| Sometimes, making an improvement to your home | | | | was taken up by a basketball/squash court because |
| could actually hurt you when you try to sell it. Here | | | | the owners liked to play these games. However, |
| are the top 10 home improvements that can make | | | | most buyers would see this as wasted space and an |
| your home harder to sell: | | | | expensive project ahead to change. |
| 1. Kitchen Renovation. Any renovation of a kitchen | | | | 6. Redecorating. Redecorating in a highly taste-specific |
| that is too taste-specific or extreme in design. For | | | | style, such as Asian, country clutter or extreme |
| example, a kitchen equipped with a restaurant-level | | | | modern can turn-off potential buyers. When selling |
| stove or multiple refrigerators may not appeal to the | | | | your home, you want to appeal to the broadest |
| buyer who is a simple cook. You want to appeal to | | | | range of buyers, so it's important that the furniture |
| the broadest range of buyers when selling a home, | | | | and decor is neutral and broadly appealing. |
| and if a buyer thinks they need to spend money | | | | 7. Illegal home improvements. Decks, driveways, |
| re-doing what you've done, they will offer less. | | | | expansions, etc. not approved by the local town |
| 2. Bathroom Renovations. The same can be said for | | | | authorities can devalue the home as you will probably |
| bathroom renovations. Any design that is over the | | | | be forced to correct the situation prior to selling |
| top could detract from the value of the home. It is | | | | which could result in something as extreme as |
| best to avoid garish sinks, faucets, and tiles. And skip | | | | actually removing it. |
| the heart-shaped bathtub! | | | | 8. Laminated Wood Flooring. Installing laminated wood |
| 3. Painting. Painting the walls is a great way to | | | | flooring instead of solid wood in an upscale home can |
| freshen up a space prior to putting your home on | | | | also cause a buyer to think "I've got to rip this out"! |
| the market, but painting with bold colors such as red, | | | | Better to refinish existing hardwood floors, if any, or |
| orange, purple or even black (I've seen this) is a sure | | | | cover floors with new but inexpensive wall-to-wall |
| way to turn off a potential buyer. Buyers want to | | | | carpeting. |
| feel like they can move right in and not have to | | | | 9. DIY (Do It Yourself) Home Repairs. While needed |
| re-paint the walls to match their own tastes and their | | | | repairs and maintenance should be done to a home |
| existing furniture. The same goes for painting the | | | | before putting it on the market, doing these yourself |
| exterior of the home - no bright blues, yellows or | | | | could end up costing you money in the end as |
| greens please! | | | | buyers perceive your shoddy workmanship as |
| 4. Water Features. Having an in-ground pool, hot tub, | | | | something they have to spend money correcting, |
| waterfall or pond can also devalue a home, as buyers | | | | and therefore offering you a lower price. |
| may perceive these as extra maintenance expenses | | | | 10. Gardens and Landscaping. A high-maintenance |
| they don't want to incur. Also, buyers with small | | | | garden and landscaping could also lower the value of |
| children may be fearful of these as well. The only | | | | a home. If buyers are not avid gardeners or don't |
| exception of an in-ground pool definitely adding value | | | | want to spend money watering or on hiring someone |
| is if the home is an investment property in a resort | | | | to constantly weed, trim and rotate your plantings, |
| area where renters find homes with a pool to be | | | | this could be a real turn-off. |
| more desirable. | | | | So, before you decide to make that improvement to |
| 5. "Wasted" Square Footage. Taking valuable square | | | | your home, stop and ask yourself: "Will most buyers |
| footage in a house and using it for a specific, | | | | find this desirable so that they would be willing to pay |
| personalized purpose can make the house harder to | | | | for it, or is it just to satisfy my own needs and |
| sell and/or detract from its value, for example, | | | | tastes?". |
| turning a garage into a gym. Also, on the Bravo TV | | | | © Copyright 2010 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All |
| show, Nine By Design, the hosts of the show were | | | | Rights Reserved. |
| trying to sell their NYC townhouse. The ground floor | | | | |