- In 2009, Michael Gray, a native Detroiter, bought an abandoned home from his nephew for just $1,500. He moved in as soon as he bought it.
- Prior to purchasing the home, Gray told Business Insider that he was homeless and living in his niece's basement.
- In 2010, he began a nearly 10-year renovation process and transformed the home room by room.
- In an interview with Business Insider, Gray explained how he turned the home into a livable space for both him and his wife.
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Michael Gray is a native Detroiter.
At 67 years old, he spends his weekdays working as a machinist in Bowling Green, Ohio and his weekends at his home in Detroit with his wife Cynthia.
The story of their four-bedroom home dates back to November 2009, when Gray bought it from his nephew, who is a real-estate broker, for just $1,500.
Prior to purchasing the home, Gray was living in his niece's basement. He told Business Insider that he was homeless and that despite having a college degree, he was unable to find work in Detroit.
Gray told Business Insider that after getting hit by a car in 2008, he used some of the settlement money to buy the property. He moved in the day he bought it with nothing but an air mattress to sleep on. At the time, the home was in bad shape. According to Gray, it was infested with mites, spiders, and mice - not even the toilet worked.
Now, nearly a decade later, the home is unrecognizable. He chronicled the home's transformation in photographs and compiled the photos in two hard-copy albums, which he mailed to Business Insider. In a phone interview with Business Insider, he explained the work that went into renovating his home.
Keep reading for a look at the transformation.
Do you have a similar home-renovation story? If you want to share your story, email this reporter at lbrandt@businessinsider.com.