Ray Peckham Real Estate

Huntington Beach Homes and Condos

Huntington Beach Home Improvement

Homeowners hear a lot about improvements that might add value to houses. But less attention is paid to what to avoid. Steer clear of renovations that will cost you money at resale time.

If an Huntington Beach home becomes conspicuously larger -- and more expensive -- than those around it will risk becoming hard to sell. Additions tend not to return their entire investment. The 2005 "Cost vs. Value Report" found that homeowners were able to recoup only 83% of the cost of a family-room addition and 82% of a midrange master suite.

Huntington Beach Home Improvement

In a recent study, a midrange bathroom renovation paid off with an average 102% return on investment and an upscale bathroom renovation recouped 93% of its cost. A midrange kitchen renovation recouped 91% of its cost on average, and an upscale kitchen recouped 85%. A minor kitchen-remodeling job returned 99% of its cost. There are numbers that apply to Huntington Beach.

Proper maintenance and annual upkeep of your Huntington Beach home may be the most important improvements of all. Clean the gutters to protect the exterior from water damage. Trim shrubs. Check for termites. Keep track of annual checkups -- and use that as a selling point. Annual maintenance pays back handsomely when you sell. And before the house goes up for sale, experts recommend a fresh coat of paint.

Bitten by the Huntington Beach Home Improvement Bug?

Maybe, like millions of Americans, you can’t help it! You live in your Huntington Beach home for several years and before you know it, you find yourself thinking about how the kitchen would look with new cabinets and a granite countertop. Should you start with the kitchen or would it be better to add a home office to give the family a little more room? There seems to be endless options for the creative Huntington Beach homeowner bitten by the Home Improvement Bug. Once you get started thinking along these lines, it usually doesn’t take long before the ultimate question pops up. Is it better to improve your current home or simply sell and buy a bigger, newer or more desirable Area home? Here are some issues to help you make that all-important decision.

Building Huntington Beach Home Equity

As a Huntington Beach homeowner you have the right to pay more towards the principle loan amount each month. Let’s say your monthly payment is $700.00 a month and $100.00 a month is being applied to the principle. If you choose to pay $900.00 instead of $700.00, the $200.00 overage will be applied entirely to the principle. Thus, instead of gaining $1,200.00 a year in Huntington Beach home equity, you gain $3,600.00.

The only factor being considered here is Home Equity. In individual cases it may be wiser to invest than to pre-pay your home loan. It also may be wiser to pay off high-interest, non-deductible loans before considering your Huntington Beach home equity building options. Your financial advisor is the one to consult for these matters. If you would like up-to-the-minute information about Huntington Beach home appreciation values in your area, please call or E-mail me today.

Buying a Huntington Beach Fixer-Upper

This, of course, depends on the condition of the Huntington Beach home and the estimated cost of the repairs you must make. Huntington Beach real estate in a good neighborhood that is priced about 25% lower than others that are in good shape may be a good deal if it simply needs cosmetic or minor structural repairs. If the house is a gut job, that is the entire inside will be torn out and rebuilt the 25% rule may work and may not so estimate your costs as closely as possible.

Shopping by neighborhood makes good sense when considering the purchase of a fixer upper. As a buyer, the more you know about the Huntington Beach homes in a particular area the better able you are when it comes time to judge whether or not a home your are considering meets the financial parameters you are looking for.

Taking Title to Your Huntington Beach

There are so many details to consider when purchasing your Huntington Beach and mounds of legal paperwork to read that sometimes it seems overwhelming. Some important decision can be made ahead of time so you know what is in your best interests when the time comes. For example, right at the end when the paperwork is being signed you may be asked how you want to take title. This is an important decision that should not be rushed but often is. Knowing some of the common forms of Huntington Beach ownership ahead of time is one way to protect yourself.

A single Huntington Beach buyer will usually want to take title in his/her name alone. Husbands and wives usually own property through a form of joint ownership such as joint tenancy. Unrelated individuals can take title in a limited partnership arrangement.