Backstory: Home buying in major cities is becoming less attainable. Recently we started looking in Austin, Park City and other major cities across the US. Many houses in our price range require major renovations. Sometimes this is the only option for people to get into neighborhoods or cities they desire. Renovations have been sensationalized from HGTV shows, it is more daunting and expensive than portrayed but it can be a viable option if you have the correct information.

The Idea: Gartner for home renovations.

Deep Dive: For buyers purchasing a fixer-upper, you would build out detailed checklist of what to look for when inspecting a home, estimated costs (per region) for each project and a list of contractors. By pulling in all the information necessary to make an informed purchase, your information is acting like a General Contractor (GC) for the project. This can cost up to $30k for seemingly simple home renovations.

Validation: This is a cross between Houzz and Angie's list. There are few players in similar markets making this a viable option.

Monetization: You would charge a set fee for each report sold.

Steps to Launch: I would start with a simple checklist for what to inspect, expect and ask when inspecting a potential new home. You should start a content site as well, dropping knowledge in the area. It would help if you're going through the process yourself, you could document your journey.