Hey Frootz come see my kitchen and bathrooms you'd find your answer there! Its on the 25 year plan!

my sister keeps saying dont buy anything that needs, a major bathroom/kitchen overhaul

but my price range is limited and the houses all have ugly bathroom/kitchen syndrome

as an ex-banker lol I would be concernced about whether or not you could really afford the place if you didn't have $1,000 spare to spend on renovations... what if the hot water heater dies after you move in or you get sick and can't make the repayments... sorry, just my opionion

It depends on the nature of what needed to be done.

If its just ugliness then That can be band aid fixed as others have said to make it less so. However, particularlly with bathrooms, be sure that there is no issues that could compromise the structure of the place. For example loose tiles, missing grout, leaking plumbing etc can cause moisture and water damge/rot that will end up being a massive problem to fix.

As long as everything is structurally ok

Can you live with the bathroom and kitchen for a while? If the answer is yes then I would buy the house. You can renovate sometime in the future.

I would go for it frootz, you never know what tomorrow may bring, you could receive a small inheritance/a pay increase along the way which will allow you to improve your home.

Absolutely buy the house. Even if it takes 10 years before you get to do the bathroom and kithchen.

9 years ago my sister and her hubby were renting with 3 kids and no real chance of buying a house. I found one in our local area for $80,000 (average house prioce at the time $200,000). It was 100 years old, 2 storey, but downstairs was unliveable, it stank, it still needs a kitchen and bathroom done, but it is now way cheaper than if they had to pay rent.

I had to force them into buying it at the time, but they would really be struggling to pay rent now if they hadnt done it.