When buying a home many of us are looking to make changes to turn that house into our home. We need to ask ourselves some questions prior to making these changes because these changes may have a negative effect on our long term goals.

For instance:

Are we planning on living in this house for a longer term or do we plan on moving in 2 to 3 years?

When you are planning on moving, within 2 to 3 years it absolutely makes no since to make renovation changes that are only just for you. When you like the Nordic theme which has bold colors and makes a statement, and you are in an area where that theme is really not prevalent, it might be a better choice to use a more calming theme that will later appeal to a larger group of potential buyers who are interested in the home.

Also during your renovation consider the age of your roof, heating/cooling system, and the water heater. These will be things that buyers and their agents are more likely to focus on. The older the equipment, the greater the possibility of breakage. The older the roof, the sooner you might face issues with it.

Your renovation need to be focused not on what your family is looking for, but on what will make the home appealing to future buyers.

What desirable things are missing from our house, that are included on other houses of similar size that is or was on the market?

While shopping for your new home I am sure you looked at other homes in the area. What did the other home have that appealed to you and is now missing in this home. One example I can quickly think of is a garage. Does your home have a garage or do you just have a carport or no garage at all.

Is your home the only house in the area that has no garage or is this normal for the area?

Another example could be fencing. Are you in a neighborhood were most of the backyards are fenced and your home has no fence at all, or is your fence ready to fall apart.

Is your home possibly lacking on bedrooms or bathrooms? That is another piece of the puzzle that could be missing in your home.

Is our renovation we are planning to work on the right one or do we have to tackle another one first?

When planning renovations, you should prioritize them in the order of importance based on what needs to be immediately done. What would we love to have but it can wait, or this can be pushed back until we get to it.

For instance, an old furnace and air conditioner or a roof that are up there in age should be looked at as a first priority before painting and putting down new flooring, unless the floors are in such bad that they need to go ASAP.

Will my renovation be too much for my house?

Here is where our wish may be many times larger than our budget for the home we just bought. Our dreams may cost much more than what a future buyer, who moves into our neighborhood later, is willing to pay for.

Several quick examples which come to mind are a gourmet or chefs style kitchen, a spa like bath with high end fixtures, and materials in a home that is located in a neighborhood that mostly appeals to first time home buyers due to pricing. When that is what you would like to have, go for it but keep in mind what you do may be too much for the home and the neighborhood. You may not get a return on your investment.

Do we have pets or do we plan on having pets?

Any pet lover knows when you have a home there are certain things you need to keep in mind. A quick example is flooring. Out of personal experience with my pets, hardwood flooring or floor tiles are so much easier to take care of than carpet. When you prefer carpeting, you could use throw rugs which you could quickly throw in the wash for a possible occasional accident from your pet.