gips wrote: ↑Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:47 pm
our realtor feels there is a generational divide on house repairs with younger people, moving out from the city, much less likely to purchase a place in need of updating.
I agree 100% with your realtor. The "HGTV Effect".
I debate this with a buddy when I talk of renovating our current house, either for our own enjoyment, or to sell.
I'm of the "down to the studs" approach, having done this once before to our previous home. Not a pipe, a wire, nothing mechanical gets reused.Then you have peace of mind for the next 20, 25, maybe 30 years. No more pinhole leaks in the pipes. No more stopped drains. No more mystery dim light. You know where the doorbell transformer is. Etc., etc.
My buddy says, "That's a waste of time. Make the kitchens and baths gorgeous, those people will fall in love and buy on emotion. They will 100% ignore the home inspector talking about older wiring and plumbing"
I chuckle and think that I have the high moral ground. But if there is a whole generation who only buys based on "open concept floor plan", who am I to judge? Put lipstick on the pig* and go!
* When I say "pig" I mean my house. It's in a terrific location, close to town but super private and wooded, a solid 1959 colonial. The best of the old world (still all solid wood products, no OSB, LVL, minimal plywood) and the new world (modern construction standards, 16" centers, oversized joists, etc.) It could be a "great" house. But it needs everything. On Monday, I tore out a section of the kitchen ceiling (which I paid someone to install just a couple of years ago after tearing it out for a leak) and repaired yet ANOTHER pinhole leak in the pipe that I chose not to replace when the ceiling was last open. I would love to rip it all out and put it in a dumpster. It may not ever happen though...
Cheers