The 10 worst home improvements made for resale!

I get asked all the time what are the best improvements I can make on my home and get the best bang for my buck. It is an easy answer really. Kitchen and Bathroom. Most people know that answer before I even give it.

An interesting question came up the other day was what is the worst ideas for improvements of my house before listing.

Here is my top 10 list.

1. Broadloom through out the home. When buyers are looking at a house that has broadloom the first question is what is under the broadloom. Broadloom is now perceived as a dirt collector. Hardwood is what buyers are looking for. If your home has hardwood and is in rough shape do not cover it up, consider refinishing them or replacing with hardwood.
2. Indoor hot tubs and saunas. This was once the way to go to be stylish. Now it is viewed as expensive energy guzzlers. Hot tubs indoors make the house smell and create mold if not vented properly.
3. Built in surround sound systems. This may be great for you to have but buyers will see no extra value in this system. This also includes home theatres. Nice to have but no extra value.
4. Coloured sinks, toilets and tubs. The 70s are not back in fashion when it comes to the purple toilet. White, white and white are your choices. If the buyer sees a coloured fixture the first thought is I will need to replace that!
5. Wallpaper. Do not put up wallpaper, I repeat do not put up wallpaper. Remove your current wallpaper. Everyone hates having to peel wallpaper and that is a job that a buyer will look at with disgust.
6. Cheap laminate or peel and stick tiles. It just looks cheap and completely fake. Spend a few extra bucks and do the job correctly. I am not saying all laminate looks bad but the cheap stuff is horrible.
7. Swimming Pool. An always lively debate. To some buyers a pool is very important but to most they can live without one or do not want one all together. They can be expensive to operate and in the eyes of buyers with young children they are viewed as dangerous.
8. Pricey appliances. The appliances will not sell the house. It is nice to have pricey appliances but good clean working appliances will do the trick.
9. Colourful paint jobs. It has been said again and again that anyone redecorating or making home improvements for resale purposes should stick to a neutral palate for maximising appeal, yet some still insist on breaking out the hot orange with green trim. (you know who you are!)
10. Making a three bedroom home to a two bedroom home. Many sellers think that a huge master bedroom at the expense of the small third bedroom is a good idea. Wrong. No matter how spacious your newly enlarged master bedroom is the demand for a two bedroom home is much less then a three bedroom home. This in turn commands considerably lower prices.