Quote:
Originally Posted by Gonzirra
If your neighbor's place is identical and worth $220k in typical good condition, obviously you getting to $275k isn't happening. With an extra bathroom and nicer yard yours would sell first and maybe fetch a little bit more, depending on the details and other things going on. Like units are like units though.
Should explain that my house and my neighbor's house are nearly identical but that's not the rest of the street. It's a historic district with old row houses that is slowly undergoing gentrification. As a result houses on the street vary pretty widely probably 80k for the worst one that hasn't been fixed up at all in 50 years and 300k for the nicest renovations. There's a group of 3 houses built from the ground up 20 years ago after an arson and I own one of those. There's a facade to blend in with the older building but it's siding in the back and none of the problems of owning a really old house.
The main reason I think the house could be worth a lot more than neighbor's is because their kitchen is equally bad as mine right now. It will probably be the worst kitchen any potential buyers in their price range look at. The houses have other great, practical, uncommon for the area features (dry basement with high ceilings, off street parking, etc) that competing houses won't have but the kitchens and bathroom were done 20 years ago with what look like the cheapest cabinets and counters and flooring on the market at the time. If I have a much nicer kitchen and a master bath that they don't have I think it adds significant value. Regardless, my main point is that there are a few other houses on the street probably worth 275-300k so I'm not really overbuilding the neighborhood until I would hit that number.
Quote:
Originally Posted by guller
Go with the Silestone IMO. I have granite now, I installed Silestone at my old house. Silestone is much easier to keep clean and you don't have to re-seal it.
Also if you have an electric range now install a gas line during the remodel and get a gas range. Unless you don't have gas in your house. The first thing I did when I moved into my new house was install the gas line to the range area, since the new place didn't come with appliances. We used electric for years at the old house, it is unbelievable how much better gas cooking is, especially if you have a pro range.
I have gas now, love it. I will seriously check out Silestone, seems like most people are pointing that direction and I am not going to be one of those guys who asks a question on here and does the exact opposite of what's recommended.
Last edited by BadBoyBenny; 01-04-2014 at 10:50 AM.