10 Surprising Things That Decrease Your Home Value

It seems counterintuitive, but a state-of-the-art kitchen might not be worth the dollars you put into it if everyone in your neighborhood still has their original setup. So how do you know when to go for broke and when to settle for a few minor changes? If you’re going to stay in your home for 5-10 years, you might see the market in your 'hood grow enough to get a good return on your investment. A real estate agent can help with gauging sales figures and comparable properties. But if not, a few small changes can make a kitchen much more livable.

That slipping gutter and overgrown sidewalk might not bother you, but they signal a pattern of poor care to a potential buyer. Even a spectacular home loses its shine without regular upkeep. To spot any problem areas, walk through your yard and home as if you were a potential buyer. Better yet, ask an honest friend to join you. What minor damage or untidiness catches your eye? Make a list and attack as if your selling price depends on it. It just might.

A past-its-prime washroom leaves potential buyers with one impression: This will cost a lot of money to remodel. Similar to a kitchen, cosmetic updates go a long way to avoiding a possible reduction in selling price. Refinish the vanity, replace dated or corroded faucets and shower fixtures, and update the lighting and hardware.

You adore your Chihuly-esque chandelier, but a house full of personality-plus lighting might set a style tone that’s hard for a buyer to look past. Thankfully, the solution is a win-win: Switch out your most treasured pieces for streamlined crowd favorites—and install the distinct pieces in your new place.

What sells a house? Bedrooms and bathrooms, often just based on number. So if you’ve turned a spare bedroom into a gym, home office, or any type of space that can’t revert, your home’s value might suffer. If the room is reversible, remove the signs of your alternative use and stage it as a bedroom before putting your home on the market.

Wallpaper: Beloved by design types and loathed by real estate agents. While paper is a one-stop shop to take a room to the next level, it still suffers from the stigma of being tough to remove. And patterns and colors are subjective. If you have to have it (and we totally understand if you do), consider a solid color that relies on texture rather than pattern or choose a pattern in a neutral. It has a higher chance of getting the thumbs-up from a new owner.

In some regions, a textured wall is expected (we’re thinking of adobe-style houses both new and old in the Southwest). That’s great, but if your walls and ceilings are pocked and marked in a land of sheetrock, it might deter buyers who want a less specific look. To mute the texture, paint the walls with a matte or eggshell finish. Gloss just draws attention to the topography. If it’s in your budget, sand the walls down to be rid of the finish altogether.

Are your walls coated in jewel tones? Kudos, you brave and bold soul. But someone cruising through your open house might not have your guts or an ability to see past the color on the wall. (And this is true for both interior and exterior hues.) Never fear: This is the easiest feature to change—simply repaint in a white or light neutral. If your walls are already white or neutral, a touch-up (or good wall scrubbing) might surprise you with its impact.

Laying new carpet seems like a relatively inexpensive way to freshen your home. However, many buyers are looking for wood floors or want to choose their own carpet and would feel bad ripping out something new. Instead, real estate agents recommend getting existing carpet professionally cleaned instead.

A pool, extensive landscaping, and lots of trees sounds like a shortlist for an outdoor paradise…until you have to handle the upkeep. Even if you’re not interested in selling your home, think about how much time you have to put into maintenance before starting a major outdoor project.