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Old 01-14-2015, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,790,915 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riaelise View Post
I agree, it is a nice feature. I'm 5'10 and my husband is 6', and it would be nice if we could fit in the shower together. And jets are always welcome as well. As a buyer, I would view it as a nice feature, but I'm not sure if it would go down as a must have feature.
When I first bought the house (with my first wife), we attempted to take a shower once together and it was a miserable experience. I'm 6'0" like your husband, she's a lot shorter than you at 5'6" but our elbows were hitting the wall and each other trying to soap up. My next wife is even smaller but it still didn't work. I am going to redesign the shower area to be twice as large. The built in tile bench for the wife to shave is almost a requirement from what I've heard.

The steam shower is very nice on cold days like we've been having. Even though I keep the heat on 70, I like the bathroom to be extra toasty. They used to have those ceiling heaters but they don't seem to install those in Texas like they have in other states (probably because it's usually hot most of the year). So this is a good alternative, you can steam it all up in the shower area and it's nice and hot in there when you step in.
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Old 01-14-2015, 09:03 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,241 posts, read 35,440,091 times
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If we upgrade out master bath, it will probably be counter-productive for resale - we will most likely take out the 'garden tub' entirely and replace it with a long, walk-in shower with a bench seat (or two) with two shower heads. Couldn't care less about resale at the moment .
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Old 01-14-2015, 09:23 AM
 
1,430 posts, read 2,363,499 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cBach View Post
Why are the balusters $0 recoup? When I visit a home, if they have the old white wood balusters that is a definite negative for me.

Also why $0 on the half bath. Is granite countertops not important in there?

Based on your estimates, it sounds like the biggest bang for the buck is the deck resurfacing.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone buying your house. Would you really offer more money for one house compared to another for balusters or the half bath? I wouldn't and I doubt many would. Heck, the very existence of a half-bath wouldn't shift my bid on a house substantially in the first place.
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Old 01-14-2015, 11:01 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,790,915 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpurcell View Post
Put yourself in the shoes of someone buying your house. Would you really offer more money for one house compared to another for balusters or the half bath? I wouldn't and I doubt many would. Heck, the very existence of a half-bath wouldn't shift my bid on a house substantially in the first place.
This may be a personal preference thing. I like a half bath so guests don't have to use the master or children's bathroom. To me it is required.
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Old 01-14-2015, 11:13 AM
 
3,743 posts, read 5,805,823 times
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I don't want wood floors in the kitchen , much less in the bathrooms. I have had too many episodes with leaking water from the refridig. and dishwasher. Disaster!!! Also, wood floors around water are asking for it. IMHO. Not really into the "New Orleans" style either. Again, IMHO.
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Old 01-14-2015, 02:05 PM
 
668 posts, read 777,081 times
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I just bought a nearly $400K house in Northwest Austin. We were looking in neighborhoods with houses in the 10-25 year old range. I have to say that most of what we looked at (over a 9 month search) did not have most of those upgrades that you list. I did look at one house which had some decade-old original builder upgrades that the owners were expecting a colossal, above-market recoup for. I did not buy that house and no one else did either; it sat on the MLS unsold until the real estate listing with the original agent expired. It still hasn't sold.

I would say that the bathroom might give you some bang for your buck but flooring is a very individual choice. I hated seeing houses with new high-end carpeting installed because I have small children and German Shepherds; one of the first things I do in any house is rip out carpet and install wood, laminate, or tile.

I saw a number of houses in the $350-400K price range where they had "refinished" the original laminate countertops by spraying some kind of plasticky crap over them. This was listed as an "upgrade"--both hideous and hilarious! The house I bought had had this done to it, and while we did immediately have granite installed, I discovered in my granite-shopping journey that there was a really wide range of installation and purchase prices for even Level 1 granite, and I preferred being able to select my own slab and fabricator to having had someone else do it for me.

Unless your Steiner house looks exceptionally dated or is in poor shape, I would not choose to do most of those things you list solely for resale value, and I wouldn't expect to get tons back from it if I did. (Doing it because you want to enjoy the improvements in the house is another story.) The market is so hot right now that if your house is in pretty decent shape, it will sell quickly and for a high price if it's in an in-demand neighborhood anyway.
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Old 01-14-2015, 03:15 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,790,915 times
Reputation: 7256
Quote:
Originally Posted by eirenecat View Post
I just bought a nearly $400K house in Northwest Austin. We were looking in neighborhoods with houses in the 10-25 year old range. I have to say that most of what we looked at (over a 9 month search) did not have most of those upgrades that you list. I did look at one house which had some decade-old original builder upgrades that the owners were expecting a colossal, above-market recoup for. I did not buy that house and no one else did either; it sat on the MLS unsold until the real estate listing with the original agent expired. It still hasn't sold.

I would say that the bathroom might give you some bang for your buck but flooring is a very individual choice. I hated seeing houses with new high-end carpeting installed because I have small children and German Shepherds; one of the first things I do in any house is rip out carpet and install wood, laminate, or tile.

I saw a number of houses in the $350-400K price range where they had "refinished" the original laminate countertops by spraying some kind of plasticky crap over them. This was listed as an "upgrade"--both hideous and hilarious! The house I bought had had this done to it, and while we did immediately have granite installed, I discovered in my granite-shopping journey that there was a really wide range of installation and purchase prices for even Level 1 granite, and I preferred being able to select my own slab and fabricator to having had someone else do it for me.

Unless your Steiner house looks exceptionally dated or is in poor shape, I would not choose to do most of those things you list solely for resale value, and I wouldn't expect to get tons back from it if I did. (Doing it because you want to enjoy the improvements in the house is another story.) The market is so hot right now that if your house is in pretty decent shape, it will sell quickly and for a high price if it's in an in-demand neighborhood anyway.
I think you might be the exception to the rule though. Most of the comments I received when I had it on the market for a short while (as a test) were to the tune of "We like the house to have all the upgrades and be move in ready with no work." and "Would take some upgrades to get to where we want it."

The bones of the house are great but they wanted upgrades.

Now the first question is which is more important to a buyer? granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen or granite countertops, dual steam showers in master bath?
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Old 01-14-2015, 03:25 PM
 
1,588 posts, read 2,302,808 times
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Well I'm confident that I'll see every penny back at resale time for the 5 bidets and two urinals that I installed.





Right?
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Old 01-14-2015, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,790,915 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastcoasting View Post
Well I'm confident that I'll see every penny back at resale time for the 5 bidets and two urinals that I installed.





Right?
^ Failed attempt at humor
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Old 01-14-2015, 04:05 PM
 
2,602 posts, read 2,962,657 times
Reputation: 997
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastcoasting View Post
Well I'm confident that I'll see every penny back at resale time for the 5 bidets and two urinals that I installed.





Right?
^ stealth dorm!
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