It’s a seller’s market, but whether you’re talking about a sales transaction or a lease situation, it’s important to know the value of your property, and which home improvements will pay off. Here are some of the factors that affect a property’s value the most.
- Size. Square footage is the single biggest factor in determining a property’s value. Be sure you know the square footage of the home. Measuring it is not always easy and even professionals make mistakes, so estimate it yourself to check the numbers.
- Land. How much property does the structure sit on? A big back yard can add a lot of value. However, sometimes the difference between 10 acres and 20 acres isn’t as big when it comes to overall impact.
- Condition. The condition of the property (both visible and invisible) is a major factor. Obvious signs of wear and tear are unappealing, but sometimes it’s the structural issues that have a bigger impact on a property’s value.
- Location. Location used to be more important than it is now. While it’s still a major component of value, our telecommuting world allows people more freedom in where to live.
- Décor. The style should not only be attractive, but appropriate to the home and the era. It helps to be internally consistent as well as consistent with the neighborhood.
- Room Count. In addition to how many bedrooms and bathrooms, the total room count matters. These days, “outdoor kitchens” almost count as another room.
- Other Amenities. Pools, hot tubs, and other amenities, while nice, do not increase the value by the amount it costs to install them. And, they can detract if they are poorly placed or in disrepair.
- View. To let you know the value of a view, I once knew an apartment building owner who said, rent was $1000 and the view was an extra $200. Yep, people paid it.
- Community Amenities. If a property is close to good schools, parks, shopping, and other amenities, the value increases. Now, of course, these are subjective. For a retired couple without children, clearly the schools won’t be much of a draw.
- Financing. If the seller is willing to carry the loan, the value of a property may go up. No fuss, no muss (simpler loan application, no fees, etc.).
When it comes to things you can change about your house, the absolute best return on your time and money is to clean and de-clutter. Haul stuff away and deep clean your house—top to bottom. Once that’s done, you can decide on additional improvements.
People often ask, should I update the kitchen or the bathroom(s)? Well, as with most things, that depends. If you have a four-bedroom/one-bath home, add a bathroom (preferably a master bath). If your kitchen fixtures were done in a nice shade of 1970s avocado, consider renovating your kitchen.
When updating, go neutral. If you want a snazzy color, paint a wall. Paint is inexpensive to replace. Appliances and flooring are not. And, think long and hard before you convert a garage into a family room, because what you gain with one, you lose with the other. It’s almost a fair trade in overall value, so you’re getting little or no return on the money you spent to make the change.
Once your property is in tiptop shape, it’s time for an appraisal. While there are three methods appraisers use to estimate the value of the property; theoretically, they should all come up with comparable values. It costs about $400 to get a single family residence appraised, and this is another one of those times when it’s really important to have a reputable, local professional do the job. Call your local REALTOR for a referral.
In case you’re interested, the three methods of appraisal are as follows.
- The Market Approach – compare physical data, get data on several comparable properties, and make adjustments for size, condition, etc.
- The Income Approach – figure out the fair market value for renting the property, get income/rental information for comparable properties, and multiply by a ratio to get the appraised value.
- The Replacement Cost Approach – figure out the top value (what it would cost to replace it), assess the cost of doing so (including permits, hookup fees, insurance, taxes, etc.) and adjust for the aging of the property (physical, functional, and economic).
Lenders require appraisals, and they can be handy if you’re a For Sale By Owner type of person. If you work with a REALTOR, they can provide a market evaluation as part of their service which will help you estimate the value of your home.
