Basement Property (how much, house, buy)

[shaebap]

My husband and I are new to the ATL metro area, in your opinion is having a basement a necessity or luxury?

[hspinnler]

That depends on your lifestyle, size of family, need for space, and how much "stuff" you have. Are you considering a home on a basement to store things, have a workout room, home office, use as a recreational area, put in a home theatre, etc.?

If you run out of storage space in the garage, attic, knee-wall attic areas, or bedrooms, will you need to maintain an account at a nearby storage facility?

[shaebap]

Thanks for the response, it would be for entertainment only and extra space for
visiting family.Also,we were told that Georgia has alot of tornado warnings, just wanted to be on the safe side.

[atlantagreg30127]

The house I live in now does not have a basement, but I would consider it a necessity for me in the next house I buy (for myself, others will vary).

My own reasons:

1) So long as there are no water issues, and especially if there's plumbing in the basement for a bathroom, homes with basements sell for more because people do want space for guests. It can come in handy later for a mother-in-law or teen suite down the road, or a rec room or anything else. In Georgia, finished basement square footage is NOT advertised as part of the home's total square footage, but if you say "finished basement" in an ad it gets more attention.

2) Yep - storage is a consideration. How may people here use their garages for storage? A lot. Basements can allow you to use your garage for, gasp, CARS.

3) Yes, we get tornadoes. Not huge monster ones, but it's convenient to have a basement "just in case" for safety reasons.


So again, yeah, I consider it a definite plus.

[peachstatehomegal]

Basements are nice to have. I've seen SO many homes with a 2 car garage, with the door up, cars in the driveways and the garages stacked to the gills with stuff! I've got a basement (and no garage lol ) with half of it being finished (wood stove, dart board, conversation area, etc) and the other half unfinished (work bench, washer/dryer, storage, etc.)
And yes, it is a comfort when the tornado warnings flash across the television screen!

[atlantagreg30127]

I will add this, though: Make SURE if you decide to make an offer on a house with a basement, that it's gone through a thorough home inspection. I've known people over the years who have bought homes that had very nice basements, but I've also known people who bought homes with basements that had water issues that were almost hidden unless you thoroughly look for them. So a good home inspection is a must (with or without a basement, but especially with).