8 reasons to remodel

Empower homeowners to make the best decision on whether they should move or remodel their homes.

October, 2006

8 REASONS TO REMODEL

Remodeling, in a word, is fun a lot of fun. Remodeling can be very rewarding and enjoyable, especially a year after the work is done. It may not be a lot of fun while in progress, but a remodel can be a very satisfying experience. What makes all the pain, suffering, and expense fun? The self-expression and control that you get when you undertake a remodeling project.

You'll get exactly the home you want. An advantage of remodeling is you most likely will end up with a home that more closely fits your needs than if you move. If you move, you will have to envision yourself living in one of 5-10 homes that best meet your requirements at the time you are house-hunting. It is unlikely that any 'one' house is ideal. Each will require you to make a variety of compromises such as the neighborhood, the yard, the floor plan; the list goes on and on.

You like the neighborhood and neighbors Not all neighborhoods are created equal. Some have large mature trees, sidewalks, large front yards, and stately homes with well-kept yards. Other neighborhoods have few trees, cars parked in the front yards, and a highway behind the back fence. If you like the neighborhood you are in, then that is a powerful reason to stay and remodel and improve your home.

You can avoid buyer's remorse. Remodeling a home is a lengthy process that requires months to complete. Almost everyone who remodels his or her home is happy with the results. They may not have enjoyed the process or the cost, and may not have been satisfied with the contractor, but the result is most often what they wanted. This is because someone who is remodeling a home is only changing one thing: the house. They are not changing the neighborhood, the yard or the schools just the house.

Remodeling can be a good investment. If your home is medium to small for your neighborhood, is in need of improvements, and your additions are appropriate in style and quality for the house, then remodeling could be a good investment. If you manage the costs well, it is very reasonable to expect that the value these improvements add to your home will be greater than the cost of the remodel.

You like your yard. Many older homes are blessed with mature trees, a large lot, and years of landscaping efforts. If you are fortunate enough to live in a home with a yard that you love, then it may be difficult to find a home with a yard that you like as much. As you look at homes that you may be interested in buying, don't underestimate the cost and time required to take a yard that is no more than dirt and weeds and turn it into your dream garden.

You may now live in an older part of town that is close to your work, around the corner from downtown, and with a view of the mountains in the distance. While you like the location, you have dreams of living in a new larger house with high ceilings, an expansive entry and a gourmet kitchen. A choice is to move to a new home that offers all of the styling and features you are looking for. But the new homes in your city may be miles away in the middle of a cornfield that was turned into a subdivision a few weeks earlier.

You like your home's floor plan. How the rooms are positioned in a home the floor plan has a big impact on how you can use the rooms and how you feel about your home. If your current home has a floor plan that you like a large kitchen with morning sun; an out-of-the-way spot where you can read a book without being interrupted; perfect-sized bedrooms (small ones for the children or a den and a big one for you); a great place for a Christmas tree or a grand piano it may be hard to replace these features when you move to a new house.

Thanks,