15 Homeowner ‘Improvements’ That Make Real Estate Agents Cringe (And Wish You’d Stop)
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Are you looking to boost your home’s value? Think twice before diving into certain renovations! The median renovation spending rose by 60% between 2020 ($15,000) and 2023 ($24,000). Kitchens are still the most commonly renovated interior room (29%), followed closely by guest bathrooms (27%) and primary bathrooms (25%).
However, what works for you might not necessarily work for someone else. Some upgrades could actually scare away potential buyers. Here are 15 home “improvements” that real estate experts wish you would reconsider.
Over-Landscaping
A perfectly kept yard can make your house look great, but it has the opposite effect if you do too much landscaping. Gardens that are too elaborate or outdoor features that are too intricately fashioned are expensive to maintain and imposing for people who want low-upkeep greenery.
According to a National Association of Realtors (NAR) study, planting native trees and shrubs on their property, which is considered simple landscaping, delivers an approximate 100% return. However, overdone yards also detract from the overall appeal.
Bold Paint Choices
Though you may love your lime green kitchen or deep purple living room, these bold colors might not align with current market trends. Homes selling for top dollar on Zillow usually feature neutral colors like beige, gray, and white, while those in bright or earthy colors sell for thousands less.
Personalized Renovations
Spaces that reflect your tastes, perhaps a themed bedroom or adding something niche, could reflect what interests you, but these will alienate buyers. It’s harder for people to imagine themselves in a place when there are personal touches, such as a home gym in the living room.
DIY Overhauls
DIY projects can be a money saver, but inexperience brings glaring mistakes. Immediate red flags include out-of-square tiling, or cabinets hung unevenly.
Buyers can be wary of deeper structural problems if the work looks unprofessional and drop the price they’re willing to offer.
Over-Improving for the Neighborhood
If your home is in a modestly priced area, adding a luxury kitchen or spa-like bathroom may sound like a good idea, but improvements will yield a low return. A $50k kitchen renovation in a $200k area likely won’t provide hope for ROI because you’re pricing your home higher than market comparables.
Wall-to-wall Carpeting
Today’s homebuyer is done with carpet in living rooms or hallways, where it can quickly see its last days. This may be because hardwood or laminate flooring is the preferred flooring of 54% percent of buyers, NAR says, since it provides a clean, modern feel.
Over Customization
Room-specific technologies, built-in water features, or excessive built-ins can be restrictive. It may seem unique, but your taste won’t always match up with those buying the home, and thus make it more universally appealing.
Invisible Upgrades
Structural updates such as new plumbing or upgraded wiring may be necessary, but they’re not flashy. Buyers assume basic systems are functional; investing in them won’t add “sizzle” to your listing, even though they’re necessary.
Try to achieve a better balance between how the functionality shows up inside the code and how the buyers see it as visible upgrades.
Overdoing Open Concepts
Knocking down multiple walls to achieve an open floor plan sounds enticing, but losing too many separated spaces will bite you in the rear. Not everyone wants an entirely open concept.
Some families with kids or people who work in the house want a mix of open and private areas.
Not getting Regular Maintenance
Missing out on work such as cleaning gutters or fixing leaks can cause problems later. There are heavy repair costs. A study revealed that regular home maintenance can prevent unexpected repairs from racking up to as much as $5,000 a year.
Deferred maintenance affirms to home buyers that there may be major issues lurking under the surface.
Home Office Conversions
Home offices were all the rage, but turning a bedroom into an office can be a black mark on resale value. Bedrooms add dollar value to houses, so taking one away to fit office shelves will lessen the appeal to buyers whose bed is a priority.
DIY Electrical and Plumbing
If your skill level isn’t all you’d like it to be, updating electrical or plumbing systems can be dangerous! The house might have a pipe leak, broken wiring, etc., and buyers might not be sure when to buy it.
To that end, it’s recommended that these crucial updates not be left in the hands of unlicensed people.
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most essential rooms in selling a house but over-glamorizing these rooms can add more features than buyers are willing to pay. Concentrate on applying a handful of powerful mid-range increments for their high return.
For instance, you might give your home a gorgeous new facelift by simply replacing old fixtures.
Invisible Upgrades
Another mistake is ignoring aesthetic appeal and only investing in invisible infrastructure. While a $10,000 HVAC system sounds impressive to sellers, your buyers seldom care about it more than they’d care about equally beautiful counters or half the flooring costs.
Both pragmatic and cosmetic updates are needed.
Oversized Additions
Projects like adding a second floor or sprawling sun room are expensive and often don’t pay off. Oversized rooms or something unusual for the area will not seem valuable to buyers.
Every home improvement decision you make could affect your property’s value and market appeal. If you can think long-term, consult with professionals, avoid costly blunders that many sprouted sellers make, and also consider what buyers actually want, putting in the effort pays off.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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