fixer-upper

[ fik-ser-uhp-er ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a person who is handy at making repairs.
2. a rundown dwelling offered at a bargain price and suitable for improvement by a new owner, often with the object of resale at a considerable profit.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fixer-upper¹

fix up + -er ¹, pleonastically suffixed to both words

Example Sentences

Other adventures in homeownership ended well — the couple doubled their money after selling a fixer-upper.

From New York Times

But America needs more entrepreneurs like Gulban, willing to take a chance on fixer-upper newspapers that thousands of local communities and millions of voters still rely on to stay informed.

From Seattle Times

Larson, a prosthetic limb designer who has been rotating through Airbnbs since he moved out last spring, said he found renovating the fixer-upper more of a chore than a joy.

From Seattle Times

For example, in real estate listings, “cozy” usually means cramped, and “full of potential” equates to fixer-upper.

From Seattle Times

They found a 956-square-foot fixer-upper in Watts with a small, patchy lawn in the front yard and a big backyard covered with concrete.

From Los Angeles Times