I thought the market was stagnant and so called "remodelling" is mostly botched jobs. 

If you can't repair then remodel, sometimes it's less work, unless you want a complete make over.

Home repairs are a constant from day 1. Remodelling is anyway needed after a max of 10 years, unless you like to live in a shed.

How do you differentiate?

Is a home repair something like fixing a leaking ceiling?

Is remodeling installing new cabinets?

Cosmetic vs. Functional?

obviously repairs..

remodeling needs to be done once after  a couple of yrs. repairs are constant..

esp the plumbing

for a westerner it is a great oppertunity to play project manager and get that dream house you can't afford back home . just make sure you have some idea about plumbing and electical   or your dream will be a night mare

Remodeling is becoming more common as home owners have started opting for home improvements as an investment, since it increases the home's value and gives a good ROI.Although I agree that sometimes repairs suffice, but many renovations are insured under the home insurance plan,such as  hurricane installations and alpha impact windows.Find more info about such products.