When making home improvements, Do you consider what will happen when you Sell?

[JanetRose]

One of my co-workers made the comment that I should think about what a prospect buyer would like if and when I sold my house in making a color decision in painting my kitchen. Do people usually think about ‘what if I sell’ when they make home improvements? IF I wanted to paint a room black (which I Don't), I would because it would be what I wanted but at the same time, I would understand that I would have to repaint if I ever did decide to sell.

 

[Aneille]

One of my co-workers made the comment that I should think about what a prospect buyer would like if and when I sold my house in making a color decision in painting my kitchen. Do people usually think about ‘what if I sell’ when they make home improvements? If I wanted to paint a room black, I would because it would be what I wanted but at the same time, I would understand that I would have to repaint if I ever did decide to sell.

With overall color scheme's/choices of counter-top things like that I do, but with paint no. Basically anything that would be expensive or too time consuming to change I think about. But I am living here and I don't plan on moving so there is no sense on me thinking too much about it.

I am not in a rush to sell my home so if I paint it black because I wanted to, I would just re-paint if I had to.

 

[Lynn CC]

Paint on the Walls is a farily easy task, so why not live with what you want! The new buyers will most likely change any colors on the walls to suit their taste anyways. I have Hot Pink in my bedroom with all white furniture and fixtures, and I love it, I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't though. I love waking up in that room, so why not paint your walls black if you like it? What color accessories are you putting with the back? Just Curious!

 

[Kermit]

We do think about things like that, but we never planned on living in our house for a very long time. We have our house up for sale now after having lived here for 6 years. I'm actually surprised we lived here that long. We did paint and decorate, but we went with colors that we thought most people would like.

 

[JanetRose]

I was just using black as an example! I'm painting my kitchen a bagel color and a darker yellow - I wanted 'fall' colors.

 

[C.Ann]

Paint can always be changed.. It's things like adding on - or eliminating a bedroom - and things of that nature that would need to be considered..

I say go for whatever colors you want!

 

[chrissyk]

Since paint is so easily and cheaply changed, I would not consider resale when choosing paint colors. However, for things like flooring, cabinets, counters, and more expensive items like that, we definitely consider resale before making our final selection.

 

[Martha7]

We move often, so we've always had to keep in mind what will appeal to other people. Be careful with the black paint. My DH used to paint houses in college, and he cringes when he sees rooms done in very dark shades. He shakes his head and says, "So you know how many coats it'll take to get rid of that color?!" I had one friend who had the luxury of knowing that her DH would never be transferred, (he owned his own business), and she brought in a woman to do really elaborate faux painting in her house. It was gorgeous, but I remember thinking that we could never justify the expense, since the next person may or may not care for it and it was very expensive!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

paint -- no. We have always had to repaint when we have listed a house anyway because we have children and fingerprints.


We just redid a bathroom though and I definately kept it in mind when picking out countertops, tile, and fixtures.

 

[EthansMom]

We always take into consideration having to sell the house later. In fact, we thought about getting additional insulation put into the attic this fall, but have no idea if we'll be in the house long enough to get the $2000 back in reduced electric bills. We certainly wouldn't be able to sell our house for more money if we had more insulation in the attic, so we opted to hold off for at least another year on insulation.

We've owned our last two houses for less than 3 years each.

 

[punkin]

I don't think paint is an issue because it is so eacy (and cheap) to change. I have a hot pink bedroom and a dark blue bedroom for my girls because that's what they wanted. However, I did remodel and got rid of one bedroom in order to make a large master suite with bath. That one, I thought about long and hard (decided to do it anyway because I still have 4 BR)

 

[crz4mm2]

I'm not planning on moving-ever, so I really don't think about it. That said, I did want to expand the Bath and take out the spare bedroom and make it one huge bathroom. The carpenter talked me out of it by saying 'if you ever do want to sell, this house will sell better with 3 bedrooms'. So I left the spare bedroom and turned it into a walkin closet
I would love to have a huge bath with a whirlpool tub though......
I don't think about paint though. Its a fairly simple thing to repaint. And as far as tile, fixtures etc, I don't think about that either. I get what I like.

 

[poohbear1029]

We do, but only because we're military and move frequently. Once we retire and settle into a house, its ours baby!!!

 

[wld]

We're planning on living here a long while so all our remodeling has only been based on what we like. Paint, I would never consider at all

 

[mtemm]

we move every couple of years right now (we are in the process of our 4th move in 4 years actually) so yes, when we paint or do anything its with resale in mind. If I were settled in longer, probably not so much. Although with the big things...countertops, etc, yeah, I'd still probably have it in the back of my mind. Paint is too easy to change to stop me from buying a house or hopefully selling a house.

 

[sha_lyn]

I know someone who is selling their home and had the rooms painted in designer colors, and very nicely decorated. They were told to paint over everything with a neutral color so that perspective buyers could imagine their own stuff in the room. Now their stuff looks out of place against the eggshell colored walls. She was also told to get ride of everything on the kitchen counter (toaster, coffee maker etc) and to burn a candle that smelled like she was baking something in the kitchen.

If we all lived as if our homes were about to go on the market I don't think we would actually feel like we were living in our own homes.

Anyway my point is live in your hoem the way you want to live. If you ever have to sell, then you can worry about getting it ready to put on the market. It is like when I told my uncle that a subdivision was going in behind our house. He said "great your property value will go up". I asked what was so great about increased taxes, increased traffic and increased noise." I bought my house to live in, not to turn around and sell for a profit.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Do people usually think about ‘what if I sell’ when they make home improvements? If I wanted to paint a room black, I would because it would be what I wanted but at the same time, I would understand that I would have to repaint if I ever did decide to sell.

We do. I hate painting and we are lucky to get it done once.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Nope...never enters my head what others will think....its my home and I'll decorate/renovate the way I choose----if I ever try to sell the buyers can make the changes. Until then I want to feel comfortable in my own space, to me repainting is not expensive or something that would deter me from making my home the way I wish it to be......in other words I don't care what others think of my decorating skills within my home

 

[rhanditresmom]

Yes, we did. We built our house 8 years ago and went with a very neutral scheme thru the whole house. We have painted the kids room, but they are easy to re-do. We are thinking of selling right now, I'm glad I went with neutral!

 

[mtemm]

I know someone who is selling their home and had the rooms painted in designer colors, and very nicely decorated. They were told to paint over everything with a neutral color so that perspective buyers could imagine their own stuff in the room. Now their stuff looks out of place against the eggshell colored walls. She was also told to get ride of everything on the kitchen counter (toaster, coffee maker etc) and to burn a candle that smelled like she was baking something in the kitchen.

see, now that candle would chase me out of a house faster than any paint color. In fact, I like walking into a nicely decorated, not necessarily neutral, house, as long as it is not wallpaper. but scented candles and air fresheners just smell bad to me and I tend to not spend much time in homes that burn them. go ahead and bake, that works for me, but don't light that cookie scented candle. ick.

according to my realtors about 50/50 split for those who react like I do.