Myra Spano, REALTOR®, ABR, GRI, SFR, CDPE

But Do You Really Need It?
Luxury at a COST!

Of course a basement waterfall and grotto is a practical and useful addition to any home.  That’s pretty much the only thing standing between you and the playboy lifestyle you’ve always dreamed about, right?  But who’s going to clean it?

It’s easy to fall in love with certain features of a home, but to find out that those same features, in the long run, are your least favorite.  Here are a few common ‘extras’ and a quick assessment of their relative values.

1. In-floor Heating
Also referred to as radiant heat, in-floor heating is a brand new invention.  Well, except that the Romans did it a couple thousand years ago by channeling hot air under the floors of their villas.  And Frank Lloyd Wright did it in the thirties with hot water, but other than that . . .

For:  In-floor heat comes in two primary forms: hot water heat and electric heat, and there are many advantages.  The dramatic energy savings promised shouldn’t prompt you to ask for a decrease in salary just yet, since the more popular hot water radiant heat usually requires a second hot water heater and won’t shave too much off of your bill, but there are some notably appealing elements to in-floor heat in general.  Radiant heat is just that – even and consistent, without the up-and-down temperature shifts associated with most conventional heating systems.  It’s also silent and invisible, with no bulky radiators or even register vents ruining the feng of your shui.  Radiant heat also won’t dry the air, and won’t have you hopping about looking for your slippers on a cold morning.

Against:  In-floor heating systems are still considered a luxury, and can add a fair bit to the value of a home.  They are new, and potential long-term issues have not been entirely worked out.  A handful of people also are leery about the prospect of piping a significant amount of water throughout their cherished home for fear of potential leakage.  All relatively minor concerns.

Assessment:  Find someone with in-floor heating who doesn’t love it.  I dare you.

2. Backyard Pool
It’s the quintessential luxury item that announces once and for all that you are a big dog, even in parts of the country like this one where it can only be used about ten minutes per year.  It is the swimming pool.  From pools that are little more than big pits of standing water to jewel-encrusted infinity pools that usually adjoin large bodies of water, pools were once the thing.  Are they still?

For:  A 2004 4-state NAR study found that having a pool increased property values from 8 to 15%.  The idea of kicking back all summer with a piña colada, sitting next to the lapping water with friends can be quite attractive.  And rightfully so.

Against: Safety issues have not been blown out of proportion by the media.  Pool deaths happen all the time, there’s no getting around that fact.  Pools are expensive to maintain, even without hiring a pool cleaner, and are a lot of work.  As beautiful as a pool can be when it is maintained properly, it can be an eyesore if it is not.  A pool tends to negate having any significant usable space for a backyard.  Am I missing anything?

Assessment:  The issues involved with owning a pool can be overcome, and many people enjoy having a pool very much.  You just have to want one really badly for it to be worthwhile.

3. Dream Kitchen
Kitchens do cool things these days.  Appliances paneled to look like cabinets, an extra tap above the stove for filling large pots of water, $15,000 pounded-copper range hoods, and 460 different countertop materials . . .

For:  Kitchens are finally being designed with maximum utility in mind.  When shopping for a home, focus on the kitchen – it is where you will likely spend a great deal of your time, and the room in which every party tends to congregate.  Before you fall in love with that Kohler faucet, however, analyze the kitchen’s layout from a purely utilitarian standpoint.  Is the magic triangle of sink-stove-fridge arranged conveniently?  Are cabinets and other storage in logical places?  Is there sufficient light?  And most importantly, is this a space you will feel comfortable and happy in?  Don’t underestimate the importance of a functional and attractive kitchen.

Against:  Be careful not to fall in love with the impermanent fixtures in a kitchen.  While those glass-front, backlit uppers may brilliantly display the seller’s Royal Daulton bone china, will your mixed collection of garage sale Melmac have the same effect?  Likewise, if your idea of cooking is heating up last night’s pizza, perhaps space would be better used elsewhere. 

