New Oven: $500. New Wall: $3,000 One of the stealth issues for prospective home Buyers is the old-but-still functioning wall oven — often times, two of them. The risk, which rises with the oven’s age: that the model has been discontinued, and there’s not a same-size replacement. When that’s the case, the fix isn’t just a new...Read More
“Nice Try” Department I give the listing agent (representing the Seller) credit for trying: the line (above) certainly sounds like a compliment. And it may even have been true, once upon a time. But, best guesses are: a) the home was built a long time ago; and b) it’s hardly beautiful now (there were no pictures accompanying...Read More
Cost-Effective Home Improvements What are the most cost-effective home improvements? Actually, homeowners’ biggest bang for the buck isn’t improving anything — it’s fixing something that’s broken. As a listing agent, I’ve seen Buyers deduct $3 (or more) for every $1 in needed repairs. Why so much? A) because it’s a hassle; B) because the amount...Read More
