Kirk Holton Team Blog

Top 4 home improvements that do NOT add value to your home

By: Vicki Holton-Kirk Holton Team

Be careful of these pitfalls!

Over building for the neighborhood:

You need a family room for yourself, your husband and 3 children. You love your home and neighborhood and do not want to move. What to do?
Your home is 1200 sq ft and in your area the home prices range from $ 200,000 to 250,000. An addition, plus the few upgrades needed in your kitchen, would cost about $125,000.
Not to mention the new roof that is needed. Can your neighborhood support a price of $325,000 to $375,000 , or $400,000? If not, you have made a common error. ..over building for the neighborhood. When you go to sell, you will probably not recoup your investment.

Over the top landscaping:

You LOVE waterfalls, and one end of your back yard has the perfect grading for a waterfall with rocks, little ponds, and tropical plants. You enjoy this project, plus planting extensive gardens all around the borders of the yard. Expensive improvements that would not appeal to everyone can be a burden to tear out or to maintain..so you will probably not get your money’s worth from this investment, plus all the hard work.

Swimming pools:

For some buyers a swimming pool is a must, and the symbol of prosperity, convenient exercise facility, and great spot for entertaining. To others it is a liability, money pit, maintenance nightmare, or insurance risk.
Many buyers flat out say “don’t show me any homes with a pool.” That elimates a lovely home that otherwise may have met the buyer’s criteria. If you want to build a swimming pool…make sure you do not plan to move in the near future. You may not recoup your investment, but at least you can enjoy the pool!

Too stylized:

Let’s face it…..everyone has their own taste when it comes to interior décor…but a home owner must go easy on their styling if they want to resell the home at some point.
Common errors are too many built in floor to ceiling mirrors, different colors of paint or carpeting in every room, décor of too distinct a style such as, southwest, hawiian, English, etc.
Displays of personal collections everywhere. Whatever your style or hobbies, try not to let them overtake the home.