10 Easily Avoidable Factors Real Estate Professionals Say Devalue A Home

Buyers have an upper hand when purchasing a home in a down market with limited inventory.  As they survey the market, it's important, as sellers to have the best possible product available.  In order do to that, you need to avoid factors that will devalue your home.  Many times, it is the buyer's perception that influences whether they walk away or offer a seller less than an asking price.  Before you decide to list your home for sale note these ten factors that will devalue your house and make changes as you can.

The first thing any prospective buyer will see as they approach your home is the front of the home.  Everyone wants to live in a home that is beautiful on the outside as well as the inside.  A poorly kept landscape, whether overgrown, or non-existent will turn a buyer off.  They may fear the cost of redoing landscaping, or be overwhelmed at the thought of it. This undoubtedly will affect the perceived value of your home. By planting a few annuals, keeping the grass cut and weeding the flowerbeds regularly you will improve your curb appeal.  Front landscaping that is welcoming and has good visual appeal will keep a buyer interested in your home.

Chipped or faded paint, dirty windows, broken railings or busted sidewalks will all devalue your home.  Just as a buyer will notice the front gardens, they will also notice the disrepair of the outside of your home. Buyers may wonder if the exterior is so neglected, what has been neglected on the interior.  If selling your home is in your future, invest in a fresh coat of paint, wash the windows, and repair any issues with your walkways. Potential buyers will notice the pride you take in your home and will reflect in their offer price.

Kitchens can make or break how buyers will perceive your home.  They want to walk in and fall in love with your kitchen.  Moms want to be able to envision making cookies with their kids or perhaps hosting dinner parties.  That vision will not work for them if the kitchen is dark, dingy, or outdated.  There are two ways to update a kitchen.  A full-blown renovation will update the space to a buyers liking, but at a substantial cost.  The good news is you will reap close to a 90% return on investment.  A fresh coat of paint on the cabinets, new door pulls and fresh laminate on the counter tops are all options for a small budget.

Outdated bathrooms are certain to affect the sale of a house. Buyers want updated baths just as they want updated kitchens.   If you are able to renovate the bathroom from top to bottom, you should recognize an 80% return.   If not, make small changes to update it.  Add new the fixtures, new lighting and if your budget allows, tile the floor.  No matter how you update the space, a buyer should walk in to a bathroom that is clean, fresh smelling and decorated nicely.  These simple changes will do a lot for the buyer's perception of the space.

Taste is subjective when it comes to decorating a home.  What you may love, a buyer may hate.  Buyers want to see themselves in the space, and if they walk in to a home with, red walls, shag carpeting and wood paneling, they will have a hard time envisioning themselves living there.  Instead, they will see the cost of replacing carpeting, and tearing down the paneling.  All of these factors could cause a buyer to offer less than the asking price. Before you sell, paint your home a more neutral color that has a broad appeal.

Have you ever wandered into an open house and wondered what the owners were thinking as you faced an ultra-modern kitchen or a futuristic fireplace.  These design choices will be difficult to sell to the average buyer with a more mainstream style and most buyers will be thinking about ripping out a kitchen and redoing it to their liking.  It will take someone with a similar aesthetic to be interested in a home with such design specific features.   Keep that in mind when you contemplate any renovations.

DIY projects can be fun to do, but if you riddle your home with projects that are half-done or poorly done, buyers will cringe at the thought of redoing projects or hiring someone to complete them.   Buyers who see dollar signs will either walk away or deduct from their bid.  A general rule of thumb is to hire someone for a project if you lack the confidence it will look professional.

Pets are wonderful additions to a home, but bring unwanted issues when trying to sell.  Damage to walls, carpeting or woodwork needs repair before you list the house. A good carpet cleaning will lessen the smell of pet odors too.  Buyers would rather not move into a home that has lingering evidence of pets, especially if they have allergies.  So, farm Fido out while the home is on the market to ensure the best offer you can get.

We like our home to work with our lifestyle and to accommodate specific interests or needs we may turn a bedroom into a closet, or a garage into a gym.  While these highly personalized spaces work for a homeowner, the perceived wasted space is a turn off for most buyers.  Ultimately, the missing square footage detracts from the value of your home.  Changing the space back to its intended use is a huge endeavor; buyers may focus on cost of such a project.

You may love your pool, covet your hot tub or adore that waterfall, but for a buyer water features are another expense that will be incurred to maintain the home. Over time, in-ground pools will need to be resurfaced and resealed at an additional cost to the buyer. Families with small children will see the pool as a potential danger as well.  A buyer may love everything about your home, except the pool and request it removed or filled in before closing on the sale.

From kitchen renovations to wasted space it’s the simple things that devalue your home, with a little forethought and practicality you will reap the most value from the sale of your home.  How would you avoid these factors that devalue a home?

Striking Home Design With Opulent Features in Spanish Oaks, Texas

Paula Ables Interiors completed the design for a luxurious residence in the famous and exclusive Spanish Oaks neighborhood in Austin, Texas, USA.  According to the designer, “this Hill Country Contemporary home was created for a newlywed couple preparing to start a family. They love contemporary, but did not want to be over the top. Comfort and low maintenance were the key phrases and thought used in the plan and completion of this home“.

A perfect landscape courtyard design with focus on a generous swimming pool leads the way towards the main glass entrance.The core of the residence is a double-height open plan living room, with stunning arrangements and views. The color palette is mostly neutral when it comes to for the flooring, decorative tiles and main furniture pieces, yet color accents are added with the help of subtle decorations. The house also features a hi-tech lighting system and solar panels. [Photos by Coles Hairston]

Family Home Originally Wrapped Around a Central Stairway: S House

Akihisa Hirata designed an ingenious S-shaped residence on a narrow site in Japan. Developed vertically, this unusual family home has a simple rectangular exterior shape. All the interiors wrap around a massive stairway supported by three pillars, which leads the way towards the top floor. The rest of the design elements almost seem to fade away visually when associated with this center wooden spiral.

