I'm a Real Estate Agent: Think Twice Before Investing in These 7 Home Features
It's tempting to renovate with resale value in mind, especially when every dollar counts amid rising material costs and economic uncertainty. But real estate agents warn that not every upgrade pays off — some features can actually hurt your resale value or waste money on things most buyers don't even want.
So how do you tell the difference between a smart investment and a costly mistake?
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Home renovations typically run anywhere from $15,000 to $200,000, so you'll want to be confident you'll recoup that money (and then some) when you sell. Before you spend a dime, here are seven home features experts say you should avoid if you want to protect your home's market value.
1. Turning Your Garage Into a Living Space
"When you're living in your home, you might be tempted to park the cars in the driveway and turn that garage into a den, office, game room, man cave or some other special interest space," said Omer Reiner, licensed realtor and president of FL Cash Home Buyers, LLC. "However, most people want to see a garage as a place to park the car."
Elizabeth Dodson, real estate expert and cofounder of HomeZada said, "For most buyers, a functional garage is a bigger draw than a specialty room on a lot with parking issues or no parking at all. A home without adequate parking can be a buyer red flag, especially for a multi-vehicle family."
You'll want to review similar listings in your community before investing in a garage remodeling project because you may find out that many homebuyers are looking for this space for their vehicles.
"Before putting your home on the market, turn the former garage back into a garage and let a buyer determine how they want to use that space," Reiner said.
2. Adding an ADU to Your Property
Similarly, while an alternative dwelling unit (ADU) can be a decent investment if you're looking to add a rental property to your home, it may be a feature that turns away prospective buyers when you're ready to sell your place.
Dodson pointed out that any home features that significantly alter vehicle and storage space can be an issue with your listing. "We have fitness-minded customers who converted a garage into a workout space, which at first sounded like a good move," she added. "But they struggled with their car situation because if you add shelving or other permanent features, you may create space issues that prevent you from adding a car back into the equation."
3. High-End Kitchen Appliances
"Certain kitchen appliances, along with high-end cabinets and flooring, can be a dealbreaker if homebuyers believe they have to pay considerably more for them," Dodson explained. "We have customers who invest in prestige appliances that don't translate well to buyers who are more interested in cooking, functionality and ease of cleanup than brand names."
4. Built-In Shelving
Dodson pointed out how certain built-in shelving and entertainment systems can restrict furniture configuration options. "One of our customers had a built-in microwave that stopped working. Since the model had been discontinued and couldn't be repaired, they had to disassemble a large part of their cabinetry to replace it," she added.
5. Niche Additions
Dodson shared that niche additions -- such as gyms, wine rooms, movie-screening rooms and more specialty spaces -- aren't worth putting the extra money into. Simply put, they are a home feature that not everyone wants and you'll want to avoid because they could make it challenging to sell your home.
6. Swimming Pool
"Adding a pool, which some homeowners may see as a negative because of the maintenance involved," Dodson said. Pools are known to have significant maintenance demands and could be a dealbreaker for many home buyers who aren't looking for this added expense. A pool could also be a safety issue for families with small children.
7. Landscaping Work
While spending some time cleaning up your property is expected when selling a home, putting thousands into landscaping styles won't help enough to recoup the costs of your green thumb. Make sure you just mow your lawn, pull some weeds and tidy up any unruly trees and branches to maintain curb appeal, but avoid putting in hardscaping, water features or anything else to this space that is too extra.
A common reason for avoiding investing in this home feature is that people like to make these renovations on their own when purchasing a home. With an average cost nearing $4,000 for a landscaping project, you could save yourself some time and money, especially considering that you may never get back the investment in a sale turnover.
Final Take: Just How Much Do Renovations Cost?
Before you go, here are some average prices to expect for the type of work you want to do, via HomeGuide:
Whole house renovation: $15,000 to $200,000 (depending on how high-end you go)
House exterior: $6,000 to $20,000
Roofing: $5,000 to $11,000
Kitchen: $10,000 to $50,000
Bathroom: $5,000 to $25,000
Bedroom or living room: $1,500 to $10,000
Basement or attic: $20,000 to $75,000
Martin Dasko contributed to the reporting for this article.
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