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Get More from the House You’re Stuck With

Posted Thursday, July 3, 2008

You want a bigger and better home. However, with the current housing market the way that it is, you might not be able to sell your house for what you want. There are homeowners that have spent billions of dollars renovating their homes during the better times. Many home investors see their renovations as necessary steps to increased home prices and a higher possibility of faster sales.

Why not take that concept and apply that to your home now? Rather than see home improvements as a way to appeal to your future seller, why not use home improvements to make you happier…right now! With home sales down almost 18% in just the past year, you probably will not make the right decision by putting your home on the market. However, you can make your existing home more sensational now to make your daily living enjoyable. With more and more home prices stagnating, homeowners are making their current homes the places they want to live rather than trade up to another place.

Give your home the features that it needs to improve value. You can have an upgraded bathroom or higher end kitchen installed in your home now to help with future house sale and daily living now. However, to enjoy the most from your home improvements, do not focus on the financial future growth, but instead concentrate on how much you are enjoying the changes.

What are the biggest complaints by current homeowners? You can address these common concerns to help your existing home situation. Of course, the first solution is to create a home extension on your home to make bigger rooms, kitchen, etc. Of course, this upgrade can be financially difficult. Many homeowners say they want at least a 30% increase in home value square footage size with their new home. If this is not possible, you can at least create the illusion of more space. Take off unneeded doors or install glass French doors in their place. Light the walls with brighter color paints or knock down a half wall. If your wall is not load bearing, it is decorative and able to disappear.

Removing a wall can vary in cost. You can pay as much as $4,500 and as little as $1,500. Load bearing walls will be the most difficult to move and will cost the most for your home. However, the end result could be the most dramatic and potentially convince you to stay in your home for longer than initially predicted.

Do you have wasted space or rooms that are infrequently used? Look at them in a new light and see if you can add them more efficiently into your current floor plan. Finish a basement or turn a sunroom into part of the living room. In addition, you can expect to recoup 75% of your costs and will add to your home value.

Just a few modern conveniences can turn around your bathroom or kitchen. Best of all, when it comes time to sell your home, the bathroom and kitchen upgrade will significantly help in the future sale of your home. Invest for yourself now and you can benefit with your sales in the future.

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