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Should you move or improve?

Should you move or improve?

Should you move or improve your home? If you are a typical home owner, you probably ask yourself this question every few years. The answer is seldom obvious or simple.

The are basically two reasons to take on home improvement projects. The first is for your own enjoyment. The second is to increase the re-sale value.  Believe it or not, it can be easier to calculate the value of your enjoyment than the value of a remodel.

Remodeling Magazine conducts an annual survey providing insight into the relative recapture value of various home improvement projects. You can download the 2014 report for free from their website:

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2014/

Kitchen and bathroom remodels tend to provide the best return on investment both in terms of re-sale and personal comfort, but they don’t come cheap. You should anticipate an average price tag  of $30-40K to re-do your kitchen, and $20-30K for a full bathroom (i.e. neither high-end nor low-end).

Financial considerations aside, the question of whether  to move or improve should be decided by the things you cannot change about your current home: the school district, commute/transportation options, lot size, neighbors, neighborhood. If you love your location, then improvements make sense, but if a different location is the biggest improvement you can make, then trading up may be the way to go.

Posted by Alice Kuder on April 19, 2014

Bring your questions to “Ask and Answer”

Bring your questions to “Ask and Answer”

 Do you have questions you’d like to ask home service professionals about your home improvement projects? “Ask & Answer” is a free monthly event where you can do just that.

Sure, you can find information online and you can get faceless referrals on Yelp, Angie’s List, etc. but wouldn’t you prefer to meet these pros in person and ask them specific questions about your specific needs? Ask & Answer provides just that. Live people!

Sponsored by the not-for-profit group, Savvy Seattle Women, Ask & Answer provides a casual, friendly, no-sales opportunity for home owners and business owners to meet, mingle and get acquainted.

Ask & Answer happens on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 6-7PM. Drop by for a few minutes or stay the whole hour. There is no formal presentation, just mingling.

The next Ask & Answer event is Wednesday, Sept. 19th, 6-7PM at the Prudential Northwest Realty office in West Seattle. 4700 42nd Ave SW, Suite 600, in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center.

SPECIAL GUESTS FOR THE SEPTEMBER ASK & ANSWER EVENT INCLUDE:

♣ Laura Elfline, General Contractor, Mighty House Construction, 206.715.0893

♣ Irmi Jensen, Yard and Lawn Specialist, 206-325-4677

♣ Laurie Aull, Contract Painter, Aull the Best Painting, 206-799-5988

So mark your calendar, grab your friends and make a list of your questions!

AND, if you are a business owner or independent contractor, bring your own business cards because this is a great opportunity for networking!