Welcome to OxfordRenovates: HGTV edition! 😂🏚️❤️ Come on in, let me show you around our beautiful 1864 Italianate mansion in Springfield, Illinois! She's got 162 years of history, approximately 8,600 square feet, gorgeous architectural details, massive windows, grand staircases, and just a FEW things that need some attention. 😂 My husband and I purchased this mansion for $47,000, knowing we were taking on a pretty massive project. But I don't think either of us fully understood just how much work we were signing up for until we started digging into everything! The house had been sitting vacant for years and was converted into apartments decades ago. Now we're slowly working our way through approximately 30 rooms, sorting through everything left behind, uncovering beautiful details, and trying to figure out what this house is eventually going to become. We've managed to get four rooms almost completely emptied, which feels like a huge accomplishment until you remember there are about 26 more waiting for us. 😭 Our goal isn't to turn this place into something completely modern and unrecognizable. We want to save as much of its historic character as possible while making it beautiful and functional again. The woodwork, the staircases, the ceilings, the windows... there are so many things about this house that deserve another chance. And while this little HGTV tour is mostly for laughs, we really do love this crazy old house. Even when it tests our patience. 😂❤️ FOR MY ILLINOIS PEOPLE! 🏡 I've had quite a few people ask where they can look for inexpensive properties, foreclosures, and fixer-uppers. One website you can explore is www.hudforeclosed.com. It has foreclosure listings and information about properties that may be available through auctions or other sales. Just keep in mind that it's a third-party website, not an official government site, and some features require a paid membership. You can also look at www.hudhomestore.gov for official HUD-owned home listings. If you're thinking about buying a foreclosure, PLEASE do your research first! A cheap purchase price doesn't necessarily mean a cheap renovation. Trust me, we're learning that one firsthand. 😂 Anyway, welcome to our little corner of TikTok, where we're attempting to restore a historic mansion, finding all kinds of random things along the way, and occasionally questioning our life decisions. Would YOU take on a project like this? Or would you turn around and walk right back out the front door? 😂 Thanks for following along with us! ❤️ #OxfordRenovates #HistoricMansion #HistoricRestoration #OldHouseRenovation #VictorianHome - @oxfordrenovates