A number of years ago we bought a house that had been empty for some time.
We had seen it advertised but it was way more than we could afford.
Some months later there it was again at a much reduced price, when we went to see it we knew why  -  OMG what a state the place was in.
Not daunted as we could now afford to buy it, we went ahead got it and started the hard work, like Jan I cried myself to sleep the first night.
Dad came to help us the next morning and by great he was a fantastic help, fairly put me in my place about "Crying" that was that, only onwards and upwards after that.
We spoke to some of the neighbours and they said it had been a beautiful house but when the couple split up the guy stayed on and "Lived like a Pig" boy were they right.
I am sure he had never cleaned the bathroom or the kitchen from the day she left, the place was so smelly.  We actually left our son with his Gran for the first week.
I did ask what had happened to the wife  -  oh! she just up and left no one knows where she went.
That was a real worry as when John was digging the garden he found where there had been a fire and there was lots of bits of burnt clothes. 
He came into the house rather worried, he was convinced that if he kept digging he would start to find bones.........................never did thank goodness.smiley: happy
We did eventually make that into a super house and we were very happy there.
We then decided to make a big move and come out to the country where we are now.  It is a bit isolated when you are snowed in but there are also great advantages.

Patricia smiley: happy