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Two Ways To Upgrade

By
Real Estate Agent with Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales 3090099

Have you ever overdressed for an event?  Perhaps you understood the dress to be formal, but when you arrived in your sequin dress or black tuxedo, everyone else was wearing jeans and turtlenecks.  You may recall how everyone stared as you entered the room, looking a bit out of place.

That happens to homeowners too, but it's not called overdressing - it's called over-improving.  It happens when property owners remodel a home to the point where its new value far exceeds all others in the neighborhood.

Let's say that your family has grown, and you begin your improvements by adding a wing with two more bedrooms and another bath.  You expand to a three-car garage, and install an outdoor deck.  In the process, you add $55,000 in improvements to your $100,000 home.

As long as you continue living in the home, that's not a problem.  When it's time to sell, however, you'll face an unexpected challenge.  You've spent $55,000 on improvements, but buyers are unlikely to be impressed as they compare the prices of other homes in the area, and expect yours to be in line.

Before beginning a major project, determine the impact on your home's value.  Consider "upgrading" to a larger home vs. remodeling, getting advice from a lender and a real estate agent.  When it's time to sell, you'll be glad you did.

If you're planning to sell your home soon and would like accurate and up to date information on its current value, give us a call at (772) 323-6996 or visit us on the web at www.GabeSanders.com.

Bruce & Mary Smith
Savannah Lakes Homes - McCormick, SC
REALTORS, Savannah Lakes Village McCormick SC

Hi Gabe!  Good advice!  Sometimes, however, when a family needs the space and likes the neighborhood or can't really afford to move, additions are a reasonable solution.  The important thing is that they realize going in that they may not get their money out of the renovations down the road!  Thanks!

Mar 28, 2009 12:09 AM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Grat advice.  It seems that every seller wants more than his neighbor got for a sale price and each one has their own reasons why their house is the best when in reality they often are about equally valued.

Mar 28, 2009 12:10 AM
Steve Hoffacker
Steve Hoffacker LLC - West Palm Beach, FL
Certified Aging In Place Specialist-Instructor

Gabe,

Then there's the flip side to that called under-improving - when you walk into a bathroom with harvest gold, aqua, or other colored fixtures from an earlier decade. :)

Steve

Mar 28, 2009 12:11 AM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks Bruce, Mary and Judi.  Steve, I normally don't refer to these as under-improved, but rather needs updating, dated, fixer upper, etc.  But under-improved is a good term.

Mar 28, 2009 01:03 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

The same thing goes for pools. I tell folks to put them in if they are going ti use them. Don't count on a return of your money!

Mar 28, 2009 01:36 AM
Nevin Williams
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation - Cary, NC
Senior Mortgage Advisor

I always recommend that a homeowner who anticipates moving from their home within 10 years speak to an appraiser regarding ROI for improvements.  It is often that renovation companies and contractors throw out the "Improve your home's value" rhetoric to make the sale when in fact many of these upgrades return a fraction of the actual cost. 

Great post!

Mar 28, 2009 05:04 AM
Kate Kate
San Diego, CA

Gabe, This is a little off subject but I was reminded of something when I read the term "over improving". In lending, the infamous call for excessive documentation is known as "window dressing". By the time the underwriting reaches that stage, there is little return on that too. :) kate ford

Mar 28, 2009 11:45 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for your comments, always appreciated.

Apr 25, 2015 06:34 AM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Bruce and Mary.

Oct 17, 2017 12:19 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Judi.

Oct 17, 2017 12:19 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Steve.

Oct 17, 2017 12:19 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Gary.

Oct 17, 2017 12:19 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Nevin.

Oct 17, 2017 12:20 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the comment, Kate.

Oct 17, 2017 12:20 PM