When you first buy a home, it’s never exactly how you want it but you can live with it. Ultimately, in order to have the home of your dreams means you’re going to have to build it from the ground up or customize it.
Customizing a home you’ve bought is a great way to get everything you want out of it BUT, realtors never recommend it, especially if you don’t plan on living there long-term. Why? Because the customizations you make to a home can actually devalue your home when you’re ready to sell… That’s largely why realtors don’t advise it unless you know for a fact that the home you’re buying will be your “forever home.”
There are certain customizations that won’t devalue your homes like soft-closing drawer slides and patio decks. In fact, patio decks and kitchen functionality customizations can greatly increase the value of a home… but it’s all about the type of customizations you make.
In opposition to that, there are customizations that will be beneficial to you while you live there, but when you go to sell your home, those customizations can look like extra money for maintenance or just complete eyesores to home buyers.
So, if you have an itch to do some renovations in your home, make sure the projects you do are reversible. There’s no full and complete guide on what to keep in mind when selling your home based on what every buyer wants because every buyer is different. But at all costs, try to avoid these customizations if you ever plan on selling your home in the future.
Garage Conversions
It may seem like a genius idea to convert your garage into a spare bedroom or office space with carpet and custom shelving. But if you plan on selling your home in the next three to five years, you’ll want to do everything in your power to refrain from converting your garage into something more.
When people are in the market to buy a home, one of the items at the top of their wishlist is a full garage. You have to understand that a lot of buyers, especially first-time homebuyers are coming from “rental life,” meaning they’re used to having limited or assigned parking.
So when they’re ready to buy a home, one of the biggest things they want is parking available, and especially so with a garage. If you convert your garage into something else, you’ll most certainly turn off interested buyers, even if they like everything else about your home.
Solar Panels
Maybe you’re an environmentally-conscious homeowner who lives a sustainable life and you’re considering having solar panels installed on your roof… If you don’t plan on living in your home long-term, solar panel installation and removal can cost you quite a chunk of money, resulting in thousands of dollars, especially if there are holes to repair on the roof from the installation site.
On top of that, seeing solar panels on your roof can be a complete eyesore to potential homebuyers looking at your house. If you’re an environmentally-conscious person wanting to take advantage of solar power in your home, you don’t have to have solar panels installed … advancements in solar technology have opened a world of new possibilities, including comparing the best electric rates in your area through various electric providers… All you have to do is sign up at PowerSetter to compare rates.
Pools
Okay, so you might be scratching your head about pools because pools are great, right? They are, only with the right conditions. To many home buyers, they don’t see the fun pool parties, all they see is extra money for maintenance and repairs. So if you’re thinking about having an in-ground pool installed, stop and really think about it first.
Also, look at where you live. If you live in a state that’s mostly sunny and warm, a pool may actually play in your favor and greatly increase the value of your home. But if you don’t live in an area where the weather is mostly nice, home buyers will look at it as a feature that they’ll barely even use.
Plus, depending on the size of your home, large families may be interested in it but have small children… A pool can pose major red flags for families with small children. Sure, how potential home buyers handle pool safety at home doesn’t have anything to do with your having a pool installed at your home, but if you know you’re not going to be living there long-term, a pool is definitely worth the reconsideration.
These are some of the top customizations to avoid if you plan on selling your home in the future. Give these considerations a once-over before making any drastic changes that could impact the resale value of your home.
