While you are out searching for your new home, selling that home is probably the farthest thing from your mind but it should be an important factor in your new home
Check out this great video to learn more about what you should be looking at in terms of resale. If video isn’t your thing, read on down below!
1 – Neighborhood
This is likely already on your list of top things to consider when buying, and it should be! This is the only thing you truly cannot change about a home. While looking at neighborhoods you want to consider how close the home will be to important amenities, what school district it is in, and what the crime statistics are. It is no surprise that homes in highly rated school districts with low crime rates will have the highest appreciation year over year.
2 – Layout
The layout of a home is more important that you might think. People need to LIVE in their homes, so having some open space to do so is important. Whether that is an open concept living area, or a large family room, you need to consider where people will be gathering. Bedrooms and Bathrooms are of course important as well, you want to make sure they are proportional to each other. No one wants a 5 bedroom home with only 1 bathroom, on the other side a 1 bedroom home with more than 1.5 bathrooms will seem like overkill. You also want to consider the flow of the house. Are the bedrooms near each other? How close is the bathroom and laundry to the bedrooms? Do you have to travel through a bedroom to get to another room? You want to be certain that you have a home that is livable for any family.
3 – Storage
This is one of the most overlooked features of a home, but it is also one fo the most important. Everyone has stuff, and you need somewhere to put that stuff. Closets in each bedroom, storage in the bathroom or hallway for linens, and plenty of kitchen cabinets come in most houses, but where will you store your christmas decorations? Or your bikes and kayaks? Make sure you are looking beyond the room sizes so you know you can comfortably move in to your new home.
4 – Maintenance
This one is pretty simple, the less that needs to be done to a home, the more that home is worth. If the furnace, water heater, siding, and roof are all maintained while you are living in the home, you will have less projects to do down the road. You also want to look at the areas that are easily forgotten. Things like retaining walls in the yard, mortar around the chimney, Flushing the sewer lines, and keeping your gutters clear. These are all good things to ask the seller to fix while you are house hunting so you don’t have to do it when you decide to sell.
5 – Number of Levels
This is a personal decision for most people, maybe you love foursquare style homes, with all the bedrooms up stairs, maybe you love split levels with a lower level family room. But the fact is, a single story home will always sell for slightly more than a comparable home with more levels. While this shouldn’t be the deciding factor in what home you decide to buy, it is something to consider!
BONUS – Outdoor Space
Outdoor space is a huge selling point, especially here in Portland. This doesn’t need to be a huge yard to add value, it can be a simple patio or deck. As long as there is some room for someone to enjoy the fresh air, you will be getting a value boost! Even if you are looking at condos, having a balcony will make your home more desirable.
I hope you enjoyed this tips! As your realtor I will help you look out for all of these things during your next purchase. If you have specific questions, or want to start looking at a new home, please reach out to me!
Be sure to follow this blog for lots more real estate tips, community events, and neighborhood hot spots!