Everyone has a dream home, whatever it may look like and wherever it may be located, that they would want to obtain at some point in their lives. With that being said, if your current home is not your dream home, you might want to sell your home in the future. If this is the case, it is always important to consider the long-term consequences that occur through your short-term decisions about the design and aesthetic of your home. It is crucial to remember that when it comes to the resale value of your home, timeless and common exterior and interior designs are always the better options compared to over-personalized and trendy aesthetics. To help you with your design decisions, here are 5 design mistakes that could possibly lower the resale value of your home and how to avoid them.
Loud Exterior
In the perspective of potential house buyers, painting your home’s exterior a bright hue may not be a good choice. That being said, it may also not be a good decision to use materials, like tile and such, that you don’t regularly see on the outside of one’s home. Yes, it is true that you want your house to stand out from the crowd when it comes to selling your home, but there are certain boundaries that you must stay within because with the wrong choices, your home might end up sticking out like a sore thumb, which is not something you want. To help your home stand out in a good way, many design professionals recommend that you choose earth tones that fit with the environment, such as green, grey-blue, and beige. It would be best if you allow the landscaping to give a more bright palette if you must have colour.
Painted Bricks
Buyers often love the look of exposed brick as it provides a nostalgic feeling and is a timeless design. With that being said, painting over this warm, inviting material may cost you in the long run as it may negatively affect the interior aesthetic of your home. It is important that you consider how your commitment will affect a future sale before succumbing to fleeting trends that will, more than likely, last for a couple months. Prospective purchasers may prefer to move on to another listing rather than being left with your design choices long after moving day because paint is virtually hard to remove off brick, even with chemicals.
Garage Conversion
Many homeowners tend to look up to the attic or down to the basement to enhance square footage in a home that they could potentially use for any type of idea that they may have in mind. One room, however, that is best to leave untouched as a homeowner is your garage. Although converting the garage may meet an urgent need, it may have a negative impact on resale value in the long term, if you plan on selling your home. The majority of purchasers want a house with a garage that they could actually use for car space and not simply just a driveway. So, unless you plan to build another garage or area around your house for your vehicles, it is best that you forgo the renovation to use it as extra living space, and look forward to a smoother selling experience in the future.
Hiding Hardwood
Before covering up timeworn hardwood floors with wall-to-wall carpet, it is recommended by others that you should consider refinishing them instead. Refinishing your hardwood floors and keeping this aesthetic will be beneficial for your home in the long run, in terms of resale. According to a research of house buyer preferences conducted by several specialists in the home design sector, 54% of home buyers were ready to spend extra for a property with hardwood flooring. With that being said, to increase your chances to sell your home not only quickly, but also for an amount that you actually want, it is a better option to keep your hardwood floors and only change them to a different finish if you ever plan on making adjustments to them. Also, an option that you should consider is laminate flooring as this is also sought after by homebuyers.
Overdoing Accessibility
Remodelling your home to allow you to age in the place is an increasing trend among seniors who want to live at home as long as feasible. This may be something you would want to invest in if you plan on staying in your current home forever, but if you do want to move out some time in the future, doing all of that may not be the right choice. When it comes time to sell your home, amenities such as stair lifts, walk-in baths, or wheelchair ramps may reduce its resale value by a good amount. This is because potential buyers may not find a use for such items and may think that it is negatively affecting the interior aesthetic of a home, which may push them away from buying the home altogether. With that being said, renovations that are mainly done for accessibility purposes should still adhere to universal design principles. These improvements include features such as roll-out cabinets, curbless showers, non-slip flooring, and improved lighting, which can be beneficial to people of all ages.
Home design renovations and such are beneficial to a certain extent. If you are not careful and cautious with your decisions on changing the aesthetics of your home, you may potentially decrease its resale value, which is important if you are considering selling it in the future. To guide you in making the right choices, some of the more common mistakes that homeowners tend to make in terms of home design changes include a loud exterior, painted bricks, garage conversions, hardwood hidance, and overdoing accessibility. As mentioned before, it is important to remember that timeless is always better than trendy when it comes to your home’s aesthetic. If you need further help with your design choices, it is best that you contact a home design professional today!