Refrigerators.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Remember your first refrigerator?
Refrigerators were first converted ice boxes, and some of them are still in use to this day, the compressor and condenser was on top of the unit, a round affair on some models.
Next was the purpose built refrigerator, with the compressor in the bottom and condenser in the back, a flat top with sometimes an outlet for a radio, or even the radio as a package deal.
Frost-free would not come until much later.
But very few refrigerators were replaced because they did not work.
Nearly all were replaced for style, kitchen remodeling.
This leaves us with another question, what is it with this remodeling?
My neighbors have a ten year kitchen remodel cycle.
This last one cost around $30 thousand.
I can understand a kitchen upgrade, but 30k?
And why always the kitchen?
Me? I need a TV dispensing refrigerator and slot type microwave oven and I am all set. ;)
http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CCsQ8wIwAA#

[AA0CX]

I think it's because the Kitchen and the Bathroom are the rooms most likely to be deal makers/deal breakers when it comes to selling the house. But I think your neighbors just do it, because. Strange. If I had the dinero (I don't) I would alternate between kitchen and bathroom. They sound either very wealthy, or weirdos.

[WØTKX]

[NQ6U]

Notice the resemblance. Mere coincidence? I don't think so...

[kc7jty]

Jesus! I never even thought of that...

[ki4itv]

Boy, the Trotsky/Soros likeness is damn near chilling.

[kc7jty]

Boy, the Trotsky/Soros likeness is damn near chilling.

In many more ways than one can imagine.

[KA5PIU]

I think it's because the Kitchen and the Bathroom are the rooms most likely to be deal makers/deal breakers when it comes to selling the house. But I think your neighbors just do it, because. Strange. If I had the dinero (I don't) I would alternate between kitchen and bathroom. They sound either very wealthy, or weirdos.

Hello.

Actually, yes, as a matter of fact they do remodel the bathroom.
Dealbreakers? for the money they have put into that joint time and again they could have bought a whole house!
Remodeling is one thing, but if you do it every 10 years or so it adds no value whatsoever, it is just an added expense.
But I also knew the other extreme, a gent who had worked for the local newspaper for quite a few years and lived in a very ritzy apartment in the center of San Antonio.
Once he left the paper his lavish lifestyle came to an abrupt end.
He died in public housing.

[W3WN]

In most cases, unless the kitchen or bathroom is in real need of it, the money invested in a remodel is not recovered in the sale of the house. You would think that it would increase the value, but that's not usually the case, at least not on a dollar for dollar basis. Granted, in some cases, the value of the home overall is lessened by a substandard kitchen/bathroom... but again, the remodel usually cost more than the increase in value it brings.

You are actually better off negotiating with a buyer to give them a discount and then let them do the remodel themselves. Much of the time, they plan to do that anyway, so the money you sink into a remodel is essentially wasted.

That being said, the bathroom and the kitchen are high traffic areas in use almost every day (duh) and they do wear our or become outdated. So there are good reasons for doing a remodel. At the very least, a replacement of certain kitchen appliances (refrigerator, oven, microwave) are often in order as units over 10 years old are not as efficient in their use of energy as modern appliances, for the most part. So there are good reasons to remodel. Just don't do it expecting to increase the value of your home equal to or more than the cost of the remodel.

And Cowthief? LG makes, or used to make, a 'fridge with a built in TV. I wouldn't buy it (waste of space and a waste of money, IMHO) but we did sell quite a few at Depot during my time served there. (And don't let that name fool you, LG is the new brand name of the Korean group that most people know in the US as Goldstar, and their quality control hasn't improved much)

[kf0rt]

You are actually better off negotiating with a buyer to give them a discount and then let them do the remodel themselves. Much of the time, they plan to do that anyway, so the money you sink into a remodel is essentially wasted.

+ 100

Part of the problem is that bathroom/kitchen remodels are like weddings. Lots of chick emotion, and you'll only do it once, so the profit margin is huge.