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| Remodeling: Home Owners' Seven Deadly Sins |
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(July 31, 2006) -- Remodeling isn't always a good idea, says Holly Slaughter, brand manager and consumer-experience expert for RealEstate.com.
Here are what she calls the seven deadly home-improvement sins to consider before committing to projects that may work against you and lessen your resale value.
- Over expanding. Outdoing all the homes on the block is never a good idea because it makes the house more expensive than the others and therefore harder to sell.
- Making your home into something it's not. Changing the style or the architecture is usually a big mistake.
- Changing the purpose of a room. Keep kitchens as kitchen and baths as baths. They were built that way for a reason.
- Under budgeting. People routinely under budget 20 or 30 percent fewer dollars and underestimate even more in guessing the time the job will take.
- Doing the job yourself. Unless you have first-rate skills, hire somebody who does.
- If it's not broke, don't fix it. Don't waste money on renovations that won't pay off. Buyers won't necessarily pay for what makes a seller happy. Siding, windows, kitchens and bathrooms are the home improvement winners, according to Remodeling magazine.
- Neglecting regular upkeep. They may seem boring, but cleaning the gutters, keeping the house painted and trimming the shrubs are the most valuable home improvements.
Source: Marketwatch , Amy Hoak (07/30/2006) |
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