Dos and Don’ts of Home Improvement

August 6, 2009
Matt Isleib

 

While the real estate market is still struggling many home owners will look to home improvements as opposed to trying to sell their home in the current market. It is not a bad idea but there are some dos and don’ts to consider.

                Dos:

Decks: are a good investment, while they do not add square footage to the home pound for pound it is one of the best improvements cost wise you can make.

Kitchens:  if I was looking for a new home the kitchen is key but then again I love to cook. But generally speaking the kitchen is the focal point of a home. It is what attracts most home buyers to the house. There are definitely places to cut corners but when it comes to the kitchen use nothing but the best. Remodeling the kitchen is a huge selling point for your home.

Finished Basement:  below grade, meaning below the ground level living space is not considered when adding up the square footage of a home. Finishing off a basement adds value to the home but it is not a place that you want to add crazy amenities in the hopes that it will make it sell.

Windows: replacing the old windows in your home is a good investment. Anything that helps out in the energy efficient department is a great idea.

Siding/Painting:  is a worthwhile investment. Especially these days, some of the siding out there really looks so real and the fact of not needing to paint is a plus.

 

                Don’ts:

Painting: use neutral colors. Painting your house purple is not going to help you. It may be appealing to you but definitely not the rest of the population.

Pools: unless you live in Florida a pool is not a selling point. You are limiting yourself to the amount of people that would be interested. Buyers tend to shy away at the thought of the upkeep of a pool.

Gardens/Landscaping:  this is a tough one for me. I love to garden. I also think a well maintained yard makes the home more attractive. However expensive landscaping and gardening falls into the pool category. You are limiting potential buyers. The upkeep of nice landscaping and gardening is nonstop. I could weed every single day if I had the chance so you get the picture. Not a place to drop a lot of money.

Amenities: over the top amenities may make your life and home more enjoyable but that’s where that ends. DO not spend a large amount of money to add crazy amenities to the home. You will never recoup the cost when it is time to sell.