Again, I'm seeking free opinions from you young'ens

[Spiky Bugger]

Age is a big part of this...so y'all beware!!

My cousin called today and we talked about this. She is a 73-year-old widow who lives alone...can't reach the top shelves in cabinets anymore. And the bottom ones aren't all that easy on her back.

My husband, especially, cannot deal with open concept...even more so with tile floors...because of hearing issues.

Meanwhile, my knees and hips are promising to boycott homes on concrete slab foundations.

And, while you're at it, make sure your (or your parents') bathroom doors open OUT...when elderly people fall, as they are wont to do, in a small bathroom, their floor-bound bodies block the door. If it's an inside bath, with no windows, rescue folks have to create A LOT of damage to get in and help that person.


ETA...pocket doors are not easy for people in wheelchairs (center of gravity issues), so they are not really ADA-recommended, but that's what we put in our newer bathroom. That door will open even with a body on the floor.

 

[marissamast]

DH was an apprsiser. He says pantry and kitchen, bathroom remodels with high end floors and counters have the best chance for upping resale price
I wouldnt want my kitchen open to the living area. Don't MAKE me do dishes every day! Lol.

 

[Sandy]

I think it depends on how open or how closed the layout is. My mother's home was a mid-century tract home and I hated how closed off all the rooms were. On the other hand, I agree with @marissamast about all that openness that requires that my kitchen be perfectly cleaned in order to use the other living areas. I'll take something in between - kind of like what I currently have. Your home looks like a mix between the two with a decent flow if one were to entertain. The pantry idea is a good one though.

 

[newanatomy]

If you are not a young'en, you fake it really well!!

I am a 48 year old grandma, can't be considered a young'en. I can still have fun though, right?!

By the way, I have two pantries in my house. I turned the formal living room into a formal dining room and the formal dining room into a huge pantry. I also have a large walk-in pantry in my kitchen. You can never have enough storage space when you are a foodie!!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I am a 48 year old grandma, can't be considered a young'en. I can still have fun though, right?!

By the way, I have two pantries in my house. I turned the formal living room into a formal dining room and the formal dining room into a huge pantry. I also have a large walk-in pantry in my kitchen. You can never have enough storage space when you are a foodie!!

I was 20 when you were born, Granny!

LOL

ETA...the trampy girls in my HS class (of 1963...I was a quite young grad) have kids five years older than you!

 

[k9ophile]

ones with those gawdawful "open concept" floor plans
I like the way you think! The house I grew up in had a huge living room, the house's only bathroom, and a tiny kitchen on the first floor. The bedrooms were on the second and I shared with my sister. I refuse to live in house without somewhere to be alone or have two bathrooms.

 

[DianaCox]

When we bought our 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in 2000 (after renting for a year), and more people ended up living with us than originally expected, the first thing Charles did was to build the pool house (adding a bedroom and 3/4 bath). He then divided the main hall bath, which inexplicably had a tub with a shower, AND an adjoining (too-small) shower stall, into a bathroom that ended at the point where the tub and shower met, opened the wall on the opposite side which opened to the hall, and turned the shower stall and space in front of it into a powder room. That gave us 4 toilets. Then he built a 3/4 bath in the basement, making us a 5 toilet house. That is just barely enough, given that at times we have 6 people here (the sixth person uses a potty chair, so it is in fact no problem at all ).

 

[Dave0168]

As a contractor, this,

I'd ask what people who are moving to YOUR neighborhood are looking for - and your realtor should know the answer to that. There may be some who are snowbirds from the midwest who still like more separated spaces.

and this,

DH was an apprsiser. He says pantry and kitchen, bathroom remodels with high end floors and counters have the best chance for upping resale price.

are the best answers.

I run into people asking my advice as to what they should do to their house frequently. What I tell them is if you are STAYING in the house, remodel it the way YOU want it and do not worry about the resale (as long as it is relatively updated and in good condition). Most people who buy will have plans already in their head as to the renovations they will make either immediately or down the road.

Now, if you are renovating to sell, again I tell people to proceed cautiously with their plans. Interior renovations (even kitchen and bathrooms) IMHO do not go as far in curb appeal as items like facade updates or new windows and roofs. These are things most people do not want to have to update or change (unless they are already planning on a huge renovation/addition). They are going to want to use their leftover money from the purchase for making the changes to the interior of the house (cabinets/counters, bath renovations, etc). If you have a 40 y/o kitchen or bath then yes this is going to increase purchase price (I think the norm is about 80-90% ROI on kitchens and 70-80% on bathrooms).

Remember, you can never really plan a renovation for the tastes of a potential buyer. Yours and theirs will never be the same.

