“Are You Moving?” I have heard that question more in the last two weeks than in the past seven years that we have lived at this house combined. Since Hubby and I are doing a lot of renovations to our home this year – after not doing much for the last seven years – people have assumed we are doing all this with the intent to sell.
My hairdresser last week asked me if we were getting the house prepped to move. He had just sold his house and redone the master bath just prior to marketing “because we knew it would be an issue”. I asked him if he wished they had done it two or three years ago and enjoyed the renovation? He admitted he wished they had.
My brother just the other day asked if we were moving when I told him we were getting a new roof at the end of the month. I told him no, we plan on enjoying our home now that it is finally exactly as I want it! Ok so I didn’t mention the new handrails and staircase refinishing going on early next year, but we will be close enough after this summer that I am super happy with the way our house looks!
I saw a friend a few weeks back, and she asked if we were going away this summer. When I told her no, we have a lot of renovations going on, the exact same question, “Are you moving?” was asked.
Are we really such an HGTV society that we no longer make renovations to enjoy while we live in our homes? Are all updates really only being made for the next owner? Few home improvements return a profit on a house (regardless of what you see on TV), so why not renovate your house to suit your family’s lifestyle, and enjoy it for years to come?
Do you renovate for your family’s enjoyment? Or for resale? Or both?
TB says
It has never even crossed my mind that you might be doing all this work for some one else to enjoy! I had my house built and was able to select most of the materials and colors so I understand completely your desire to have your home exactly how you want it so you can enjoy it!
Ann says
Thanks Tatiana! We have thought long and hard about building a house, but I don’t think I am up to that level of aggravation. Having the exact layout that I want is tempting though!
Ann
Candie says
Ann, As you know I am going through extensive renovations and I have several reasons.
1. The fence was in bad shape but I put in the fence I wanted. Cedar with scroll work on the top and 8′ tall.
2. Like you I want the house the way I want it.
3. The last is not to leave my son a mess to deal with if something happens to me. I am so old that is a possibility and I have seen the messes that parents leave their kids to deal with.
I agree about HGTV. I love to watch it but very little increases the value of your house. Hardwood floors are one thing that does, more storage is another.
Ann says
Wow! Aren’t you a nice Mom thinking ahead for your son, Candie.
Ann
Shell says
We are renovating because the house needs it and we want the changes. When we sold our last house we just did some painting and clean up to get it ready.
Ann says
Yeah my last house I painted the downstairs and rescreened the floors. It was empty when sold, and looked fabulous. It sold in a few days. I doubt we will do more than that for this place, although “maybe” a light staging via a staging company (just a few rooms, not the whole house).
Ann
Stephanie K says
We’ve been renovating since we bought this house (it was a HUD home, great price, needed lots of work), but yes, some of the choices aren’t exactly what I wanted because I do want to think ahead in case we ever need to sell. Kinda sad, but realistic.
Ann says
What would you have done for your family that you think would be detrimental to a future sale, Stephanie, that you decided against?
Ann
Stephanie K says
Like Barbee mentioned it’s about what our house is and where it’s located. We just have to look at the neighbors on either side and across the road to know that the upgrades on certain items weren’t worth the cost. I wanted granite counters and these really amazing cabinets, but my husband had to bring me back to reality, even though we could afford them, the house just isn’t worth it. But, with as long as he takes to do remodeling we’ll probably be here FOREVER and I should have just gotten what I wanted! When we bought it, I did picture bringing home my babies here, but I always figured we would move by the time they were learning to ride their bicycles without training wheels, since we live on Routes 5 and 20. Oh well, I like the things I’ve “settled” for well enough, and it does delight me when people are surprised at how nice our house is.
Barbee says
I think I understand what Stephanie means. You get to a certain point where IF you sell you’ll never recoup what you sunk into it because the local market can’t support the higher price for a ‘custom’ home.
I have had to face that reality in my own situation. When (cough, cough) we sell we will never get back what we put into it.
Ann says
Ohhh! Well we won’t either. But, we knew that going in.
Ann
Barbee says
“…we knew that going in.”
Exactly. I think that might be her point. (Certainly applies to me.)
Barb says
We have been in our home for 45 years (It was built in 1930.) and every change has been for our enjoyment or simple upkeep. We hope to remain in the house for many more years.
Ann says
I like that philosophy, Barb!
Ann
Barbee says
7 years ago I moved to Texas from Miami, FL. I bought the nicest home I could (comfortably) afford and immediately set to re-modeling/upgrading it. Spent about 65K on floors, landscaping, new bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, crown molding, decorative brick paved the front porch, poured a new patio w/ cedar patio cover…
…all my neighbors wondered if I was a flipper. We were approached by people walking, driving by and others who were TOLD to come and check out the house for sale. Literally: I had people KNOCKING at my door wanting to preview the house before it went on the market. “““sigh.
So, Ann, I get your point. I TOTALLY get your point.
Ann says
OMG Barbee! That is some story. We’ve had people stop by to get the name of the contractor doing the work, but never to preview our house “for when it goes on the market”!
Ann
Barbee says
In all fairness, this was at a time where there was a lot of flipping in the area.
I’m sure you remember that crazy time….
Yeah, passed out a lot of business cards too. 🙂
KimH says
Im totally about renovating to make the house the way “I” want it.. I dont care about nor do I know what anyone else would like.. When I was selling my house, I was told not to do any renovations because most people want to do their own when they buy a house. Worked for me!
Ann says
LOL I like that, Kim.
Ann
Skirnir Hamilton says
We did some renovations on our Wisconsin home over the years, hardwood flooring (They had almost white carpeting in the dinning room! We used the dinning room at least once a week and oh that carpet was impossible to keep clean! Hardwood floor on the other hand…) We redid the upstairs bathroom, painted some rooms, removed wall paper, new doors and windows for the outside, etc. Didn’t do it all at once, but probably in the first 10 years of ownership. Bit here, a bit there. Maybe it is the fact you are doing a bit more all at once. But sometimes that is the way life works. Here in TN, we will be wanting some things done. I am tired of the ant parade that seems to come in our back door, but they have come in our front door once too. So doors and windows here are on the list. House already has hardwood floors. 🙂 Kitchen is less cramped than our WI home was. But need to do something with that pantry! Acck!