Palm Springs, California, aesthetic, rather than the ‘box-like’ template commonly found in Vancouver.

‘So that was always a dream of mine, to get a midcentury modern home or something that had amazing architecture, which I knew was like slim to none around here,’ she explained.

‘I was like, “Okay, this is worth the effort.” And also being in a great spot where you have a view of the ocean was obviously a huge bonus,’ she said.

In late January, she unveiled the house to her following on social media, which has since burgeoned to 1.8 million on Instagram and 1.3 million on TikTok.

‘So right when we walk in, keep your expectations on the floor,’ she wryly stated at the top of a ‘tour’ of the new purchase.

It was readily apparent how much of the ceiling had long since succumbed to the rainy weather in the area.

‘As we make our way through, we see buckets everywhere – because when it’s raining outside, it’s raining inside!’ Jenna quipped.

Despite the house’s sorry state, its redeeming qualities still shone through.

‘This is the most beautiful living room I’ve ever seen in my life,’ Jenna gushed, standing among the home’s original living-room furniture.

Though covered in debris, the living room had undeniably stunning floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the forested surroundings, giving way to a breathtaking view of the ocean.

‘I’ve never done a renovation. So I knew we were prepared mentally that this was gonna be a lot of work. It was gonna be hard,’ Jenna told DailyMail.com.  

‘I’m all up for saving money to get a property and then putting sweat equity into it.’

As for the house’s history, it’s bittersweet. 

A couple originally built the house themselves more than 60 years ago, and went on to have two kids.

In its heyday, the midcentury modern treasure was actually featured in a local interiors magazine that Jenna discovered on the premises.

The dad eventually got sick and passed away, leaving the property to the mom. When she passed away, the eldest child – who was also an architect – took it over. 

Unfortunately, as the years went by, he also became ill, and was left unable to care for the home. 

After he died, it became the property of his younger sibling – who had since moved far away from the home. 

Consequently, the residence sat unmaintained for four years – with much of the family’s original furnishings and miscellaneous possessions left untouched. 

All the while, it accumulated serious water damage as rainwater infiltrated the roof.  

‘Now we get to do all the fun things they didn’t do for the last 80 years,’ Jenna joked of the extensive renovations underway.

In any case, the seller – who’d grown up in the home – was ‘very grateful’ to find buyers willing to try and save it. 

‘That was a huge thing for her, and she was so happy. It made me really happy to be able to share that with her,’ Jenna told DailyMail.com.

In the weeks after buying the house, Jenna had it tested for asbestos and mold. The asbestos tests were negative but mold tests returned positive.

‘The carpets were tarped off and covered in cardboard. We later realized it was because they were soaked and moldy from the leaking roof.’

At first, she’d openly wondered if she’d made ‘the biggest mistake of her life’ – but nonetheless went full steam ahead with her efforts to salvage, refurbish and ultimately restore the property to its former glory.

To kick things off, the pair had to clean out decades worth of stuff left behind by the previous owners.

From there, Jenna and her boyfriend kicked off a gut renovation, stripping the walls throughout the home down to the studs, and also removing all of the insulation.

They further discovered mice, rat and ant infestations as they tore out the drywall and paneling. 

Though they’d initially believed some of the kitchen could be preserved, that was not the case, and they removed the original countertops and all of the shelving.

Renting extra-large dumpsters to dispose of all the garbage alone has set them back a little over $6,000 USD, as Jenna calculated in one post. 

She’d so far filled up five bins to ‘max capacity,’ she added. 

But doing everything themselves is undoubtedly saving money in the long-run, Jenna emphasized.

They’ve also been hard at work clearing the overgrowth outside.

Among other issues they’ll have to address includes cleaning up the outdoor pool, reinforcing core structural beams, and giving the whole place a new roof.

After the integrity of the structure is restored, it’ll be time to tackle the electric wiring and plumbing.

Still, they’ve made solid progress since their efforts began less than three months ago.

Among the family’s belongings, Jenna found an old photo album with the parents and a third person posing on the unfinished framing of the home from the early days of its original construction, alongside the handwritten caption: ‘Three optimists.’ 

Clearly, that can-do mindset has been passed down, along with the house itself, to its current owners.