Just my .02, hope it helps.

 

[DianaCox]

My husband the contractor pretty much agrees with all of the above.

Charles added: "With the amount of foreclosures and short sales with which you are competing in the LV area, upscaling the house now - in addition to you not being able to guess your buyer's exact wishlist - is not going to be cost-effective, and will put you through stress you don't need."

He said: "I was in your house. I saw it - it is as good as it needs to be to sell it right now (notwithstanding the weirdo cabinet - which your buyer MIGHT find interesting, and let them change it out if they don't)." [And that was before your bathroom upgrades and completion of the front of the house and backyard.]

Charles also said: "If you bring a realtor in who says 'you should upgrade/change this or that' - I guarantee that the next thing out of their mouths will be 'and I have someone who will do a great job for you.'"

And he also said: "All you have to do is ask, and I will drive the RV there, park in front of your house (which should have the added benefit of annoying the **** out of your neighbor across the street) and I'll fix it for you. And give you the brother-in-law discount too (retail plus 10% - or 20% if you hang around and kibbitz)."

 

[Spiky Bugger]

My husband the contractor pretty much agrees with all of the above.

Charles added: "With the amount of foreclosures and short sales with which you are competing in the LV area, upscaling the house now - in addition to you not being able to guess your buyer's exact wishlist - is not going to be cost-effective, and will put you through stress you don't need."

He said: "I was in your house. I saw it - it is as good as it needs to be to sell it right now (notwithstanding the weirdo cabinet - which your buyer MIGHT find interesting, and let them change it out if they don't)." [And that was before your bathroom upgrades and completion of the front of the house and backyard.]

Charles also said: "If you bring a realtor in who says 'you should upgrade/change this or that' - I guarantee that the next thing out of their mouths will be 'and I have someone who will do a great job for you.'"

And he also said: "All you have to do is ask, and I will drive the RV there, park in front of your house (which should have the added benefit of annoying the **** out of your neighbor across the street) and I'll fix it for you. And give you the brother-in-law discount too (retail plus 10% - or 20% if you hang around and kibbitz)."

Aren't you the people who were amused by the "high" asking price of tbe house across the street? The house that sold in about 20 seconds for more tban $100k OVER that asking price? So...while I absolutely trust MOST of your advice, I'm still aiming for a higher number here! Play along with my fantasies...a little! LOL



Broker (by request and she knows we have our own handy-dude) and Appraiser (who just likes us and wanted to help) and Almost-Contractor (the homophobic gay guy) were here today. Consensus:

1--for less than $2k, the master bath can be turned into a MUCH more desirable product...and would likely give close to 100% ROI...or more...mostly because the Henry the Homeowner DIY conversions in this neighborhood all look bizarre...and my shower has two drains because a toilet used to be there. See what I mean? It's LEGAL, but it's weird. It demands explaining and that's never good.

2--for less than $1k, the kinky media center with hidden porn stashing place can be converted to a nice walk-in pantry. As it was, it also demanded an explanation and that explanation reminded people that the house is old and some stuff is out of date. In fact, the walls are down now and the new sheetrock will go in tomorrow. Turns out, there used to be a wet bar in there. Who knew?

3--I get that the neighborhood will only support so much in terms of price...ON THE OTHER HAND...a 1400 sq ft 2-bed/2-ba house sold a few months ago for over 25% more per sq ft than any other house in the area*, including similarly situated properties. Very well staged. Golf course adjacent...but 25%!?!? It reminded me of the house down the street from you. It just takes one person who has always wanted a pantry...and we're pretty much the only choice in the area. (Meaning close to the strip, close to off-strip shopping, pretty darn good schools.) We don't need buyers like us...or like you...because we don't mind playing musical walls. We heed people who will say, "Well, new roof, new skylight that closes itself when it rains, completely redone pool and spa that have not yet been used, new variable speed pool filter, two new bathrooms, new driveway, zero maintenance landscaping, new reverse osmosis water system, new kitchen sink...and a pantry...hmmm...I guess we can live with that fireplace tile, because that redo is all it needs!" (Not true...it could really use new flooring, new windows and maybe a more powerful pool heater. And depending on the buyer, upgraded electrical in the garage. But those are neither urgent nor all that obvious.)

I've got to go pack some more stuff. Mr. Sue is threatening that if your RV pulls up, he will tell the crazy lady that Charles is from the Yard Sale Police.


* I would be happy with the price they got...we have 4 bdrms, 2 baths and pool and spa, plus 500 more square feet. That's not greedy. NO, IT ISN'T!!!!!!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

As a contractor, this,


and this,


are the best answers.

