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Remodeling Projects to Avoid for Resale

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with HomeBuyer Brokerage

Home Buyers Want to Love Your Home

Make is easy for them! Here are a few home remodeling projects we've seen that stopped our Buyers from making an offer.

 

  1. Creating a huge master suite - Having a large master bedroom with a private bath is great but if an upstairs bedroom has to be sacrificed for the cause-you may want to rethink the project.  

 

A home with a massive master suite, private sitting room and master bathroom works when there is another full bath on the same level. If an upstairs bedroom has no access to a bathroom on the same level-this could be a big turnoff for home buyers. 

The only bathroom on the upstairs level was in the Master Bedroom 

 

2. Modifying a 2 car garage - Building storage shelves or a mud room in an existing garage is a great idea, if you can still fit 2 cars in the garage. Most home buyers who want a garage need space for two cars. If you want to add value to your home for resale, leave plenty of room in your 2 car garage.

 

3.  Building an over sized wet bar - A wet bar is an excellent addition to a home. It can make it easier to entertain guests. If you have a bar in your home, the lighting, refrigerator and cabinetry should be attractive and up to date. The bar should be an accessory, not the main attraction, in a room. 

An outdated bar in the lower level is a turnoff for home buyers

 

4.  Converting a bedroom into a home office - A bedroom converted to a home office, with built in shelves and a desk, is often a negative for home buyers. After all, if a house is listed as a four bedroom home, buyers expect four bedrooms!

 

Converting a home office back to a bedroom is an added expense to home buyers  

 

 

5.  Using wallpaper and painted designs - Wow, we've seen some extreme artistic expression in homes for sale! Your home is your castle and should be an expression of your personality. But when you are selling your home, consider appealing to the masses. 

Wall color is the most important first impression of a home. If you are selling your home, paint the walls with neutral colors like beige, off white and soft grays. It's an inexpensive update with a positive impact on the resale of your home. 

 

6. Installing a Home Theater System - Like cordless or wall mounted phones, home theater technology is quickly outdated. When theater systems are older, with custom speakers cut into the drywall, it's a remodeling project for the home buyers. 

 

Replacing a dated home theater system is an expensive project for home buyers 

 

7. Overextending a kitchen island - Counter space is one of the biggest needs for home buyers. Kitchen cabinets and large pantries are at the top of the Needs ListsHowever, if there is no room for a kitchen table, the island is too large.

No room for a table in the kitchen, our home buyers walked away 

 

Remodeling Links and more:

This Old House

DIY Network

National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents

Buyers Agent.com

HomesBuyHendersons.com

 

 

 

Posted by

Victoria Lynne Henderson

Real estate broker and business owner of HomeBuyer Brokerage serving buyers in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Victoria was born in Washington D.C. and loves her hometown!

Learn more about exclusive buyer brokers & agents at HomeBuyer Brokerage

 

 

Certified Negotiation Expert

Serving home buyers in Washington D.C., Maryland & Virginia 

Comments(2)

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Great tips! Many of these items are features the current owner may want, but not necessarily the new buyer. Too much customization can lead to stalled sales.

Feb 02, 2016 10:51 AM
Victoria Ray Henderson
HomeBuyer Brokerage - Washington, DC
Washington DC Real Estate

Thank you Pat Starnes! you are so right, when a home is too customized, it limits the pool of potential home buyers.

Have a great week!

Feb 02, 2016 09:24 PM