My wife and I were considering some upgrades to our 3-year old home this summer... granite countertops and a sprinkler system for the lawn.
I'm estimating the costs to run somewhere around $8,000.

That said, my job may require me to move around year's end. If that's the case, I'm worried about investing the **$ and not getting it back in a VERY soft real estate market.

Does anyone have expertise or advice as to whether these are good investments?

I would do the granite(or lesser $ alternative)..and forget the sprinkling system for now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: real estate lady,

Your home is only 3 years old, I doubt anything is wrong with your current countertop. Unless the current countertop is damaged in some way, I'd leave it as is. I doubt you'll recoup the cost of the sprinkler system either. At this time given you're considering selling shortly, don't put 8K into what is basically a brand new house, you won't get it back.

You may not be able to recoup that cost, but maybe another question should be "will the house sell faster with those improvements?" When someone is looking for a house in your area and price range do they expect those features? Maybe you should find that out.

If you didn't make those improvements and your house sat on the market for an extra 6 months vacant because you had to move and buyers were passing it by because they found other homes with those featurs, how much would that be in carrying costs and stress?

I'm not saying that your house would sell faster with those things, because I don't anything about where you live, what your home costs or what people in the area are looking for, I'm just saying it's something worth considering and looking into.

You may want to look at what else is on the market and for how much. Have an agent come over with market comps and details of what sold in the last few months.

Also, granite, you can't go wrong with granite. But, before you do this you may consider seriously on getting a home stager person in to help you first. You may do a google search to see who is in your area first. Below is a link to where a lot of information is for home stagers.

Find a Home Stage Person here for your area

Since your house is only 3 years old, I would actually contact a realtor or two and ask their opinion. Depending on the price range of your home, it might not be worth spending the money... Now, if you WANT the upgrades and you're okay with not getting all the money back - go for it... Is granite the standard in your neighborhood, do all the other lawns have sprinkler systems? If you really might be moving in less than a year, I would just focus on making sure everything looks crisp..... Besides, one time I thought I was going to stay in a house 2 years - 9 years later........... I finally moved...

I guess talking to an agent would be best... We're at about a $350k price point with other homes in the neighborhood around $400k and some less. What I'm up against is that many of the more expensive homes likely have granite, and some have sprinkler systems. My home is right in the middle, so I'm looking for something that might give it an extra edge should I put it up for sale. If I thought it'd be a wash on the investment I'd do it. What I want to avoid is putting in $8k in upgrades and selling my home for the same price I'd get if I sold it today.

Well, I would do the granite, but not the sprinkler system.
You may not recoup the $, but it may sell faster. Is $4,000 worth selling it quickly to you?
Also, I'm a big proponent of staging. My staged house sold to the first person who walked in.

You can stage it yourself for $500-$600.
Give us pics, we'll help

I guess it depends on what "Very Soft Market" means.....you might need the $8k as an incentive to get it sold.

i am along the line of "What needs to be updated in a 3 yr old home???"

I'd ask myself (and others): would the house sell more quickly at a $8000 lower price and without the granite and sprinkler system, than at an $8K higher price and with them?

One consideration: If a buyer really wanted those improvements, it's easy to install them with minimal disruption in one's life (vs. replacing an entire kitchen or the only bathroom in one's house)--and the buyer could pick the granite and system s/he really wanted.

I live in the south - the sprinkler system will bring you - immediately and buyers in the future more value. IF you feel you must do one or the other - put in the sprinklers. When you do, check with your water company about a second meter that does not charge for the sewer on the water volume.

All good points AC, Out, and Home Dude...

about... 1) whether a three year old house needs upgrades

2) would it sell better at the 8-thou lower price... unless your planning to put 8-thou in and sell for the same money as if you hadn't spent 8-thou, which I doubt)

3) even with the granite is your house REALLY in the same price point and competition category as the higher priced homes you mentioned.

Because without the space, layout, and other things those houses have -- granite or even a sprinkler system, it still doesn't compete with those homes.

I personally -- in THIS market -- would just stage the heck out of it and price it right.

I wouldn't put improvements or 'upgrades' in a three yr. old house right now.

Please, keep us posted.

The fact that it's only three years old doesn't really have anything to do with whether it needs upgrades. If a house isn't commiserate with others in it's market, then it would need upgrades if it's 1 day old.

Anyway ... for your case, I would do those upgrades if I did not see a move in the near future. Since you do, I think I'd probably hold off until you know for sure. I sold a 4 year old house w/o granite when all the newer houses in the neighborhood had it. I priced really well, staged the living heck out of the house, and did other less costly upgrades (switched out the uninspired builder-grade lighting, paint, upgraded the uninspired u-gly builder-grade fixtures, did some landscaping spruce-ups - that sort of thing) and it sold quickly. It really depends on the other houses in the neighborhood - which you touched on. Those are two really good upgrades to do - kitchen and irrigation. If I were to choose one (I can't believe I'm saying this....) I think I'd do the irrigation before the kitchen - if your existing counters look good. And if it's the norm for houses in the hood to have irrigation - if you live in the south.

quote:

I think I'd do the irrigation before the kitchen - if your existing counters look good. And if it's the norm for houses in the hood to have irrigation - if you live in the south.

I agree~ The proper irrigation system may be critical if you are forced to relocate before your home sells.

I would MUCH rather have sprinklers than granite countertops!

The idea of moving around a watering fixture on a hose makes me want to scream!

Valerista is right. I wouldn't pay one extra cent for granite countertops unless they were exactly the color and pattern I would have chosen myself. In fact, the wrong granite would be a negative.

I don't know where you live but the fact you are considering a sprinkler system tells me they must be somewhat the norm in your area.

I live in the valley at the foothills of the Sierra. We get real hot weather in summer, sometimes 100teens for a few weeks.
In this area a sprinkler/irragation system is a HUGE plus over granite countertops.

I don't know how handy you are but have you looked into doing the sprinkler system yourself?

Do they have Granite Transformations in your area?
That could be an alternative. They make a granite countertop to fit over your existing counter so it's a little cheaper.

I think I would consult a couple realtors to see if these improvements would be worth it in your neighborhood.

I'm always amused when someone wants to "upgrade to sell".

Why not upgrade for your own enjoyment? Then, de-clutter and clean to sell...

If these items were not critical when you purchased, what makes them so important now?

heres the facts...
Right now in almost all(maybe all) of the country, any upgrades will net you less than you will spend.
While it may sell the house faster, it won't improve the price.

So if I offer you .58 cents for every dollar you gave me, would you think it was a good deal?
How about if I gave you .75 cents for every dollar?

Do it for YOU or don't do it at all. Then when it doesn't add bucks to the sales price you can say either "I'm glad we enjoyed the ___ or Thank Goodness we didn't toss that money away"

I hear what you're saying...
I had planned to put in the irrigation system this summer before learning that my job may move to Minniapolis at the end of the year.
I'm struggling with the prospect of dragging hoses and sprinklers all over this summer to try to keep my lawn and landscaping (that we paid **$ for) vs. losing some money on the investment when/if I sell. I'm leaning towards doing the irrigation, but not the countertops. There's nothing wrong with the latter.