Should You Remodel Your Home or Move?
As your family continues to grow, the need for more space
becomes inevitable. If your current
household setup is no longer able to accommodate your lifestyle, you have a
couple of options: you can remodel your current home to make it more
accommodating, or you can move to a different home that better suits your needs. But which move makes the most sense? “Remodel or move” is a question for all homeowners
to consider carefully. As a remodeler, I
understand the importance of maintaining a functional, beautiful home and with
proper planning, you will be able to evaluate and decide what you need both now
and in a couple of years. For the past
few years, many homeowners have found that staying in their current home and
tackle remodeling projects has been more cost efficient than buying a new place.
Before you make the decision for yourself, consider these
potential benefits for staying put:
- Satisfaction: Although at times it’s
inconvenient, remodeling your home can be a very exciting adventure. Watching the
transformation of your outdated or cramped house into a more suitable space can
be quite satisfying. If you choose to
simply move, then you will not experience this evolution unless you custom
build your next home. - Personalization: One major benefit to
remodeling your home is customization. When it comes to key aspects such as layout
and style, you will be the ultimate decision maker. You have the ability to choose every detail to
maximize the functionality for your family. By moving into a new home, be prepared to make
some compromises as its unlikely that you will find one that has every detail
you envisioned. - Community: If you happen to enjoy living
in your specific neighborhood, community, or school district, that itself can
serve as motivation to stay put. Many
times homes are similar throughout the neighborhood, so you’d need to look
elsewhere to find something different from what you already have. - Investment: It’s no secret that with
any remodeling project, you have the potential to increase value of your home. Even though you are tackling this project to
make your home more tailored for your family, you do need to keep in mind that
eventually it will be sold, and therefore needs to not be too customized. A good home remodeler can help you design and
renovate your home to the way you want it, while simultaneously keeping an eye
on one of your biggest lifelong investments. - Trouble Selling: In today’s real estate
market, selling a home is incredibly challenging, even ones located in the more
desirable neighborhoods, and may take a considerable amount of time. With
depressed home values, you may need to set the selling price lower than what
you want, and even then it may sit on the market for a long time.
There are advantages and drawbacks to either option in the “move
versus renovate debate,” so it’s important to take the time to evaluate the
pros and cons, the costs, and logistics involved. Although recently most homeowners have decided
to remodel rather than move, you should make your decision based on what best suits you and your family’s needs.