The entire house is a mix of twists and turns and looks more like a labyrinth than a common family home. But with all the steps and unexpected curving, children are likely to fall in love with this space and spend plenty of time discovering it. We particularly like the creative shelving system- a simple and practical idea, making each of the exhibited objects easy to reach. Various windows pierce the white walls, ensuring a good flow of natural light throughout- a must-have feature in a home with so many things to stumble on.

Colorful & Intricate Decorative Glass Panels for Game-Enthusiasts

How would you like to have your favorite superhero look down at your from your room window or glass door? Okay, this may not be everyone’s dream, but for those of you nostalgic about Super Mario, Iron Man, Warhammer 40k or the shield of the Knights of Hyrul, these colorful stained glass panels could make for some alluring home additions. The original designs belong to artist R. Evan Daniels of Martian Glass Works and have the ability to completely transform the look and feel of any room.

All these complex projects are featured on Etsy, with prices ranging from $400 to $4500. The most expensive piece is the Iron Man 3, which the artist describes as follows: “This is possibly the most amazing and complicated piece I’ve ever made. The final dimensions for this piece are 31″x47″ There are a total of 334 Pieces of Glass and the window is 9.5 square feet. I used 275 feet of copper foil and 5 rolls of solder to complete this. Construction time is over 100 hours“. Impressive. But would you consider having it in your home?

 

10 Eco-Friendly Ways to Renovate your Home

After a while our homes need a change or some updating. They can seem tired and old and in need of a little refreshing. Ideally, perhaps, you might like to move to a larger home but the economy has you worried and you want to spend your money wisely. So instead, you’ve decided to renovate your home not only to perk it up but to better accommodate your current needs and lifestyle. If you haven’t thought to do so already, you might want to think about some environmentally savvy ways to renovate your home.

Don’t get caught up with having to have the newest and shiniest. Think about other materials like reclaimed wood which is not only an environmentally sound choice, but sublimely handsome and growing in popularity in all sorts of home renovation projects. Reclaimed wood is a great choice for counter-tops, flooring, and walls. One CKD (certified kitchen designer) recently used reclaimed wood around a kitchen hood. In the end, you will save time, money and energy that would be required to produce a similar and newer product.

If you plan on tearing down walls or even knocking down entire rooms, walk around your home first to see what you can salvage and re-use beforehand. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it will save money in the end. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Most likely there is a ton of material you can salvage and re-use. Consider everything from light fixtures, to flooring, tile, bricks, cabinets and molding. If you plan on replacing the chandelier in your dining room, instead of tossing it, think about using it in another room  - maybe your kitchen, your daughter’s bedroom, even a bathroom!

So you really don’t want that dining room chandelier in any other room. Don’t toss it, instead bring it to Goodwill or a consignment shop. Perhaps you even have a crafty friend who might enjoy repainting and re-purposing it. Another great option for your chandelier, as well as other items like appliances and cabinets, is Habitat for Humanity. Not only do they welcome all unwanted materials, but they sell all donations and 100% of the proceeds from these materials are used to build new homes for the underprivileged. With this in mind, not only are you being environmentally friendly, but you are truly giving back to the community.

When you are shopping around for new appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens look for those that are the most energy efficient. These products have the Energy Star logo right on them and will give you all the information you need. Many of these large appliances, especially the upscale refrigerators, generate a lot of electricity. For many people these high-end appliances are not only cost prohibitive initially, but they will end up costing a great deal more to run as well.

Habitat for Humanity is one such retailer, but there are many across the country, some even specialize in high-end products. This can be a great and cost-effective way to redo your home. If, in the end, that SubZero fridge is an absolute must have, you could save thousands of dollars buying one that has been used for a couple of years. Cabinets may be the largest expense of a kitchen renovation, these salvage shops often have high quality cabinets in fabulous condition. It’s an idea certainly worth investigating.

As I just mentioned, the greatest expense of any kitchen remodel may very well be your cabinets. Instead of replacing them altogether, consider repainting them or simply refacing them. Most likely your cabinets are in great conditions. New doors and drawers can give seemingly tired cabinets a whole new life!

 

Low voc paints are earth-friendly and better for you and your family. Benjamin Moore, for example, a leader in paint technology and innovation since 1883, offers their Natura No-Voc Paint. This paint is practically odorless, 100% acrylic and splatter resistant. It’s self priming and carries the “Green to Promise” designation. Best of all the Natura line is available in every Benjamin Moore color!

Choose a high quality insulation. The better insulated your home is, the better it is protected from the elements. Your home will stay warmer in the wintertime, allowing you to keep your thermostat at a lower setting, and cooler during those hot summer months.

Many people are starting to consider solar energy when remodeling their homes. Solar energy can impact you heating bill as well. Skylights and solar panels are known to keep energy costs down. They can be used to heat, or help heat a home, and often give enough power for small items like fountains to run.

Antique shops and consignment shops are great places to visit for items such as doorknobs,  light fixtures and even mantels. Not only does this help your bottom line, but these repurposed items will add a charm and warmth to your home that simply cannot be replicated by their newer counterparts.

In the end, choosing to renovate your home in an eco-friendly manner not only helps the environment but allows you to do so while giving back to your community while saving some serious money. What’s not to like about being environmentally savvy when it comes to your home?