Pondering an extreme home makeover or setting sail for new horizons? Your house transforming into a vivid construction zone, or your life suddenly becoming an episode of ‘House Hunters’? We’ve all been there—or at least imagined being there. So, let’s help you figure this out, step by step and minus the jargon.
Here’s the gist of the things we’ll spill the beans on:
• Identifying where your heart lies: what changes you desire in your home
• Knowing the cost it takes to flip your home from drab to fab
• Understanding the booms and busts of your local real estate market
• Considering the role of your current neighborhood in waving goodbye or saying ‘let’s stay’
• Weighing the pocket pinch of selling your nest
• Embracing the chaos that remodeling might unleash
• Wrapping up: more than just dollars and cents
1. Home Sweet Home or Need a New Glow?
Step one in this journey of thousand miles (or dollars): pinpoint what needs to change in your dwelling. Is it a total kitchen redux or a fancy home office you dream about? Visualizing what you want is half the battle won. This mental sketch helps you assess the magnitude of your task, a cornerstone in budgeting.
It’s noteworthy that according to a homebuyer’s report, nearly 84% of people love their home more after giving it a beauty treatment. This might help sway your decision if you are planning to stick to your old turf. For instance, a luscious outdoor pool could mean paradise for your family for years to come.
2. The Price Tag: What Does Home Remodeling Cost?
Adapting your home to fit your Pinterest sea of dreams isn’t always cheap. For instance, who knew that revamping your kitchen could fall around a whopping $25,300, while a luxurious bathroom could ease you out of a cool $10,600? And that’s just the average.
DIY may be exciting but for extensive home improvement jobs, you’ll likely require professionals. Thank heavens for word of mouth, often the best way to find the right experts for the job. From there, don a negotiator’s hat, gather estimates, compare, then repeat.
Planning finances beforehand is crucial. Here’s a mini-guide to prep for the home makeover costs:
- Sketch a budget: knowing your ins and outs monetarily.
- Bargain hunting: comparing contractors and their quotations.
- Timing is everything: pushing your project to off-peak seasons.
- DIY can save the day: doing some tasks yourself to save your pocket.
- Deal alert: always being on the lookout for offers on materials.
3. The Property Game: How Does the Market Behave?
Your local real estate market can be a deciding factor. With continuous fluctuation in property inventory, market prices, and interest rates, sometimes it’s easier to sell, and sometimes it’s more difficult. Consulting with a well-informed estate agent who knows your area like the back of their hand can offer useful insights about your propert’s projected value.
And remember, if you opt to stay put, revamping your sanctuary can boost your home’s value over time. Some home improvements known to add significant value are:
- Kitchen refacing
- Refurbishing or installing hardwood floors
- Boosting insulation
- Transforming an attic or basement into a living space
- Updating sidings
- A roof replacement
- Garage door upgrade
- Fitting vinyl windows
4. Geography Check: How’s the Neighborhood?
If you find no joy in your current locale, remodeling might not solve your problems. A fresh neighborhood may bring greater satisfaction—or even desirable perks like lower property taxes or better schools. Yet, if your heart still beats for the old neighborhood, and your wallets agree, a home revamp could be the winning move.
5. The Flip Side: Costs of Selling Your Home
Let’s debunk a myth: selling your house isn’t a free ride. Just like there’re expenses in spreading the ‘For Sale’ sign, there are liabilities in preparing your home to woo prospective buyers, These might include:
- Selling with a spark: necessary home updates to entice the marketplace.
- Staging Saga: working with professional stagers who can declutter and dress up your home for the best first impression.
- Realtor fees: typically this cost is around 6% commission of the final selling price. For instance, if you sell your home at $340,000, your wallet could lose over $20,000 to your agent’s fees.
- Closing costs: when buying a new home, prepare to shell out an additional 2% to 5% in closing costs.
6. Home Reno Chaos: Are you Ready?
Home renovations bring two things: transformation and temporary chaos. Dust and noise will become part of the norm, and certain corners of your house may be temporarily out of bounds. And even with the best-laid plans, unexpected costs can creep up. So, mentally prep yourself for this energy-fueled challenge.
Finale: More than Just Numbers
Deciding between remodeling and relocating isn’t just about counting dollars; it’s about counting what means the most to you. Your budget, long-term housing goals, and local market conditions will be your best advisers in this situation.
Should you choose change, your credit will play a significant role in getting a new home loan. So, remember to clear, monitor, and maintain your credit history while making this important decision.
Happy Homing!
Regardless of whether you elect to give your place a new look or set your sight on a new homestead, you’re embarking on a new journey. And every path involves a fruitful learning experience and memories to cherish. Here’s to the happy homing!
