When you are buying a house, every little “wow” detail means higher digits in the selling price. You naturally want to get the most bang for your buck, but the reality is that certain “valuable” home features are not for everyone, and so there’s no reason for you to pay extra to attain them. Here’s a few home perks that may not be worth the cash.
A Killer School District
Proximity to the best schools in the county can cause the area’s home prices to soar. If you have young kids, this is one of the top factors that you have to take into consideration, and it may result in you buying less house than you hoped for just so you can get that A+ zoning. On the other hand, if you don’t have children, why pay more for a home in a neighborhood that commands top dollar for schools? You are able to be much freer in your home search, and you can get more “house” for your budget.
An Expansive Lawn
Houses with tons of land can make you drool over pictures of sprawling, green lawns. Many people desire such a property, because they imagine the kids playing outside, cookouts with friends, or potential future additions to the house. Unless you have kids, actually entertain a lot, or have concrete plans to add an extra bedroom to the house, that lawn is just one major maintenance project - mowing, weeding, watering, and so on. In fact, unless you want a big lawn for one of the previously-stated reasons, you’re better off going as small as possible.
Access to Public Transportation
If you don’t commute to work - because you work from home or a nearby coworking space, work in the suburbs, or are retired - them there is no need to figure access to the Metro or other forms of public transportation into your house hunt. Homes with convenient access to trains, busses, or airports command top-dollar prices, and it would be a shame to pay that if you aren’t going to utilize it.
Niche Amenities
Home features like a wine cellar, a movie screening room, or a wood-burning pizza oven are all “wow”-causing amenities that sellers love to boast about in their listings. You’ll pay a heap of money for that home recording studio, enormous detached workshop, or industrial oven range. Unless you have interests that suit one of those niches, you are spending money on features you won’t use. They may have a super “cool” factor, but there’s no need to pay extra for them.
