Upgrades: Looking Cool or Being Practical: Owner Wants Vs. Resale Value

There are many takes on what upgrades you can make in your home that not only improve your life, but also that will pay for themselves (or more) when you go to sell your house. As with anything else, upgrades that pay off will be those that future buyers are going to be willing to pay for. So if you want that $6,000 granite counter top or that $500 brass bathroom faucet set because you think it looks cool, better make sure that future buyers are going to place the same value on it that you do.

For the most part, really high end accessories, unless you have a total luxury house, condo, or townhouse are not going to return on your investment. Believe it or not, most people are just not willing to pay extra for a whirlpool tub, outdoor spa, special tile, or fancy lighting fixtures when they are considering buying a house. Most sellers realize less than 50% of their investment in special bells and whistles they put into their houses.

As a general rule, buyers are looking for more space and functional over cosmetic issues when they make their assessment of what they are willing to pay for. Many times the unusual or exotic reflects the tastes of the previous owner, not the buyer and so buyers are generally not willing to pay additional for that, and in fact may consider some bells and whistles detractions rather than assets. The expert rule of thumb is that the further away an item is from its function, the less it is worth, even if it looks really cool.