A high school teacher bought a 'trashed' home in Detroit for $2,600 and got it into livable condition in less than 2 years. Here's how she did it.

The Detroit Land Bank Authority is selling thousands of publicly owned properties through programs such as Own It Now and Auction . These homes can be bought for as low as $1,000 .
In June 2018, Deandra Averhart, a native Detroiter, purchased one for just $2,690.50.
In an interview with Business Insider , Deandra explained how she transformed the property and her biggest takeaways from the project.
This article is part of Business Insider's ongoing series, How I Renovated It , where we talk to homeowners around the country about the process, budget, and transformation that goes into a renovation.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

You can become a homeowner in Detroit, Michigan, for a few thousand dollars but it'll take a lot of work.

The Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA), founded in 2008, set out on a mission to return run-down and vacant properties in the city to productive use. To do so, it sells thousands of publicly owned properties through programs such as Own It Now and Auction . Homes can be bought for as little as $1,000 .

But claiming full ownership is not without work: The DLBA has a compliance program that requires purchasers to either renovate and occupy or demolish the house.

We caught up with Deandra Averhart, a native Detroiter, who purchased an abandoned home through the DLBA's Own It Now program in June 2018. She paid just $2,690.50 for it and has spent a year and five months fixing it up. So far, she's spent around $13,000 on renovations. One way she was able to keep the budget low was by decorating with furniture she bought at thrift stores or on Craigslist.

In an interview with Business Insider, Deandra explained how she transformed the property and her biggest takeaways from the project.

Do you have a home-renovation story you'd like to share with our readers? Get in touch with this reporter at lbrandt@businessinsider.com .

See the rest of the story at Business Insider