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According to Forbes data, the average home renovation costs $41,600, with project costs ranging from $1,200 to $82,000 depending on the size of the home and scope of work. While the goal of investing in home improvement projects is often to increase the value of your property, there are some features that may not be worth the initial cost when you sell your property in the future. List various home features that buyers aren't interested in.
Here are seven home features you should never invest in.
Turn your garage into a living space
“If you live at home, you may want to park your car in your driveway and turn that garage into a den, office, game room, man cave, or other special interest area.” says real estate agent Omar Reiner. He is also the President of FL Cash Home Buyers, LLC. “But most people think of a garage as a place to park their car.”
You might think that the prospective buyer wants more living space, but you can't make this assumption. Angi's research shows that garage renovations cost about $18,000 on average and don't increase the resale value of your home.
Elizabeth Dodson, real estate expert and co-founder of HomeZada, says, “For most buyers, a functional garage is a better choice than a specialized unit on a property with parking problems or no parking at all.'' is a bigger draw. A home without adequate parking can be a red flag for buyers, especially for families with multiple cars.”
You may find that many home buyers are looking for space for a car, so it's a good idea to check out similar properties in your community before investing in a garage conversion project.
“Before you put your home up for sale, convert the original garage back into a garage and let the buyer decide how they want to use the space,” Reiner says.
thank you!
Add an ADU to your property
An alternative dwelling unit (ADU) can be a good investment if you want to add a rental property to your home, but when you're ready to sell your home, this could be a feature that turns away potential buyers There is. According to Angi, the average cost to install any type of ADU on your property is $180,000, and there is no guarantee that you will see a return on this upfront investment.
Dodson noted that home fixtures that significantly alter the vehicle or storage space could pose a problem for the listing. “Some fitness-minded customers have converted their garages into workout spaces, which seemed like a good thing at first,” she added. “But they were struggling with the car situation, because adding shelving and other permanent features could create space issues and prevent them from bringing the car back into the equation. ”
luxury kitchen appliances
“Certain kitchen appliances, along with high-end cabinetry and flooring, can be a deal breaker if homebuyers think they'll have to pay a significantly higher price,” Dodson explained. “We have customers who invest in high-end appliances, but that doesn't translate well to buyers who are more interested in cooking, functionality, and ease of cleanup than brand name.”
According to a recent study by Remodeling Magazine, a major kitchen remodel can cost $79,982, but you'll only recoup 49.5% of the cost when you sell your home.
built-in shelf
Dodson noted that certain built-in shelving and entertainment systems can limit furniture configuration options. “One of our customers had a built-in microwave that stopped working. This model is discontinued and cannot be repaired, so we had to disassemble a large portion of the cabinet and replace it,” she says. added.
Buyers may be skeptical of home features such as built-in shelving, as they may change their plans or ideal configuration of a room. According to Fixr, solid wood shelving costs about $2,700, and you may have a hard time removing the shelving when you try to sell your home.
niche addition
Dodson said niche additions such as a gym, wine room or movie screening room are home features to avoid as they can make it difficult to sell the home.
Dodson noted that wine rooms and other niche additions can also take up valuable space. According to Fixr data, the average cost of adding a home gym is $13,500, so this may not be a profitable investment. Niche rooms should be kept generic so that buyers can easily set up something that suits them.
swimming pool
“Adding a pool may be considered a negative by some homeowners because it requires maintenance,” Dodson says. Pools are known to require a lot of maintenance, which can be a deal breaker for many homebuyers who don't want the additional expense.
Angi said the average cost to install an inground pool is $65,709, so it may be difficult to get that money back. The pool can also be a safety issue for families with small children.
landscaping work
“When selling a home, you can expect to spend some time organizing the property, but you can also spend thousands of dollars on landscaping styling,” said Al Ruggie, real estate expert and marketing director at ASAP Restoration LLC. “Even if we invest, we won't fully recover the costs of this approach.” “The lawn needs to be mowed, weeds pulled, and unruly trees and branches cleared out, but this space also needs to be redoped with sidewalks, hardscaped, plumbing, and more. Please refrain from adding.
A common reason to avoid investing in this home equipment is that people prefer to do these renovations themselves when buying a home. The average cost of a landscaping project is $3,525, so you can save some money, especially considering you may not get your investment back on the sale price.
