Pros/Cons of a Home

When buying a home, market conscientious buyers think long term and consider the home’s qualities and disadvantages from a resale perspective. Though you may be able to over look and live with an awkward floor plan, if you plan on selling the home in the future, potential buyers may not. To some extent, a home’s desirability is subjective. Each homeowner will demand different criteria and needs from a property. Below is a checklist of common features that homeowners archetypally view as either advantages or shortcomings. The features on the “Positives” list may raise a home’s value. The features on the “Negatives” list may decrease a home’s price.

All VRC agents are almost over-qualified in helping advise you on selecting the right home!

Positives:

+ Great Neighborhood (Everyone takes care of their homes)
+ Located deep within a subdivision + Granite countertops
+ Hardwood floors
+ 3 Car Garages
+ Large lots (neighbors not too close)
+ Open floor plans
+ Natural ambient day light
+ Tall ceilings
+ Neutrally decorated and painted
+ Forced air/Central air
+ Remodeled recently
+ Master bedroom on main floor
+ Basement
+ Water frontage
+ Outbuildings (storage shed, pole barn, etc.)

Negatives:

– Being on a main road (or backing to)
– Awkward floor plan
– Too close to railroad (noise)
– Too close to expressway (noise)
– Too close to airport (noise)
– Too close to high tension wires (possible health hazard – may be correlated to cancer)
– Too close to city dump (smell/water contamination)
– Too close to a prison
– Being one of the first homes near the entrance of a subdivision (location)
– Being near stagnant water (mosquitos)
– Small lots (too close to neighbors)
– Being in a run down neighborhood
– Too many stairs (especially tri-levels, disadvantage for people with knee problems or young children)
– Grading problems (can be fixed)
– Outdoor décor (cosmetically can be updated)
– No garage
– No basement
– Less than 3 bedrooms
– Less than 1,000 square feet
– Being located too close to commercial buildings
– Any major “eye sores” for a view
– Being located at the bottom of a hill (flood zone problems)
– Mold/radon issues (can be remediated)