Resale of homes (Louisville: for sale, new home, neighborhoods)

[baldeagles50]

I am looking for homes in the Louisville/Oldham area. We haven't discounted Indiana yet, but I was wondering about vinyl versus brick. A realtor told us that vinyl sided homes are harder to resell because Louisville is a brick town. She pointed out several homes that have languished on the market. We are looking in the $400,000 range.

[Mike Dunn]

I find that most buyers in the midwest definitely lean towards brick over vinyl. Then you have the buyers that will only accept full brick wrap homes vs. partial brick homes.

[kingcopper]

Only full brick wrap in the ville will sell well!

[nlschr0]

This is one thing that amazed me about the Louisville area - the large number of brick homes even in the lower "starter home" category. The neighborhoods look more distinguished.

Where I've lived before (like Chicago and Cleveland), you would see new homes being built at around a million $ and still be only partial brick.

[tomocox]

Brick is best, there is no doubt; however, there is not a house in Louisville that is environmentally clean that will not sell. It's all about price. If you pay more for vinyl that it is worth, it will be harder to sell; likewise if you overprice a brick, it too will sit. Your question seems to have an easy answer, but don't buy without a professional working for you, and don't sell likewise.

[Cattknap]

Doesn't vinyl siding wear better than wood siding?

[tomocox]

Depends on the quality of the vinyl. Yes, there are quality differences in vinyl stock. Hail, golf balls, etc can play heck with vinyl. Hardy-board is a fiber concrete product that actually offers the very best of "wood-look".

[Cattknap]

I love brick but also very much like the look of a wood sided home or a combination of both materials - but I wouldn't want the upkeep of wood. Here in CA, we have to have reenforced brick...if you looked at the damage in the pictures of the recent Indiana earthquake, you will see a lot of fallen brick, probably not reenforced.

There is a house for sale in Hunting Creek that we are looking at - it has been on the market for a while - very nice house - it has vinyl siding....also has no windows in the bedroom due to a remodel...windows can be added though according to the realtor. Could it be that it hasn't sold because of the vinyl siding?

[Mike Dunn]

I think my biggest complaint about vinyl is not necessarily the product but the installation. It's amazing to me the number of vinyl homes that have loose planks or they were installed improperly.

[kingcopper]

hmm...plastic or brick? lolo!