Assessment:  The kitchen is the hub of virtually any home.  Don’t underestimate its importance.

4. Activity Rooms
This is an overly broad categorization, of course, but activity rooms like workshops, games rooms, and exercise rooms tend to hold common appeal – and common drawbacks.

For:  Having the right setup for a particular activity can be inspiring.  Having a single power tool in each room of your house and each corner of the garage and shed is not exactly the ideal situation for building that crib you started on for your daughter and are determined to finish before the birth of you granddaughter.  Likewise, if you have the latest elliptical trainer and weight set in a room next to your bedroom with a 12 foot plasma TV facing it, perhaps you will find that six-pack after all.

Against:  If you can’t make a dovetail joint, all of the tools in the world will not give you that knowledge.  If you haven’t lifted anything heavier than a handful of pork rinds in the last decade, a workout room will likely soon become just a TV room with uncomfortable seating.  Unreasonable expectations usually develop into unreasonable decisions.

Assessment:  Your home should inspire you and will, to a certain extent, dictate your lifestyle.  Be rational in your decisions, however, and aim for versatility rather than rooms that are locked in to a particular use that may not be as useful in the future.

The Bottom Line

With all of your dream home features, try to let reason prevail (or at least get a word in edgewise).  You may absolutely worship the tumbled marble rainforest shower with the heated towel rack, but it will be of little comfort every morning and night when you are cursing the home’s lack of closet space.  It is often the most boring attributes of a home that will give you the most pleasure.

Now, off to luxuriate in my rainforest shower.  I had to take out the bedroom to install it, but that’s okay, I don’t mind sleeping in the kitchen...

5 Things To Do

Before Putting Your Home on the Market

 
1.     Have a pre-sale home inspection. Be proactive by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before open houses begin.

 
2.     Organize and clean. Pare down clutter and pack up your least-used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and exercise equipment. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures, and baseboards to make the house shine.

 
3.     Get replacement estimates. Do you have big-ticket items that are worn our or will need to be replaced soon, such your roof or carpeting? Get estimates on how much it would cost to replace them, even if you don’t plan to do it yourself. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home, and will be handy when negotiations begin. 

 
4.     Find your warranties. Gather up the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the furnace, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and any other items that will remain with the house.

 
5.     Spruce up the curb appeal. Pretend you’re a buyer and stand outside of your home. As you approach the front door, what is your impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? Are pretty flowers or plants framing the entrance? Is the walkway free from cracks and impediments?

• How do you like living here?
• What are the other neighbors like?
• What's the home owner's association like? And are neighbors actively involved with it?
• What community issues do you see?
• Are there any neighborhood rules? Like parking or yard maintenance?
• Have you had any trouble with crime?
• Have you ever been burglarized?
• Is this a block-party area or do people keep to themselves?
• Do dog owners in the area put them on a leash or are they allowed to roam free?

• Will and/or trust documents
• Powers of attorney
• Insurance policies
• Contact list
• Investment statements
• Tax returns
• Copies of birth/marriage certificates
• Social Security cards
• Passports and other identification docs
• List of prescriptions you take
• Emergency cash
• Safe combination
• Safe-deposit box keys
• Copy of driver's license
• Computer user names and passwords
• List of checking/saving account numbers
• List of credit card numbers and info

• Copies of will and/or trust
• Copies of powers of attorney
• List of insurance policies
• List financial account numbers
• Family birth, marriage and death certificates
• Adoption papers
• Citizenship papers
• Military service records
• Loan agreements
• Certificates of deposit
• Real estate deeds
• Vehicle titles
• Mortgage paperwork
• Stock and bond certificates
• Inventory of home contents
• Jewelry/precious metals
• Employment contracts/business agreements
  

• Paper or digital copies of documents in your grab-and-go case
• Your emergency contact information
• Contact list for heirs and advisers