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TOBER - agree. Some things are a very easy fix. I had lived with two light fixtures that I kept meaning to replace "someday" . . . so when we put our previous home on the market, I finally got around to actually changing them out, lol. It really helped to update them and the good thing was - had I done it 5 years earlier, I would have chosen something that was not the most "current" look - so it all worked out fine in the end.
One thing I did learn along the way is . . . for most improvements - even if it means I have to let something else wait for a while (like a vacation) . . . I would rather update now so I can enjoy the improvements than defer it til I put the house on the market. That may sound like a no-brainer but it is really easy (for me) to keep putting off something like upstairs carpet or re-painting a room to a color I much preferred. I felt kinda stupid when I realized I had let this happen in the past. I had missed out on the real sense of satisfaction and enjoyment I would have felt had I done it earlier.
I have my home to live in and enjoy my life with no thought or plan for resale. But there are a few things I hate. I despise my ugly, dingy white linoleum floor. I'm also not a fan of the builder grade shiny fake brass light fixtures and door knobs. That said, I'm still living with these over 10 years later. Need to change this at some point....
Things that were very important to us when house hunting and would be still today:
--side load garage (dislike the look of a house when the garage is the main focus),
--mature, but not overgrown landscaping with trees
--a decent yard in both front and back with some degree of privacy and enough space that I can't reach out a window and shake hands with the neighbor in his house.
--large master bedroom with separate shower and soaking tub and dual sinks/vanity
--large kitchen with lots of storage space in quality cabinets.
So many things can be changed for personal taste. Colors and tones of wood, appliance finishes, carpet and paint colors are all things that have trends. I want quality construction, not the cheapest thing that can be slapped in a home so it looks trendy and current but falls apart in two years. Today's trendy and current is tomorrow's avocado green stove.
Seeing as Charlotte is so transient with such a variety of housing options, including plenty of new construction options, you've all likely shopped for homes several times over the years. In that process, I was wondering what you look for already done in a house.
The idea being that certain finishes would be prohibitively expensive to add after you bought, but others could be added somewhat cost efficiently later.
So, if you were shopping for a new house today - what finishes would you be looking for already done?
You got some great,sound advise!
For me,instead of tile in wet locations i would use Travertine.Production builders i know dont use it but custom builders do.Its got a more classic,timeless style look.If you use tile or travertine go for the bigger tiles like 16 x 16 or 18 x 18 in larger spaces.Go for a diagonal or inlaid look.
Cant say enough about lighting.Never enough can lights!
Dont skimp on under cabinet kitchen lighting! Think ambient,task and of course accent.
Pick out unique lighting thats looks like you hand picked it all not the Lowes look.Dont make the lighting ( like a lighting package) all uniform.Be creative.
I worked for a production builder and so many people really wanted to put together a more individual look so it is all about being creative.
Then i worked for a lighting store.Most customers complained so much about not ever having enough light and if they could do it all over again and realize they needed far more task lighting than they ever thought.
When building, I didn't pay much attention to lighting. I wish I had. I would put canned lights in some parts of the house, like the closet and in some of the long narrow hallways. Also, pay attention to electrical outlets. Are there enough? Where you need them?
How about pretty garage doors? I'm seeing fancy ones installed in my neighborhood.
Someone had mentioned that it wouldn't be long before granite is passe; and I suspect the same for stainless steel appliances too. Question is--What is the next dominant trend for countertops and appliances?
Related to the original post, but on the other end of the spectrum: What are some recent trends that are now obsolete? A couple of candidates:
-Built-in nook for a CRT TV (often over the fireplace)
-CAT5 pre-wiring (So many gadgets are wireless now!)
Totally agree with the nook above the TV! What a turn off for me! I wonder why some house built in 2004 have them...
I would always be most concerned with location, privacy,lot size and aspect.
Now if I was considering a couple of homes that met those criteria fairly equally then it would be siding (don't like vinyl), roof age/ type, ceiling height/type, insulation (roof , crawlspace etc), room and hot water heating,natural light and storage. Also floorplan- ie not too many small boxy rooms-prefer some open plan and a plan that flows.
Then it would be things like flooring,cabinetry,fixtures etc.
Now the TV nook might stop me from buying a house!
Hate wall mounted TVs in living rooms or TVs more than 32 inch. Different story for a den or family room.
Why would you want a TV to detract from the fireplace which is supposed to be the focal point?
In an older home (> 60yrs) I would want to see original features (not repro') or that has been modernised as long as it's been done well ie rooms knocked through and windows made bigger.
I think sometimes if you are happy with your home the way it is it is sometimes better to wait until you come to sell and then maybe spend some money replacing light fittings , door furniture etc.
A lot would depend on the price point.
At the end of the day you can't change location, view and aspect although you can maximise the last two by cahnging windows, removing trees or placing hedges/fences appropriately
I am surprised that folks are so turned off by TV nooks. Just fill it in and frame it out nicely with molding and hang a picture or mirror if it is in the living room. If it is in the family room, library or bedroom, hang your tv on the filled in wall.
I bought a house at the end of March. 9' ceilings, granite countertop, SS sink, attractive kitchen cabinets with crown molding were a must, as well as sufficient closet space. Soaking tub and separate shower are also musts.
Unlike many on this thread, I actually prefer linoleum in the kitchen provided it looks like tile because it's easier to clean (in my opinion).
One thing I noticed when looking at houses was that sellers had painted many rooms in the houses with an entire rainbow of colors. I walked away from many houses because I'd have to repaint every single room. It's difficult to fall in love with a house when you are distracted by the colors. I prefer buying a house that has neutral wall colors - it's a blank canvas for me.
I bought a house at the end of March. 9' ceilings, granite countertop, SS sink, attractive kitchen cabinets with crown molding were a must, as well as sufficient closet space. Soaking tub and separate shower are also musts.
Unlike many on this thread, I actually prefer linoleum in the kitchen provided it looks like tile because it's easier to clean (in my opinion).
One thing I noticed when looking at houses was that sellers had painted many rooms in the houses with an entire rainbow of colors. I walked away from many houses because I'd have to repaint every single room. It's difficult to fall in love with a house when you are distracted by the colors. I prefer buying a house that has neutral wall colors - it's a blank canvas for me.
While we were house hunting my fiance was also turned off by the rooms being all different colors. I also agree that it is very distracting.
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Lighting and electrical outlets
