Everyone is spending more time at home right now, leading many of us to begin home improvement projects that we might not otherwise have thought of or had time for. While you definitely should make your home comfortable and suitable for your lifestyle, if you have any intention of selling your home at a later date, there are certain changes you probably shouldn’t make, as they will lower your home’s value rather than increase it. What may sound like a fantastic idea for you could be a deal breaker for a potential buyer later on. Here are some improvements to avoid.
Removing a Bedroom
If a smaller and rarely used secondary bedroom abuts your master bedroom, perhaps you’ve thought of what an awesome walk-in-closet and dressing room or sitting room it could be if you only knocked out a wall or two. You may be thinking that this owner’s retreat oasis would add significant value to your home, but if you now have a three bedroom home in a neighborhood of four and five bedroom homes, yours may now be seen as unsuitable the families with young kids who are looking for plentiful bedrooms.
Converting a Garage
Buyers want an attached two or three car garage when they look for a home. That is just a fact of real estate that won’t be changing anytime soon. So no matter how much money you spend on a professional renovation to transform your garage into a home gym, theater room, bedroom or studio, you will not see a return on this investment when you go to sell your house. In fact, you may see many prospective buyers refuse to even look at your home because it doesn’t contain one of the most important items they are looking for. If resale doesn’t concern you, go ahead with your transformation. If you do have selling your home in mind down the line, think about your other options for how to work the room you need into the space you have without sacrificing your garage.
Removing a Bathtub
Bathroom upgrades can add a lot of value to your home, but only if they are done with common needs and wants in mind. Replacing a combination bathtub and shower with a larger walk-in shower may seem like a great fit for your guest suite or basement bathroom, but families with young children almost always prefer a bathtub to a large luxury shower. This upgrade is perfect for a master bathroom, but unlikely to help your home’s value when done in secondary bathrooms.
Themed Children’s Bedrooms
A giant mural on the wall, clouds painted on the ceiling, cartoon character wallpaper – all of these design elements may seem like a great idea for your child’s room, but if you have any prospects of selling your home on the horizon, skip the over-personalization of the kids bedrooms. Even if your neighborhood tends to beckon to families with young children, there are no guarantees that the themed rooms you choose for your home will match the age, gender and interests of the children of prospective buyers. A simple paint scheme is easy to change, but many people have a hard time picturing their own furniture and design preferences in a room with detailed murals and wallpaper.
Your best bet with any home renovation, is the decide how long you truly plan to be in your current home, and weigh the costs of the change against the hit you could take to your selling price later.