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Turning A Country Home Into A Modern Home

By
Education & Training with Property Investment Wise

 

Large country homes are beautiful in their own right, but these old homes are not as functional as new homes. You cannot sell a property that functions as if it were the 1890s, but you can use the charm of these properties to sell them after you have made certain improvements. This article explores major changes that can be made to a property before it is put on the market for sale. Buyers will be surprised to see such a lovely country home with the modern improvements that you will make. You are letting your buyers have their cake and eat it, too.

#1: A New Roof

The thatched or plain roof on a country home is not nearly as safe as the modern roof that can be installed on the house. A new roof makes the house look much nicer, and you may choose a complementary color for the house. It may be obvious that the roof is new, but the character of the house remains even after you replace the roof.

#2: Better Plumbing

Large country houses often use well water, but you cannot assume the hold well water system has been updated. A new well pump, water softener and water filter are needed to make the well water taste perfect when it comes through each faucet. People who move out to the country expect to have modern conveniences, and a new well system will help keep the water in the best condition possible. Your buyers will see a lovely well, but the water will taste as if it came from a special pitcher.

#3: Better Lighting

An old country house that has new lights looks completely different. You are replacing old fixtures that do not look modern with fixtures that obscure all the lighting in the house. The buyers will notice the light in the house emanates from strategic points in each room, but the fixtures help blend in with the rest of the house. Modern lighting helps make your country mansion feel like a log cabin. This checklist is a good guide to generators, the power can usually go out in country areas, and some properties might be off the grid entirely.

#4: Improved Flooring

Old country houses often have hardwood floors that must be refinished before the house is sold. You can sell the house on the strength of the antique floors, and a refinishing will bring those floors back to life. Every buyer who visits the house will notice the floors the moment they enter, and a shining floor will make the home look much more lovely.

#5: New Central Air

Old country homes may not have central air systems, and the home must have central air installed before you attempt to sell. The central air system is much easier to control, and a single thermostat can be placed on the wall in your living room. The house has all the climate control it needs, and you may charge a premium on the house because of the new central air system. Consider how much more comfortable a country estate will be when a central air system has been installed. 

#6: New Windows

The character of the home will remain the same when you add new windows, but the home will be far more efficient than it once was. You may add new windows that contain their own blinds, or you may choose windows with special glazing for added efficiency. A country estate was not built to be efficient several decades ago, but it can be updated to be efficient with the addition of these windows.

#7: Better Gardening

Country estates often sit in wooded areas that do not have much in the way of gardens. You can clear some of the land for a lovely garden or open patio area before selling. This small improvement helps make the property look much bigger, and the garden may be a place where a buyer will want to spend a lot of their time. Offering a garden to your buyers will allow you to charge a premium for the property, and an aerial view of the property will improve instantly.

Selling an old country home is much easier when you have made these improvements. You are not obligated to make every improvement on the property, but you must make some improvements to help convince buyers that an old country home is worth their investment.
Posted by

Joe McCord works at REAA.

Marco Giancola
Beachfront Realty - Miami Beach, FL
Realtor (305)608-1922, Miami Beach Florida

Hey Joe coincidentally a few years back I bought a large country home that was built in exactly 1890. After I opened it up by reorganizing the space, put all new roofing, HVAC, some plumbing, efficient windows and re-landscaped it made this quaint home into a super cool modern masterpiece.

Aug 05, 2015 07:38 PM
Sarah Smith
Property Investment Wise - Las Vegas, NV
Making It Rain On The Regular

Sounds ike I could have used your help before i wrote this article Marco Giancola .

 

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Aug 05, 2015 08:03 PM