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What devalues a house the most?
We're planning renovations on our older home. We'd like to customize them to what suits us, but wonder if we're overspending and it's not worth it. So, what would devalue the house the most?
Asked By Holly | Norfolk, VA | 10 views | Remodeling | Updated 6 days ago
Answer(3)
Jennifer Hupke
RE/MAX Forward
From The Hupke Team perspective — the biggest thing that devalues a home isn’t age. It’s limiting your buyer pool.
What hurts value most:
Overly trendy or highly personalized finishes. Bold tile, loud cabinet colors, heavy theme styles — buyers don’t want to pay to rip things out. Keep major surfaces timeless and neutral.
Removing bedrooms or functional space. Bedroom count and storage matter more than oversized closets or ultra-custom layouts.
Over-improving for the neighborhood. There’s always a ceiling based on surrounding sales.
Poor workmanship. Dated is fixable. Sloppy isn’t.
Ignoring major systems. Roof, windows, HVAC, water issues — cosmetics won’t cover those.
If you’re renovating, go classic on permanent items (cabinets, flooring, tile) and personalize with paint, lighting, and décor. Timeless design protects resale.
What hurts value most:
Overly trendy or highly personalized finishes. Bold tile, loud cabinet colors, heavy theme styles — buyers don’t want to pay to rip things out. Keep major surfaces timeless and neutral.
Removing bedrooms or functional space. Bedroom count and storage matter more than oversized closets or ultra-custom layouts.
Over-improving for the neighborhood. There’s always a ceiling based on surrounding sales.
Poor workmanship. Dated is fixable. Sloppy isn’t.
Ignoring major systems. Roof, windows, HVAC, water issues — cosmetics won’t cover those.
If you’re renovating, go classic on permanent items (cabinets, flooring, tile) and personalize with paint, lighting, and décor. Timeless design protects resale.
- 21 hours ago
Helpful (1)
Unhelpful (0)
Michael Siers
Howard Hanna Outer Banks Realty
Holly,
In my experience renovations that are done shouldn't be the super trendy items you see today unless you plan on selling today. Go neutral and better quality, if you are staying for a while. The upgrades won't go out of style, will look great and will be solid down the road when you decide to sell. Good luck and have fun!
In my experience renovations that are done shouldn't be the super trendy items you see today unless you plan on selling today. Go neutral and better quality, if you are staying for a while. The upgrades won't go out of style, will look great and will be solid down the road when you decide to sell. Good luck and have fun!
- 1 day ago
- Helpful (1)
- Unhelpful (0)
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Jennifer Schill
Epique Realty
Holly that is an important question if you plan to sell your home in the near future. But, if you are wanting to customize it to what suits you, it doesn't sound like you plan to sell soon. If you do plan to sell, the question should be what remodeling projects provide the highest ROI? This question, of course, depends on many factors, including location. Best to ask a local agent.
- 1 day ago
- Helpful (0)
- Unhelpful (0)
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