I’ve always been drawn to renovation-style simulation games. I’ve played The Sims since the very beginning, but over the last few years I’ve hit a bit of burnout and hardly touched The Sims 4. During that time, I started spending more time with games like House Flipper and other cozy renovation-focused titles.

While playing those, I started realizing what felt missing from The Sims, and it really clicked for me. The game just feels too easy now. I love rags to riches gameplay where you start with nothing and slowly build your way up. I’ve played that way in every Sims game, but in The Sims 4 it doesn’t feel as satisfying or rewarding as it used to.

On my Gallery page, I build rundown houses meant to be flipped and renovated by other players. They’re intentionally rough. Graffiti on the walls, holes in the structure, trash everywhere, broken rooms. They’re supposed to look abandoned or neglected. I even built an entire world focused on that kind of aesthetic.

The issue is that while I enjoy building these houses, the actual gameplay doesn’t really support the experience. There’s no real way to clean up a lot in live mode. Junk and clutter can only be removed by jumping into build mode and deleting objects. It’s instant, there’s no effort involved, and it completely skips over what could be meaningful gameplay. It was fun at first, but after a while it started to feel shallow.

What I would love is a dedicated lot trait, something like Abandoned House or Hoarder House, that actually changes how a lot works. With the trait active, the house wouldn’t behave like a normal lot. Junk and debris could be cleaned up or hauled away by a Sim without making money, and the process would take time. Restoring the house would be something your Sim has to work through gradually instead of fixing everything in a few clicks.

I also really like the idea of environmental storytelling being part of it. While cleaning or repairing, Sims could occasionally find things like old notes, photos, or small keepsakes that hint at who lived there before. These wouldn’t always be worth money. They’d be more about moodlets, short descriptions, or little emotional moments that make the house feel like it had a history.

Progress would feel more personal, too. The first night your Sim sleeps in a clean bedroom, the first meal cooked in a repaired kitchen, or the first proper shower after fixing the bathroom could all come with unique moodlets tied to relief, pride, or hope. As more of the house is restored, the atmosphere of the lot would slowly shift from uncomfortable and tense to warm and livable.

There could also be small, realistic challenges. Debris slowing Sims down, dirty rooms causing discomfort, or certain areas feeling unsafe until repairs are made. Nothing overly punishing, just enough to make you think about what to tackle first and make progress feel earned.

Once the house is fully restored, the lot trait could be removed. At that point, the special cleanup interactions would stop, discoveries would no longer appear, and the lot would return to normal behavior. The story of the house would feel finished.

Honestly, something like this feels like it would have fit perfectly with Dream Home Decorator. Even on its own, though, I think a system like this could add a lot of depth and life back into the game. Right now, The Sims 4 feels stale, and a renovation-focused lot trait built around effort, storytelling, and gradual progress could really change that.

Something like this would be a great addition to the game, targeted at builders. It would have also served to be a solid competitor for other fixer up games on the market. However, EA probably feels feel anyone beyond builders wouldn't buy it. Throw in different architecture styles and some basic gameplay items, like a porch swing, pool stairs, paving stone and brick fences, etc., and some basic interior fixtures (Basic Cabinetry, basic matching plumbing, basic lights, fireplaces and chimneys, basic matching appliances), and it would sell well. Builders love that stuff.

Way back when, when I was active at TSR, I did some lot challenges where I built a fixer and others would redo it and post their versions. It was fun to see all the different ways players would do them.

If Maxis was remotely in touch with the community this would have been a game pack ages ago when Fixer Upper blew up. It shouldn't require a significant amount of effort. A player builds a lot on a "Fixer Upper" lot (can be residential or community afterwards), which will break all electronics and appliances, while generating (routable) puddles, debris, and ash piles. Once cleaned up, they get the ability to build/buy on it. They can even get builders to create some incredibly abysmal lots to showcase them. Make the lot cheaper to purchase as a starter (maybe 20% cheaper) but keep the resale resale value when finished, and now it's House Flipper I can't imagine this would be very buggy. Even as a stuff pack, it works. Just make it an events or some sort and require the player to x value of upgrades to the lot. Maxis could generate a lot of community engagement with a social media challenge to also have players post builds to the gallery of lot upgrades.

I'd buy it. Or, would have.

I do not play the scenarios, or whatever they are called, but doing a fixer up would be a good theme for one.