3 Odd Things that can Hurt your Home Value
As I’ve shared on here before, I’ve gone back and forth about whether or not to buy a home in the near future. Now is the time to think about it; more home are on the market than there ever have been before, and many of those home are much less than what you would expect. The problem isn’t that houses are too expensive, rather, that people are unable to afford to buy them. If that isn’t the case, some people are buying homes and then losing them.
When trying to find a house, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider. If a house has a price that seems to be too good to be true, it’s important to make sure something isn’t wrong with it. Today, we’re going to look at five things that can reduce the price of a home… but these aren’t normal things we’re looking at. Here are five things that can hurt the value of your home that you may have never thought of before.
1. Your house is obnoxious. I know, this is the best way to put it, isn’t it? I have this horrible habit of commenting on obnoxious houses. In my town alone, there is a house that is bright pink; a house that has bright blue shudders, while the rest of the building is a dark brown color, and a home that the porch is lime green. I kid you not. If your house sticks out like a sore thumb, the value of it could fall dramatically.
2. Your neighbors are… well, unpleasant. I’m the quiet neighbor. I’m the one that you see outside on occasion, and usually only if I’m getting my mail or enjoying a book in the sun. I don’t mind that the neighbor’s kids play football in my yard and I even turn on the lights for them if they’re out past dark. I am the neighbor that you want. I am not the unpleasant neighbor that scares every other person who lives in the house next door away. You think I’m exaggerating? Neighbor problems are a huge cause of stress for many Americans, and if your home is in a neighborhood known for unpleasant neighbor relations, your home’s value could be affected negatively.
3. Where’s the living room? Yes, I know yours is right there. But, what if you have a living room and no dining area, and the other houses in your area have a dining area, your house may be worth less. A two bedroom home in a community swarmed with four bedroom homes? The only house on the block without a porch? It’s advantageous for your house to be similar to the others in your neighborhood when trying to sell it.
I know, most people don’t think about these things when they’re taking care of or buying a house. But, they are incredibly important. Until Wednesday, spend smart, save smart!
