Which pre-sale home renovations are best to avoid?
- Areas that tend not to have good resale value: media rooms, theaters, offices, basements, attic remodels, back decks, most backyard work, etc.
- Going to desperate lengths to add more space (e.g., converting a garage into a living room).
- Windows are great things to replace, but you will not get your money back on these if done only for sale purposes.
- Removing period details that may have some worth - Removing the green shag may be a good idea, but knocking out the circa 1911 newel post that needs "some work" is not a good idea. While the newel post may be unattractive, its intrinsic value will likely out-weigh its current ugly state.
- Pulling out lighting, unless it will be replaced by other lighting. Even bad lighting is better than no lighting.
- In fact, removing anything without replacement of a similar or better item is a bad idea. Holes, gaps, and empty spaces do not attract buyers.