Though you may place a considerable dollar value on the view, future buyers may not be so like-minded. It may take you longer to find a buyer when it comes time to resell the house. Or you may end up dropping your price to more nearly match other sales prices in the neighborhood.
In short, if you are buying a house with a view, try to pay as little extra as possible. Otherwise, you might not get your money back.
Most real homes today are usually concentrated on the building itself but the lot is important too. Homes with a good resale value should have lots that are as level as possible.
Assuming the property is in a typical neighborhood, the lot should be rectangular and no odd shaped lots or oddly situated lots.
Courtyard sizes are smaller in modern homes than in older homes but there should still be a decently sized front and back yard.
Do not buy an over-landscaped property either. You would normally pay a premium for that which you may not be able to recover when you sell. You will get your best value if the house is moderately landscaped or under-landscaped for the area.
You can always perk up the landscaping during your ownership by humanizing the grass and adding bushes and trees. Just do not waste too much.
In each residential neighborhood houses will vary in size and rooms but they should not be too different. If resale value is an important consideration you should not buy the largest model in the neighborhood.
When determining market value the homes nearest to yours are most important. If most of the nearby houses are smaller than your house they can act as a drag on appreciation.
On the other hand, if you buy a small or medium house for the neighborhood, the larger homes can help pull up your value. This is one of those times where determining your "wants" versus your "needs" can be extremely important.
Buying what you need in a more prestigious neighborhood may provide more financial reward than getting what you want in a less desirable neighborhood.
Three and four bedroom houses are the most popular among homebuyers, so if you can stick in that range you will have more potential buyers when it comes time to resell.
There ought to always be at least two bathrooms in a house, preferably at least two and a half. One bathroom with a place to wash up for day-to-day visitors, one for the master bedroom, and at least one to be shared by the other bedrooms.
Walk-in closets are extremely desirable for the master bedroom. For the rest of the house, just be sure there is ample closet space. Do not disregard space for linens and towels.
Garages add to the resale value and you should always make sure to get at least a two-car garage. Lately, three-car garages have become desirable in some areas of the country.
The laundry facilities should be located somewhere convenient on the main floor of the house, but not in a place it will create an eyesore. Think about whether you want to walk up and down stairs when carrying loads of laundry.
Family activity centers on the kitchen, so this is the most important room of the house. Larger kitchens are better, and they should be provided with modern appliances.
Obviously, the dining room and breakfast nook should be located adjacent to the kitchen. In newer houses, the family room should also be extremely close to the kitchen.
There should be easy access to the back yard, as there will be occasions for barbecues and outdoor entertaining.
In addition, it should be a short trek between the garage to the kitchen so hauling groceries in from the car does not become a horrendous chore.
Swimming pools do not provide as much added value as they once did. Safety issues about families with younger children have become more publicized than in the past, so families with small children tend to avoid homes with pools.
As a result, having a pool may actually reduce the number of potential homebuyers when you try to resell the home.
1) Lawn-care/landscaping. A lot of people overlook this one. A green lawn is a plus. A weedy, crabgrass filled lawn will detract from your homes presentability and value. Its not hard to green your lawn (use a weed & feed and apply it to the whole lawn - $20-$30). It will take a few weeks and will yield a major improvement. Have the lawn professionally cut (they will edge your lawn, remove weeds, etc... for $30 or so per session) - it shows you care and cared for your house. Well placed shrubs, trees, and flowers can make the ugliest home inviting. They can also hide shortcomings, misaligned panels, meters, hoses, pipes, and other out yard detriments and annoyances.
2) Paint/pressure washing the exterior. Many times the outside will brighten up with just a quick pressure washing (average $100-$150). This will remove dirt, cobwebs, some stains, mildew, etc... If there is more left when done you will need to repaint the exterior (average $500-$2000). This is more expensive, but will definitely brighten up your house and make it more marketable.
3) Driveway. Look at your driveway. Does it have oil stains, spots, look aged? Revitalize it. A good pressure washing will help most driveways. For stubborn oil stains and spots spray a mixture of 10-30% muriatic acid on the concrete wait one minute then pressure wash off. This will remove the most stubborn stains better than anything else. Be careful not to spray the acid on your lawn or let the over-spray from pressure washing get on the lawn (it will kill your grass and turn it yellow fast).
4) Entrance-way. If you don't have a decorative glass door, get one. They are easily installed (goes on in front of your front door) and greatly dress up or finish a well kept house - they give it that finished touch. Also a few nicely trimmed potted plants, decorative plants and shrubs will add that welcoming and cozy feeling. Remember 95% of all home buying purchases are heavily influenced by a woman. Make them feel at home and you will get a much higher price and return for just a little work and a little money - well worth it.
5) Inside paint and trim work. This is a must. Have the interior repainted along with the trim work. Little dings, marks, scuffs, do detract from your homes value. Pick or stay with neutral colors. For free expert advice call your local realtor and ask them what sells (colors, etc...). They will be glad to tell you as you may become a client for them.
6) Make sure your appliances that are staying with the house all work.
Women are prone to try out appliances in the kitchen. Replace any mismatched appliances and upgrade to stay in tune with your neighborhood. Do not out price your neighborhood or you will risk throwing away money. Your realtor can best help you here as to whether you should go with granite, tile, formica and similar questions.
7) Useable space. Take that attic or extra closet and turn it into a bathroom or extra room if it is feasible. Remember the rule - square footage equals money. The more useful room you have the more you will get.
8) Carpets. Have them professionally cleaned and replaced if necessary. Potential buyers will be looking with the mindset of how much money and time they will have to put in to make it liveable and homelike. The more you help them, the better off you will be. There's nothing like a stained carpet to bring down your value and deter buyers. Don't just try the cover up method. These spots will come out when the buyer does their preclosing inspection - and don't think they won't.
9) Have your home inspected. Have the foundation, roof, plumbing, etc... checked out. By having the results of a positive inspection in hand for potential buyers it shows that you know you have a good, well cared for house. The buyers will be willing to pay more for your house. Also have it inspected for pests, ants,and other insects.
There you have it 9 steps that will guarantee a much higher resale value of any house in any area or neighborhood.
Both Karen O'donnell & David Maillie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Karen O'donnell has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Selling Real Estate Guide is available as a FREE 5 part ecourse at . Karen ODonnell provides information on the subject if. Karen O'donnell's top article . to your Favourites.
David Maillie has sinced written about articles on various topics from Skin Care, Hair Styles and Wrinkles. David Maillie holds numerous patents including his recently awarded patent for headlight repair, cleaner and restorer. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: