Take the YOU Out of Your House to Avoid Getting HOSED at Selling Time!

Of course, your home is your sanctuary. At the end of a long workday or even a long vacation, there’s nothing quite like crossing the threshold into your own private cocoon and relaxing while surrounded by the people and things you care about most.

One of the greatest pleasures of owning a home is having the freedom to customize it as you wish, to express your style and personal tastes through window treatments, flooring type, exterior color and the like. But when you’re reaching for that paint can or countertop sample chip, be extra cautious. Sure it’s your home to love and lavish today … But where will you be two years down the line? Five? Even ten?

If there’s even the slightest chance you might moving into a new home sometime in the future, you’ll want to be extremely mindful in your approach to home renovation and beautification projects now. That home sweet home that is so perfectly tailored to you today may very well be perceived by prospective buyers as a quirky turn-off when the time comes to list.

Even upgrades that align with the current trends can threaten buyer appeal in the long run. That multi-hued glass tile backsplash in the kitchen may look great now, but in just a few short years when you’re trying to sell, it will likely date the home as looking “too mid-2010s”! Styles change so quickly nowadays that you’re better off choosing classic finishes and basic colors that can stand the test of time and work well with a wide range of decor preferences such as modern and traditional. This holds true for surface decor, such as paint and carpeting, as well as more permanent fixtures like cabinetry and lighting.

“But they can change the paint!” you say of prospective buyers, and while you’re technically right, it’s also true that there will always be buyers – particularly first-timers – who simply cannot see beyond even surface cosmetic fixes to a home’s deeper value, the kind that aligns with its location, mechanics and structural integrity.

Yes, your home is your safe haven, your constant, your comfort place. But it is also a commodity, a fluid factor in the real estate realm, subject to personal opinions and market conditions that can affect its value up or down at just about any given time. So surround yourself in comforts but resist the urge to invest in candy-colored bedrooms or overly-trendy kitchens. When it comes to exterior upgrades, be especially cautious as your property’s “curb appeal” will affect the value of the homes around you. A well maintained and tidy exterior is what you should be aiming for, not an open stage for a lawn gnome collection.

Case in point: Let your home be your temple rather than a shrine – particularly if you know you’re going to be selling in the next one to five years. The reward will come back to you in full better than any brightly painted room or custom kitchen can when you’re able to sell your home quickly and at top dollar. Then you’ll be able to get into that next dream home even sooner … you know, the one you’ve really been waiting for!

MSN Real Estate online offers some great tips on top home upgrades and customizations to avoid, along with the best ones to add value to your home, in their article, 14 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Home’s Value.

Posted by Admin Volkers on
Email Send a link to post via Email

Leave A Comment

e.g. yourwebsitename.com
Please note that your email address is kept private upon posting.