Many home owners are presented with the possibility of doing a few renovations to their home before the home is listed for sale. The usual point in this exercise is to increase the value and thus the asking price of the home. The idea in itself is a sound one and one that bears much merit, if done correctly. The first thing that should be pointed out is repairing broken or faulty things should never be considered a value adding fix. That is just making the home sell able in the first place. The value comes in adding things that improve the quality of life for the potential owners.
Now, when talking about this kind of renovation the first thing that usually comes up are bathrooms and kitchens. This is for good reason, time and the market have shown the value that people place on these rooms and the market has also proven that having these rooms renovated raises the value and desirability of homes. In renovating such an area one would want to consider the usual things. New counter tops are a good place to start, Typically this is the largest raised utility surface in the home. As such they have a great deal of sway in the overall attractiveness of a kitchen or bathroom. The current favorite for counter tops is definitely stone of some sort, granite or quartz is typical. These are highly resilient surfaces that come in a variety of finishes and look extremely classy. The drawback is the fact that stone counters are quite pricey, but they do translate into some nice added value.
When redoing a kitchen it's a good idea to make sure that all the appliances match. It is hard to sell the increased value of a kitchen if there are several different kinds and shades of appliances. Also take some time to consider what fixtures you are going to install and if they fit with the overall theme of the new room. Kitchens should be a warm and inviting place where it is easy to gather and share meals. The kitchen should not feel drab or boring. It is one of the rooms that really lends itself to an artistic theme so don't be afraid to explore the possibilities.
Bathrooms should be intelligently arranged with a flow to the sense of utility that a bathroom needs. A current favorite for the bathroom is a heated tile floor. This helps to dispense with the cold floor on those chilly mornings. Adding value to a home is not a hard thing to do, it just needs to be correctly planned and thought out before hand. If you are in doubt about anything ask your realtor about things that you could do to bump up your property value. after all they are the professionals!
Ed Kirkland is a realtor specializing in the Destin, Florida real estate market. For years Ed has made it his life's work to bring buyers and sellers together. Contact Ed today for more information or visit the team at www.edkirkland.com
