Is your home on the market or about to be? A good issue from Real Simple September issue was 'Upgrades that pay off'. They gave 10 around-the-house improvements that they consider are well worth the investment.
1. Painting
2. Adding Siding
3. Building a Deck
4. Updating the Kitchen
5. Replacing the Windows
6. Modifying Bathroom(s)
7. Landscaping
8. Installing Central AC
9. Fixing up the Basement
10. Putting in a Swimming Pool
(depending on your location)
How do you feel about the list?
Is there anything you would add or take away?
Any upgrades that you know of that helped pay off?
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7 comments:
swimming pool? no way. They are a pain in the butt. fresh coat of paint everywhere- definitely
Good list but I read that you do not recoup money spent on landscaping.
We are trying to get our home in saleable condition and we are concentrating on the kitchen and bathrooms.
thanks
i agree about the pool. when my husband and i were house hunting, pools turned us off. in STL- pools are a huge hassle.
the pool is weird, for sure.
and you certainly would have a hard time selling a house in the southeast without central A/C!
In Texas, you'd have to be crazy to buy a house without a/c! A pool here is a big investment financially because the ground is so rocky that it has to be blasted out for an in-ground pool. If I really wanted a pool, I'd probably buy a house with one already because having it put in would be a HUGE hassle.
As for other things that would pay off: in older homes, being respectful of the historic details and charm is a must. I'm shocked at how many people buy 75 - 100 year old houses and then gut them and redo the interior in 2008 McMansion style. Refinishing an original mantle or stairway is often much cheaper than ripping it out and replacing it, and it protects the character of the home.
In general, I'd say that anything done to make the home look as well-maintained as possible is going to pay off. Little things like replacing worn floorboards on a porch or repairing a backyard fence, refinished or new floors, etc.
My friend had a pool installed and after only a matter of months he never used it. It ended up being very costly to take care of too,
I think fixing up the basement is a good item.
We'll be selling our house soon and and our basement is currently unfinished. Soon our house will have to compete with others in our neighborhood that have finished basements.
It'll basically come down to getting more living space for your money.
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