A fixer-upper is a real-estate property that will require maintenance work to redecorate, reconstruct or redesign. They are popular with buyers who wish to raise the property's potential value to get a return on investment, a practice known as flipping, or as a starter home for buyers on a budget. Home-improvement television shows touting do-it-yourself renovation techniques have made fixer-uppers more popular, but during a real-estate downturn, with newer homes available at depressed prices, there is often reduced interest. Inexperienced buyers frequently underestimate the amount and cost of repairs necessary to make a home livable or saleable. Structural and service issues such as a home's foundation or plumbing, which may not be visible at first, can require expensive, professional contracting work.