I run into people asking my advice as to what they should do to their house frequently. What I tell them is if you are STAYING in the house, remodel it the way YOU want it and do not worry about the resale (as long as it is relatively updated and in good condition). Most people who buy will have plans already in their head as to the renovations they will make either immediately or down the road.

Now, if you are renovating to sell, again I tell people to proceed cautiously with their plans. Interior renovations (even kitchen and bathrooms) IMHO do not go as far in curb appeal as items like facade updates or new windows and roofs. These are things most people do not want to have to update or change (unless they are already planning on a huge renovation/addition). They are going to want to use their leftover money from the purchase for making the changes to the interior of the house (cabinets/counters, bath renovations, etc). If you have a 40 y/o kitchen or bath then yes this is going to increase purchase price (I think the norm is about 80-90% ROI on kitchens and 70-80% on bathrooms).

Remember, you can never really plan a renovation for the tastes of a potential buyer. Yours and theirs will never be the same.

Just my .02, hope it helps.

Almost 40-year-old...and really bad DIY " improvements. See my response to the RV lady. (Diana)

 

[bearmom]

As someone stuck in and endless procession of home buying, selling and renting to others, I'm forever amazed at what stupid **** people go crazy for when they walk into a house, and it's often something that makes them go "WOW" the second they enter that makes that huge financial decision for them. (ask me when you go to sell to borrow my $398K silk pillows. PILLOWS). Sorry, I derailed.

The open concept is a wow for lots of people (me too, although I'm not in the "youngun" group) BUT I'd take proper storage like a pantry over all else so I'm not looking at all the crap I've collected over the years. Doors to closets and storage are not an attractive wow, and the pantry may fall into that group. That may be an old person thing. I've lived long enough to place high value on storage and not looking and decades of accumulated clutter, but younger buyers? Maybe not as much bang for the buck with a pantry, but it's hard to go wrong with kitchen upgrades.

Most of our newer rentals have a pantry, and there is one house that the pantry itself actually gets comments. It has leaded glass doors that are not totally clear (because really, no one should have to look at all that) but light does shine through from the inside when the kitchen lights are on but stays on a low setting unless you open the door and then if fully bright. That pantry bridges the gap a little bit between practical and wow.

I guess pantries and closets aren't sexy, so I tell myself that anyone that doesn't value them above all else doesn't deserve a nice house.

 

[bearmom]

Oh god, I LOATHE closed off rooms! Since I was a kid I hated that about my parents' house as opposed to houses of other family members. I always hated feeling like we were all in separate spaces whenever it was a holiday or there was a party, no one could ever be all together. I know not everyone feels this way, but it's wayyyyyy more common for people to want open floor plans now. Hubby and I made up he HGTV drinking game a while back and you have to drink whenever they say "reclaimed wood", "subway tiles", "granite countertops", "hardwood floors" or "open floor plan"

LOL, We often enjoy a porter while watching HGTV. We are going to play your game!

 

[Charris]

Personally I like rooms. If I want to be doing my Thang I want to be able to have privacy of not having everyone in the same room. I like everyone to stay in their room/space especially since when I go home 5 minutes later I'm in my night gown. So I want that freedom of not having to feel all confined to standards. Do like my old lady see through night gown keep ya butt out my space. Lol big open space rooms are for entertaining. If you can't tell I'm a grump and don't encourage visitors especially univited ones! Then I have to put some clothes on bah hum bug!

 

[DianaCox]

Charles remodeled our living room, dining room and kitchen to open concept starting in 2010, taking down walls that defined a central hallway that ran alongside the central courtyard - it was a badly needed improvement that made the tiny kitchen big enough for a huge island with a sink, and merged the wasted space of the closed off foyer with the dining room. But in the back, we closed off a section of hallway to incorporate it our master suite, along with the middle tiny bedroom to define "our" private space better. If it weren't for the damn cats (who need to be with us at night, so we can't keep the door closed) we could have complete privacy in our suite (given that there are two other people living in the house/poolhouse, sometimes my daughter's b/f stays with her in the poolhouse, my son lives in the basement, and 2-3 days a week, my stepdaughter is in the guestroom with or without her daughter, and they are planning to move here full time in a couple of months). The poolhouse is private, and so is the basement, so mostly they just leave me alone.

Come to think of it, our RV is the only place we have REAL privacy. And that includes from each other - the RV is big enough that we can be in different rooms, watching different TV stations or DVDs. There even almost a door I can close. ;-)

(Speaking of which, we brought Sallie home from the storage area this evening, preparing to hit the road on Thursday. Camping on the Russian River for 5 nights.)