Page 109 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2017

“It’s definitely kitchens and bathrooms,” Danny Lee, president-elect of the Gulf Coast Association of Realtors, says. “Those rooms are the most costly to renovate, but they will give the biggest return on investment.”
Chester Harvey, owner of Chester Harvey Realty, expands on kitchen and bath improvements. “Granite countertops and upgraded stainless
steel appliances and upgraded master baths with expanded closets are great re-sale points.”
Lee cautions against the projects that home owners sometimes do that do not add re-sale value. “Some homeowners get very taste specific with their renovation projects, such as over-the-top chandeliers, sports team-themed rooms, and wild and crazy paint colors — to name a few. These don’t help a home sell.”
All three realtors list swimming pools, wall paper and bold wall paint colors as projects that are not helpful for selling homes. “The appraiser will not give you dollar-for-dollar value for the cost of putting in a swimming pool,” Wood said.
She adds that home owners should not lay down carpet if they can afford hardwood, engineered wood or tile; and that converting a bedroom into a study or game room with a lot of built-ins that make it harder to use as a bedroom is not a good idea.
“Buyers today want open living areas that are conducive to family living and entertaining,” Wood said. “They like updated appliances, solid stone or quartz countertops and high ceilings. Outdoor areas are extremely important for our area so a screened porch, deck or patio with an outdoor kitchen really wows buyers.”
“You want the buyer to imagine himself in your home a”nd not get distracted by personal photos and a messy house
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