Selling your home? Toronto Real Estate Agent, Nina Timoshyna, gives you some tips about ten most useless home improvements that don’t help to sell your home. Don’t make costly mistakes and listen to what the GTA real estate expert says.
It makes lots of sense to renovate your house to sell it faster for the price you want. But some home improvement projects cost more than they are worth and might even lower the value of your property. Let’s take a look at some of the worst home improvements so you don’t throw your money away and slowdown the selling process.
Don’t do home improvement #1 – Backyard Swimming Pool
Digging up your backyard to put a beautiful pool that will make buyers flock to your home? But many families don’t want to deal with the costly maintenance and be concerned about kid’s safety. It is an especially bad investment in the areas like Toronto and the GTA, where you have only a few hot months to actually use a pool.
Don’t do home improvement #2 – Convert a Bedroom
It’s a big risk to turn a bedroom into a room that is specific to your interests and needs, such as a library or a bar. They may not want to spend money renovating that room.
Don’t do home improvement #3 – Making One Big Room out of Two Small Bedrooms
Keep in mind that most families prefer to have an extra bedroom.
Don’t do home improvement #4 – Carpet Installation
Hardwood flooring is what everyone wants these days. So, don’t bother carpeting your house. Natural wood floors are easier to clean, they are more durable, they look great, they don’t show as much dirt as carpet, and they are much better for those who suffer from allergies. If you are looking for a budget solution, try engineered wood which is cheaper than 100% natural wood and still looks good.
Don’t do home improvement #5 – Sophisticated Landscaping
Lots of people are not ready to spend their time and money to maintain the sophisticated landscaping just because they are not too much into gardening and prefer home grown tomatoes to exotic plant.
Don’t do home improvement #6 – Backyard Hot Tub Jacuzzi
The main drawback of the backyard Jacuzzi is maintenance: you need to clean the cover and wipe the exterior regularly; add a scoopful of about 6-8 different chemicals to ensure the pH is right; periodically, drain the tub and spraying down the filters with a strong water hose. Jacuzzi may increase health risk and not suitable for everyone. Poorly maintained hot tubs are a prime area for bacterial growth. The question is: for how many people it’s rather a liability than an asset? Are they willing to spend money for removing it in case they don’t want it?
Don’t do home improvement #7 – Installation of ornate lighting, modern expensive appliances, kitchen cabinets
Buyers like modern appliances and bright lighting, but if you empty your wallet buying a cream of the crop chandelier, more likely, it will be waste of money. A new owner may have their own ideas and dreams about decorating their sweet home. Nina recommends getting a new but basic hanging fixture from Home Depot that look good for under $100 and thoroughly clean the appliances you already have.
Don’t do home improvement #8 – Redo Your Garage
Some people turned their garages into play rooms or workshops. As an experienced real estate sales representative, Nina Timoshyna has seen her clients having a hard time selling their houses because of that. “Buyers want a garage to stay a garage,” says Nina. Very often they also need a place to put lawnmowers, leaf blowers, shovels and garbage cans there.
Don’t do home improvement #9 – Painting the Walls in Bright Colours
Painting interior walls is the easiest way to freshen up your house. But don’t paint the walls in red, green, violet or any other “fashionable” colour. Beige colour is always the best (but you can call it “cream rose”)
Don’t do home improvement #10 – Extraordinary House Layout
Potential buyers may not be ready to get the house with the glass-walls bathroom in the middle of the open concept living area.
Nina Timoshyna highlighted specific renovations that you should not spend your hard earned dollars for.
If you want to sell your home fast, then before starting a staging project for your property ask Nina to weigh the pros and cons of it.
By Nina Timoshyna, Right at Home Realty Inc., Brokerage
- 416-274-7367
- ntimoshyna@hotmail.com
