When you\u2019re shopping for a new home, it\u2019s natural to favor the more aesthetically-pleasing properties. However, cosmetic features are often decorative and trendy extras. Instead, you should base your decision on the underlying features and value of the home. This includes elements like the plumbing, wiring and roof of any potential home.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a home buyer, it is important that you focus on value over the bells and whistles that can distract from a home\u2019s drawback,\u201d advises Evan Roberts, a real estate agent with Dependable Homebuyers in Baltimore, MD. \u201cMany of these bells and whistles are inexpensive to replicate,\u201d he says. So you shouldn\u2019t pay more for them and you shouldn\u2019t base your homebuying decision on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
You shouldn\u2019t increase your offer based on bells and whistles. While you may like them, that doesn\u2019t mean the next homebuyer will. \u201cPaying for low value features will make re-selling difficult,\u201d according to Lucas Machado, president of Florida-based House Heroes. \u201cIf you need to move unexpectedly and suddenly, prospective buyers most likely will not assign a high value to low cost features that are already worn.\u201d As a result, he tells Freshome, you might end up selling for a loss, or you may be forced to become a landlord if the sale of your home won\u2019t cover the remaining mortgage balance.<\/p>\n
While you may have a list of \u201cmust-haves\u201d for your new home, it\u2019s important to be flexible, and consider the big picture. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to get caught up in the smaller details,\u201d warns J.B. Sassano, president of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company. \u201cBefore turning down a house because the faucets are out of date, consider which projects are quick fixes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plumbing fixtures<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking of faucets, let\u2019s start with sinks and plumbing fixtures. For example, a farmhouse (or apron-front) sink may set your heart aflutter. But are you really going to base the decision on whether to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home on a sink that costs hundreds of dollars?<\/p>\n Another \u201cmust have\u201d item for some is either a pull-down or touchless faucet. However, John Blackman, a realtor at Keller Williams\/Heart of Austin Homes Team, tells Freshome that you can purchase one of these sink faucets for $200 to $300.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking at a kitchen or bathroom with outdated hardware, don\u2019t let these cosmetic features be a deciding factor. \u201cUpdating your bathrooms and kitchens with new hardware, like door handles, switch plate covers, vent covers, cabinet knobs and pulls, towel racks and wall hooks, only require a traditional screwdriver, and the effects can really refresh a space,\u201d says Sassano.<\/p>\n Lighting<\/strong><\/p>\n Crystal chandeliers are all the rage right now, followed by pendant lights. But while they\u2019re fancy, you can choose from a dizzying array of these and other types of lights for just $100 to $200. So take the time you would spend admiring the light fixture to examine the electrical wiring behind it.<\/p>\n Crown molding<\/strong><\/p>\n Crown molding, chair railing, and other types of millwork add architectural detail to a home, but they shouldn\u2019t add to the price you\u2019re willing to pay for the home. At the time of publication, one home improvement store was advertising 3 feet of crown molding for $13.97. You can even use paint to make one-piece molding look like three-piece molding. This is one example of how some cosmetic features may not be what they appear.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s another example: \u201cA lot of builders will use MDF, or medium density fiberboard, but that material doesn\u2019t last very long,\u201d according to Seth Argo, president of Nashville-based luxury custom home developer Focus Builders. \u201cIt\u2019s also not as smooth as higher-quality alternatives and it doesn\u2019t allow for staining, though you can paint it,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Garage doors<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cFancy garage doors look great and add a sense of luxury, but don\u2019t cost much,\u201d notes Blackman. In fact, he says it\u2019s the #1 value add component for increasing the sales price, whether it\u2019s wood or painted to look like real wood. That\u2019s great news for sellers, and it\u2019s need-to-know information for buyers.<\/p>\n Custom kitchen cabinets<\/strong><\/p>\n Custom kitchen cabinets in the home you\u2019re considering may not even be custom kitchen cabinets. \u201cYou might think you\u2019re getting custom cabinetry, but they\u2019re really factory cabinets,\u201d warns Argo. He says it\u2019s standard for the majority of builders to use factory cabinets. \u201cSome of these cabinets might look nice from a distance, but they\u2019re actually mass-produced for cheap and then sold locally as custom cabinets.\u201d He recommends feeling the material of the cabinet and hardware to tell the difference.<\/p>\n But, suppose the house has old, outdated cabinets? Sassano says that replacing them can be costly. \u201cAs long as the cabinets are in good shape, new doors, new hardware or a fresh coat of paint can make them look like new,\u201d he adds. Again, it\u2019s the underlying quality of a home\u2019s features versus the style or cosmetic features you should consider.<\/p>\n Paint<\/strong><\/p>\n If the house is beautifully painted, Machado warns against being swayed by it. \u201cAlthough a freshly painted bright room is immediately appealing, walls may be marked up in a few months,\u201d he says. \u201cYou can also get a brand-new coat in your choice of color at minimum cost.\u201d He warns that wall paint degrades quickly and says it doesn\u2019t really add significant value to the property.<\/p>\n \u201cIn fact, fresh paint on basement floors and walls could be masking issues below the surface,\u201d according to Lance Marrs, principal broker at Living Room Realty in Portland Oregon. \u201cEven with fresh paint, a good nose can sniff out potential moisture issues not clearly visible to the eye,\u201d he explains. He recommends having your home inspector check for signs of water issues.<\/p>\n Staging<\/strong><\/p>\n There are two reasons why you shouldn\u2019t be swayed by the staging. \u201cThe staging will be gone at move-in, unless the offer is to include all the furniture and other items, which is sometimes possible, to be sure,\u201d says Michael Hausam of The Hausam Group at Shore Capital in Irvine, CA.<\/p>\n He also adds that a perfectly staged home is almost impossible to evaluate objectively.<\/p>\n What you should look for in a home<\/strong><\/p>\n So, what should you consider when buying a home? \u201cMajor items such as the roof, heating and cooling systems, patios, pools, electrical, and full green lawns are expensive and time-consuming to install or replace,\u201d says Muchado. \u201cBig ticket items add real property value and should be factored in to your decision and your offer,\u201d he advises.<\/p>\n Hausman recommends evaluating and rating the home in terms of its benefits rather than cosmetic features. \u201cFocusing on questions like \u2018Can I picture myself entertaining my friends in this kitchen\/backyard\/living room?\u2019 or \u2018Is this home a relative bargain?\u2019 can help you look past a particularly appealing staging job to determine if the house is really for you.\u201d Just remember to focus on the the home itself and not the easy-to-replace cosmetic features to make sure you find the right home.<\/p>\n