MANSFIELD – Area homes are in store for a facelift thanks to a new business dedicated to renovating and restoring local real estate.
Fred Anderson and Jimmy Warner, in-laws as well as band mates, have started AW Business Developers LLC with the intention of investing in local residential properties. The duo hopes to buy and rent residences or commercial properties, as well as renovate historic homes for resale.
“The idea was to form a corporation so if we make some money doing something here, we could invest it in other property and make something for the family,” Anderson said.
“The housing is really good mutual ground for us, where we can play off of each other’s strengths and gain some capital somewhere,” Warner added.
The new business is just one more way Anderson and Warner’s lives have become intertwined. The two became in-laws nine years ago at the marriage of Warner and Anderson’s daughter, Melissa, and currently play alongside each other in The Jimmy Warner Band – Anderson as the bassist, Warner as the lead singer.
When life circumstances forced a career change for Anderson, he dreamed of building a family business. Partnering with his son-in-law on housing renovation was a natural fit, an overlap of talents between the two.
“My wife and I built our own house in Ashland County and I’m kind of handy,” Anderson said. “I see some possibilities in doing this, and it matches interests.”
Anderson noted his wife’s side of the family has a history of purchasing and renting houses. Warner too has family history in owning rental homes and flipping houses.
“I’ve always been around it, and I’ve always been more interested in the rehab itself,” Warner said. “I’ve worked in most of the trades you’d be doing on a house so I feel comfortable doing it. That was my inspiration for doing this.”
Anderson and Warner’s first flipping challenge is at 519 Park Avenue West, a house purchased at a Sheriff’s sale this past spring. The Queen Anne-style house was originally built in 1899 and owned by Edwin Townsend, a cemetery monument dealer and secretary/treasurer of Globe Steel Company.
After searching the Mansfield-area for a house to take on as their first project, both men were intrigued by the Park Avenue West house.
“I asked Jimmy to climb a tree next to the house to see if the upstairs has water damage, and he said it looked pretty good,” Anderson joked.
“I loved the looks of it from what we could see,” Warner said. “We knew there was damage, but it was exciting looking in these windows. Judging the rest of the house from the front rooms, it was a no-brainer.”
Still, both men were hesitant about making a bid for the house at the upcoming Sheriff’s sale. That is, until Anderson got a call from Warner that day.
“Jimmy is a kidder, and he calls me up about half an hour after the sale starts and says, ‘If you’re going to make it here bring your checkbook,’” Anderson recalls. “And I was like yeah right, this is another leg pull. Nope, we got the house.”
The first step in renovating the old home was clean-up. Anderson described “stalactites” of wallpaper and plaster falling from the ceiling and walls, and debris on the floor.
“Plus the stuff inside was like an episode of hoarders,” Warner added. “We couldn’t even get an idea of renovations until we got the stuff out of here, so that’s been a major portion of it so far. It was pure neglect.”
Now that the home has been cleared out, Anderson and Warner intend to both restore and modernize the house within the boundaries of its classic style. They plan on incorporating “green” upgrades as well as increased connectivity with IP security and WiFi throughout the entire house.
The biggest upgrades planned for the house are creating a master bedroom and bath from two corner bedrooms, including a corner shower unit with a standalone bathtub and double vanity, and completely redesigning the kitchen. Currently, the kitchen walls have been completely stripped due to water damage, leaving the two men with a bare canvas.
“You go through layers and layers of material hoping the next one is sound, and next thing you know you’re down to bare studs and the skeleton of it,” Warner said.
“I know how good Jimmy is and it’s all straightforward, plumbing and electric,” Anderson said. “My son is an architect, he’s been out here helping us design what it’s going to look like. I want to make sure the layout has that kind of thought, the placement of everything in the kitchen is just right.”
So far, the biggest challenge Anderson and Warner have had to overcome is time – or rather, finding the time to work on the house in between two busy schedules. Still, it’s a labor of love and a vision for the future that both Anderson and Warner share.
“It’s something I’ve been around my whole life; I love building and woodworking,” Warner said. “It’s a great combination for me to be able to have my own business and get the perks of being your own boss, and at the same time be around an industry you’ve always loved working in. It’s a no-brainer.”
In the future, AW Business Developers hopes to contribute to the renovation renaissance currently rippling through Mansfield.
“You can tell there are people putting their money into this, and that’s kind of cool,” Anderson said. “This isn’t going to be an island out here, there are other people doing it and hopefully it will contribute to the overall neighborhood.”
