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Are homeowners renovating: To Sell or Stay

By
Real Estate Agent with Luxury Valley Homes Scottsdale SA524104000

Are Homeowners Renovating

 
Are homeowners renovating? - Over the past few years, two trends have emerged in the housing market:
  1. Home renovations have shot up
  2. Inventory of homes available for sale on the market has dropped
  A ‘normal’ housing market is defined by having a 6-month supply of homes for sale. According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors, we are currently at a 4.4-month supply. This low inventory environment has many current homeowners worried that they would be unable to find a home to buy if they were to list and sell their current houses, which is causing many homeowners to instead renovate their homes in an attempt to fit their needs. According to Home Advisor, homeowners spent an average of $6,649 on home improvements over the last 12 months. If that number seems high, it also includes homeowners who recently bought fixer-uppers. A new study from Zillow asked the question,
“Given a choice between spending a fixed amount of money on a down payment for a new home or fixing up their current home, what would you do?”
Seventy-six percent of those surveyed said that they would rather renovate their current homes than move. The results are broken down by generation below. Are Homeowners Renovating to Sell or to Stay? | Simplifying The Market
 
More and more studies are coming out about the intention that many Americans have to ‘age in place’ (or retire in the area in which they live). Among retirees, 91% would prefer to renovate than spend their available funds on a down payment on a new home. If their current house fits their needs as far as space and accessibility are concerned, then a renovation could make sense. But if renovations will end up changing the identity of the home and impacting resale value, then the renovations may end up costing them more in the long run. With home prices increasing steadily for the last 6.5 years, homeowners have naturally gained equity that they may not even be aware of. Listing your house for sale in this low-competition environment could net you more money than your renovations otherwise would.

Bottom Line

If you are one of the many homeowners who is thinking about remodeling instead of selling, let’s get together to help you make the right decision for you based on the demand for your house in today’s market.
 
Jeff Daley
This article is brought to you by Jeff Daley and the Scottsdale Real Estate Arizona real estate team.  

Comments(3)

Kristen Correa, Broker
Kristen Correa Real Estate & Reedy Creek Realty Services - Keller, TX
I love coffee & real estate. I am out of coffee!

Nice article. Always the balance between a homeowner's own tastes and preferences and what is easily timeless resalable. It is good to speak to a pro so you know how your dollars translate!

Nov 15, 2018 08:11 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Jane & Jeff, I see this a lot, they renovate right before they sell, and then wonder why they did not do these remodel earlier so they could enjoy it.

Nov 15, 2018 08:21 AM
Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Interesting stats...especially that aging in place option.

Nov 15, 2018 09:58 AM