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Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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Converting a garage to anything else. Removing bedrooms. Anything that looks to customized or caters to a very specific person.
I once looked at a townhouse that was done in completely purple (they were Ravens fans). I mean, the entire three levels. Every single room was purple. The carpet and tile was purple. Even the cabinets had purple pull-type things on them. I'm okay with painting. But everything? And replacing all the flooring? No way. Especially since I am definitely not a Ravens (or any NFL team) fan.
Elaborate landscaping. I looked at a house that had gorgeous landscaping....raised beds, carefully pruned bushes, ornamental trees, all kinds of things. It really was gorgeous. I didn't buy the house. All I kept thinking about was the fact that I wasn't going to pay someone to keep up with the landscaping and I sure as heck didn't want to all the time on that landscaping, either. Incidentally, I talked to the agent and she said that I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
We once looked at a house with a brand new, very upscale kitchen, glass cabinets, lots of granite, marble floors, and it was all bright blue. It was incredibly bizarre, and so jarring that I would have found it difficult to live with.
We have walked away from crazy HVAC set ups before, so I totally understand the OP's point. I find it amusing that so many people stating it would not be an issue are posters form Florida. Duh, of course it wouldn't. No heating where I live would be a deal breaker every time.
We have seen finished basements with no HVAC, that's a hell no. I have no interest in a mildewed smelly basement.
Wallpaper, removing bedroom walls, reducing garage size, popcorn ceilings, lazy maintenance all a turn off for me. Wallpaper and popcorn ceilings are removable, but I have done it once too often, and have no desire to deal with it again. Poor maintenance usually means at least one major issue has been overlooked.
Don't know if this counts, since my parents aren't looking to sell -- but they installed an in-ground swimming pool in the 1980s. It was just recently refreshed (? - new liner, new filter, added a heater, etc) and it's in good shape, but I'm guessing that it would limit the number of buyers interested in the house, since it's one more thing to take care of.
They have no regrets, however, and they still enjoy the pool to this day. My siblings and I enjoyed it as kids and our house was 'the place to be' for us and our friends, especially in summer.
^^ I don't get why no AC is an issue when no heat isn't. But if that's another person's issue, I don't have to understand it.
These are use examples that show that what's an issue for one person isn't for another. That's all.
I think some of it depends on where you live. I noticed that most of the posters who mentioned A/C being important, but not heat, lived in the southern part of the US where it's a lot warmer year 'round. I lived in Ohio in an old farm house when I was a teen. I can tell you, even though that house had radiator heating, it was frigid in my tiny upstairs bedroom during the winter. I can only remember one summer when it was too hot without A/C and that was only for a few days, the whole house fan kept the house cool the rest of the summer.
Where we live now, in the mountains of NC at a higher elevation, we don't need A/C. We didn't turn it on at all this year. I do turn the heat down at night during the winter, but it's still on because I would freeze without it!
The one thing about this house that perplexed me is that it has a nice family room in the basement and a full bath. When that area was finished, they didn't tap into the heat pump for heat, just left the baseboard heating and a ceiling fan/heater/light in the bathroom for heat. To be honest, I didn't even notice it because I wrongly assumed that since there were vents upstairs, there would be in the basement. Oh yeah, there is a nice propane heater in the wall that heats the space up nicely. But it can't be run a lot if we stay down there because it's not vented.
Sometimes I also think owners who buy a house that has an issue (like being on a busy street or train tracks, or an eyesore -- or having no heat in a bedroom) -- who get the house at a lower price…..sometimes expect their potential buyers to ignore that very same issue, or not expect that they also would expect a lower price.
The owners got a lower price when they bought, but somehow don't want to sell at a lower price when they sell. Just because the given issue didn't bother THEM. Hello? Why do you think you got the house at that price, because of that issue. So just like YOU got the house at a better price, the person you're selling to will expect that also. But somehow they forget that...
Oh, and this house also had sky blue laminate counter tops. They also painted the living/kitchen (open concept) walls sky blue. It was pretty horrendous. The other paint colors on the main level were equally as bad, but we knew we'd paint eventually, when we replaced the counters. We did and we did.
^^ I don't get why no AC is an issue when no heat isn't. But if that's another person's issue, I don't have to understand it.
These are use examples that show that what's an issue for one person isn't for another. That's all.
Because if the rest of the house is heated, you can throw a couple of extra blankets on the bed in the winter.
If there is no AC, you cannot cool the home without it. It would be impossible to only AC part of a home but obviously you can heat part of a home.
For most of the entire eastern seaboard, the south, and the southwest, you really cannot go without AC in the summer months.
We had a 4 bedroom house years ago in NC. We only needed 3 bedrooms so the smallest bedroom became a sort of laundry area where I kept my ironing board up. If the room is as small as you say it might not be used for much or they could use an electric heater.
Because if the rest of the house is heated, you can throw a couple of extra blankets on the bed in the winter.
If there is no AC, you cannot cool the home without it. It would be impossible to only AC part of a home but obviously you can heat part of a home.
For most of the entire eastern seaboard, the south, and the southwest, you really cannot go without AC in the summer months.
Well, actually it isn't impossible to only AC part of a home. We have a sunroom that has no duct work. It has tile floors and skylights so it heats itself in winter. In the summer, we use a window unit when necessary. Most of the time leaving the door open to the rest of the house is enough. though.
Costco sells ductless a/c. You don't even have to have a window unit.
Sometimes I also think owners who buy a house that has an issue (like being on a busy street or train tracks, or an eyesore -- or having no heat in a bedroom) -- who get the house at a lower price…..sometimes expect their potential buyers to ignore that very same issue, or not expect that they also would expect a lower price.
The owners got a lower price when they bought, but somehow don't want to sell at a lower price when they sell. Just because the given issue didn't bother THEM. Hello? Why do you think you got the house at that price, because of that issue. So just like YOU got the house at a better price, the person you're selling to will expect that also. But somehow they forget that...
That's something I will need to remember if (heaven forbid!) I ever sell my present home. The prior owners combined two small bedrooms, to make it a 2-BR house with a large Master bedroom, instead of a 3-BR house. In my region, that drastically lowers the resale value of the home. For me it was a win-win since I don't know what I'd even do with a third bedroom, and the price was lower too.
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