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Making Big ImprovementsMany home improvement projects begin with someone in the household saying, "Wouldn't it be nice if...?" Assuming that they're not just muttering the old Beach Boys song about living together, they may then lament the fact that there's no island in the kitchen, or not enough counter space, or that the cupboards are made of cheap particleboard instead of oak. It may be a wish for hardwood floors, or for a new paint job. Whatever it is, it's likely that reality will intrude: There's only so much money and so much space. If you want to turn at least some of these dreams into reality, then you should start by evaluating your reasons for doing these things. Most homeowners consider home improvements for one of the following reasons: You need to update the out-of-date. Sure, you may wait 75 years until fifties-green linoleum is back in style, but now may be the time to make it current. You need to replace major appliances or plumbing. If the sink, tub,
or toilet has to be replaced, many people take the opportunity to refurbish
the entire bathroom. And if you're going to have to bash through a wall
anyhow to get to that leaking pipe, maybe it's time to think of wallpapering
or repainting. You're selling your home. You want to be sure you'll get top dollar
from the sale of your home, and that may be the rallying cry for some
home improvement projects that you've been hemming and hawing over for
some years. Improving to Move or Improving to Stay Even if you're remodeling in order to stay in your home, you still need to avoid over-improving it. Here you might place more emphasis on the kinds of things that will give you pleasure over the years. Keep in mind, though, that you'll probably sell someday, and even if your house is the best on the block, you may have a hard time persuading buyers to pay extra for the things you found so important. Keep the value of other homes in the area in mind whenever you consider improvements. Remember the old saw: "Buy the worst home in the best neighborhood rather than the best home in the worst neighborhood." Your home's value should be no more than 20% above the average. That means a $10,000 kitchen improvement project might be a better idea than a $30,000 pool, especially if no other homes in your area have pools. In most cases, the cost of an improvement isn't recouped in the sales price. Redoing a kitchen may help sell the house, but a seller should never expect to get 100% of the cost back in the sale. It's usually much less. If you're remodeling the kitchen, ask yourself if you can handle the plumbing, electrical, and carpentry work. And don't forget that you need to finish it all quickly, because in the meantime you'll be without a kitchen. Hiring people who have experience can save you money and time, too. For example, these professionals can help you get a custom look using stock products, and that can be a significant savings. Getting something done right -- the first time -- will give you value that lasts for years. Some furniture and home improvement stores have free design services. Depending on your needs, this may appeal to you. (The benefit to the store is that you'll spend money on their furniture or cabinetry.) Finding the Professionals Article continued at http://www.fool.com/homecenter/smart/smart03.htm Real EstateA to Z Home Buying and Selling Real Estate Guide - Vandema - Free directory of home foreclosures, loans and mortgages, calculators, forms and contracts, home improvement tools, listing resources and more. Absaroka Realty
- Bozeman, Montana - Complete Bozeman, Montana real estate &
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loads of community information. All Buyers and Sellers Realty of Florida - Free Ocala Marion County Florida mls listings search for Ocala real estate, homes for sale. Florida Realtors, buyers agents, buyer rebates. We are fla! Austin Apartments Find - Search for austin apartments and move-in specials. buypropertiesonline.com - Buy, Find, Sell and Shop Real Estate. A Real Estate Referral Service For Motivated Real Estate Professionals. Cape Coral Florida real estate broker Dallas Apartments, Rentals & Locators - Free apartment locator service for the Dallas, Texas area. Denver
Colorado Real Estate - Complete Denver Colorado Real Estate source,
homes, agents, condominiums Foreclosure Real Estate Listings - Free trial search of US bank owned homes and foreclosure property listings. Fort Worth Apartments - DFW Apartments for Rent - Free apartment locator service for Fort Worth & Dallas Metroplex area. Jack Carpenter - Commercial real estate & equipment financing, Bridge Loans, Venture Capital and Hard Money Loans, Sale Leaseback Nationwide. Liane Read Real Estate - Canadian Southern Gulf Islands Real Estate, British Columbia Log Homes Log Cabins & Log Furniture - LogHomeLinks.com Everything To Do With Log Homes. M. J. Howes Realty Inc. - Real Estate and Businesses For Sale in southwestern Ontario, Canada. O’Fallon Real Estate, Wentzville Real Estate and Lake St. Louis Real Estate Leaders - Over 20 years experience buying and selling real estate. Search the MLS, access free school reports, relocation tools and more. We make real estate easy! Panelized Homes - 100% Home Financing Portfolio 13 Web & Graphic Design - Provides professional graphic design and web services. Real Estate : No Money Down -Real estate training course provides insider information on buying bank foreclosures and distressed properties. REi Tool Belt ~ #1 in Real Estate Investing webTools San Antonio Apartments - A free apartment locating service for the San Antonio, Tx area. San Antonio Apartments Find - Offers free apartment locating services and rental specials. SDREguide.com - San Diego Real Estate Guide. Here, more home shoppers will find san diego real estate than at any other local real estate web site. sell your home yourself.com SellYourHomeYourself.Com is a unique site that helps the FSBO seller save money. St. Louis Real Estate and Chesterfield Real Estate - Leeland Hartsfield has years of experience with St. Louis real estate. Search 1000?s of homes online. Access free tools and calculators. Call Leeland for all of your real estate needs! Your-HouseFinder.com - Real estate agent David Phillips website provide local information, access to the multiple listing service, & mortgage info. Serving Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth.
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