Exterior Home Materials

So often, the buyers I work with have very little appreciation for the pros and cons of the various exterior home materials used in this part of the country. Putting personal preferences aside, let me rank exterior materials in the order of cost and desirability.

• Brick is by far the best because it lasts forever and requires the least maintenance, but it is also the most costly. On a $300,000 home, for example, four sides of brick may add about $15,000 to $20,000 to the cost of the home.
• Stacked stone is often used as an accent on the front of a home. It is very attractive and also very costly.
• Stucco is very desirable because it requires very little maintenance. However, care must be taken to be sure you are not buying synthetic stucco. The problems with synthetic stucco, also known as EFIS, make such a home hard to sell and when it finally does sell, it sells for a lot less than a home with real stucco. While the synthetic stucco may not be problematic to you as the homeowner, in this market area it will become an issue when you attempt to re-sell the home.  
• Concrete siding is very desirable because it requires little maintenance and does not deteriorate. Manufacturers say it does not need to be repainted for about 12 years.
• Vinyl siding is a particularly good material because it does not require repainting, has a long life, and retains a new appearance after many years. Even after 10 years, a vinyl exterior home will look brand new after an occasional pressure washing.
• Wood siding requires repainting about every 5 years. Wood is subject to deterioration from dry rot / wet rot, but not as much so as pressboard. Wood is also inviting to termites.
• Pressboard siding requires repainting about every 4 years. Since it is a wood particleboard, it absorbs moisture, can often waffle, and will deteriorate. Pressboard siding is also inviting to termites. Pressboard siding comes in several levels of quality and durability. Your Realtor can explain which variety of pressboard is best and which is to be avoided.

This does not mean you should necessarily avoid buying a home made of wood or pressboard siding. Selecting a home made from good materials is just one of many parts of the home buying decision. If you do buy a wood or pressboard siding home, you must keep a good coat of paint on it and a keep a watchful eye for signs of termite activity.

Don't allow yourself to make a bad purchase decision. I would be pleased to helping you make the best possible decision if you are planning the purchase of a home.