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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: House improvements--swimming pools
Message-ID: <1882@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 3-Oct-85 11:23:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.1882
Posted: Thu Oct  3 11:23:28 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Oct-85 07:20:55 EDT
References: <37@drutx.UUCP>
Reply-To: wmartin@brl-bmd.UUCP
Organization: USAMC ALMSA, St. Louis, MO
Lines: 43

In article <37@drutx.UUCP> slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) writes:
>
>What other "improvements" can detract from property values, and 
>which improvements are good ones to make?  Does anyone out there
>have any information on some? 
>                                     Sue Brezden

The subject is often mentioned in home-improvement how-to books and
suchlike handy-person's guides. As I recall, the main factor is the
general desirability of the feature -- if a lot of people want it, it
adds to the value; if only a few people want it, and especially if its
presence also decreases options or eats up space that could otherwise be
used, it reduces the market (as was mentioned on swimming pools), and
so either reduces the value, or simply means you would have to keep the
property on the market until one of the limited number of buyers that
want that feature, and is willing to pay for it, shows up.

The most desirable improvement, I believe, is kitchen modernization.
I actually wonder about that, since everybody wants something different
from a kitchen, and has their own desires and dreams of an "ideal
kitchen". I think you can make this be a detraction if you go to an
extreme, like a gourmet or cookbook writer installing professional
stoves, chinese-restaurant wok burners, huge professional refrigerators,
etc. If you keep in the "mainstream", though, it pays back something
over your investment (like 150% of the improvement cost added to your
home value). The "detractions" are figured as losses by comparing the
investment cost to the home-value increase, so they come up with figures
like 75% paid back, etc.

If it increases storage space, improves the appearance, or makes the
home more comfortable, it probably is an asset. If it adds to the
maintenance cost, is aimed at a limited-interest group (like installing
an observatory dome on your roof), or makes the home different  or
unusual when compared with the neighborhood norm, it probably will be a
debit.

Of course, if you plan on living the rest of your life somewhere, fix it
up the way you want. Who cares what problems your heirs might have. It's
your life, and you should live it the way you like best! Pay attention
to this sort of concern if you move a lot, or want to keep mobile for
job reasons.

Will


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