I came across a study that spelled out what kind of a lifespan we can typically expect to get from big ticket home expenditures. Right off the top, I tend to question studies like this if they are not done in Canada because we all know that a home owner in Wainwright Alberta is going to stress-test their furnace  a lot more than Joe and Mary California playing the links in January courtesy of the Palm Springs Country Club.

I spent some time talking to sales people and contractors and it turns out that almost all of them agreed with the time frames listed in the pdf document you can download by clicking on the image below. So what does this mean?

For starters, you will want to work closely with your real estate agent to make sure that you fully understand all aspects of the property you are looking to purchase or, that potential buyers recognize the work that you have put into maintaining your property!

right-click - choose save as.

From a seller’s perspective, your potential buyers need to know that the shingles on your roof were only replaced 2 years ago – potentially saving them a $5000 – $8000 expenditure in the near future.

Is the entire upstairs carpeted but also hiding some incredible vintage Wainwright vintage oak-strip flooring that is almost impossible to duplicate today? Yes – that needs to be talked about in the property description.

What about all those grants that you took advantage of to replace windows with Zone D Energy Star ratings that will cut heating bills by 20-50%? For sure, potential buyers need to know what a difference Zone D triple pane windows can make!

And then there is air conditioning. We Wainwright prairie people know that in addition to long winters, we can also have very warm summers. Some homes seem to cope very well with our Wainwright heat waves while others thrive better with a nice dash of well installed air conditioning. Now, I don’t have to tell you that house temperature is a very subjective and personal preference thing but when push comes to shove, isn’t it nice to have the flexibility to dial in the exact temperature that makes you happy? The point is you need to let people know that you have made a  physical and financial effort to improve your home’s comfort level and in doing so, spared a new home owner a significant expense.

I guess it goes with out saying that I love this kind of stuff and I would invite you to download the study and share your thoughts and experiences.

Please let me know what you think in the comments area.

Wishing you all the best!

Valerie