Housing Upgrades That Aren’t Worth It

When upgrading, home owners often seek features that aren’t only desirable to them but also what will add value to the home when it comes time for resale. Certainly, the annual Cost vs. Value survey can be one of your biggest assets in helping to advise clients. The annual survey by Remodeling Magazine, in conjunction with REALTOR Magazine, reveals specific remodeling projects that offer the biggest returns at resale. Read more

31 Scary Houses Turned Into Spectacular Homes – From Scary to Stunning

Saving an old house is no small feat. Just ask any of these homeowners, all DIYers who lived to tell the tale. From fire-damaged to foreclosures and everything in between, get inspired by these unbelievable makeovers that’ll either give you the restoration bug—or make you really happy your renovation is over.

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Top Remodeling Projects

When Remodeling Magazine’s latest Cost Versus Value Report 2010-2011 was released, it revealed that the recent declines in housing are having substantial effects on the remodeling market.

Unfortunately for homeowners, there has been a downward trend since 2006 in the cost-to-value ratio, though now this pace has quickened, falling 3.8 percent in the last year. While homeowners were once able to make upgrades and additions to their homes and recoup this value during resale, these same updates now mean less return. An unstable jobs market has purse strings tightened and remodeling markets are feeling the squeeze.

The report revealed, however, the top 10 remodeling projects in the last year. Leading the way in cost versus value are exterior replacements, with garage doors and entry-doors at the head of the class.

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Design Tips for Homeowners on a Budget

Having your home look like a million bucks doesn’t have to cost you big. Following a few simple design tips and researching the latest styles can help you transform your dull space into divine living.

The first rule of budget design is to have a clear focus. Work on one room and one design at a time. The reasoning behind this is simple. It’s too easy to go over budget if you are shopping for multiple projects at the same time. By focusing on one room, you can be clear on what items you really need.

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Top 5 Home Improvement Projects Based on Average Cost and Return on Investment

HomeGain.com, a website to offering Web-based, free instant home values, announced that it has released the results of its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer survey.

HomeGain surveyed nearly 600 real estate professionals nationwide and configured a list of the top 10 do-it-yourself home improvements that cost under $5,000 and benefit sellers most when they sell their homes.

According to the HomeGain survey, the top five home improvements that real estate professionals recommend to home sellers based on average cost and return on investment (from highest to lowest ROI) are:

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Pre-Sale Renovation: Home Seller Do’s and Don’ts

You’ve probably seen those depressingly cheery home-themed TV shows: a couple needs to sell their house, they have an outdated kitchen, and a designer comes in and proceeds to convince them to renovate the kitchen into a stainless-steel-clad shrine to culinary greatness—for tens of thousands of dollars. In an ideal real estate market, that would add value, but in today’s market, expensive pre-sale renovations, for the most part, aren’t worth it. The numbers bear this out: In general, a home remodel will cost quite a bit more than you’ll get back when you sell; remodels done in 2010 will only recoup 60% of their price when the house is sold, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2010 Remodeling Cost vs. Value survey, done in partnership with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Two of the areas that potential buyers are often most pressured to remodel before selling are the kitchen and bathroom. Here, we’ll tackle both of those rooms, and let you know what to do—and what to avoid—when considering a pre-sale renovation:

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Homeowners Decide to Deconstruct, Not Demolish, When Rehabbing

If you’re remodeling your kitchen or want to build your dream home on property with a not-so-idyllic house, there’s a way to tear down that doesn’t involve the wrecking ball.

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Remodeling Set to Surge as Consumers Feel Better about Spending Again

With the economy starting to recover, consumers feel better about spending again—and that spare cash is going back into their homes. Home remodeling is on an upswing after the industry’s worst slump since at least the early 1960s.

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Hot Trends In Bathroom Redesign

You may not know it yet, but your bathroom is begging to be redone. It dreams at night of the latest trends, colors, and fancy new gadgets. It talks with the tub about its most heartfelt desires. Maybe its time to make your bathroom’s dreams come true!

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Consumers Have the Motivation – But Lack the Money for Home Improvement

The arrival of spring brings not only warmer weather, but also spring cleaning and the undertaking of do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects. Much to the chagrin of home improvement stores, the DIY home improvement market has seen a 21 percent decline from 2005-2010 according to latest research from Mintel, and more than a quarter (28 percent) of DIYers say they would like to undertake a major renovation or addition to their home, but they just don’t have the funds. Read more

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