They say kitchens and bathrooms are what women look for in a house or apartment. Now I know some will be offended by that statement, but most anyone in the real estate business will tell you the same thing. What they don't tell you is that guys like toys... women like the convenience too. So whether you are a rehabber, a landlord or if you are just trying make your house more attractive to potential buyers you may want to add a few gadgets that they won't usually find at the price point you are looking at. If it is a high end project, you really need several of these gadgets.
Starting with some simple and relatively inexpensive upgrades, you may want to look at lighted GFIs. During the day you don't see anything unique, but at night they can save whacked knees or banged toes. I put one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen. It's only a few dollars more for each one and they make late night trips to the bathroom or sneaking into the kitchen a bit easier with the built in night lights that come on when the sun goes down. They are LEDs so there is very little power drawn.
While we are on the subject of bathrooms, I like to use dimmer switches on the lights. They aren't just for romantic candlelit dinners in the dining room. They are great for those who arise before the sun and want to avoid the jolt from the bright lights when they get ready to greet the day. With the dimmer they can just ease into the visible world. With the new LED bulbs you need to get the dimmable bulbs otherwise the thing won't work. Another nice touch is a few judiciously placed outlets with built in USB ports for charging the multiple devices found in many homes.
Another inexpensive upgrade is a porch light that comes on automatically at dusk and turns itself off again in the morning. Some have the added security feature of turning on brighter when motion is sensed. These help you when you are coming home at night as well as giving anyone skulking about your property in the dark the idea they may be watched.
One of the more recent additions to home security and convenience is the Ring doorbell, and many others who have come along since,. Alerts and video let you know what is going on around your property. They are available at variousl price points depending on the bells and whistles you want to include. However even the low end adds a nice feature to point out to buyers or tenants. Along the same line are things like WiFi controlled entrance locks and the like.
There is the whole home automation area that can included, but they can add considerably to the cost and include a wide variety of equipment and features. These things are often unique to the owners preferences but on higher end properties it may be worth looking into.
These days people are more security conscious than ever. Along with this trend, video surveillance systems have become more economical ubiquitous. Wireless systems are simple to install. Depending on your market such systems may be just the feature to tip the sale in your direction. Even in sellers markets there is some competition, and getting a full price or higher offer means having a product that catches the attention of potential buyers.
There are many other gadgets that can add to the desirability and salability of you property. As you may be spending thousands on stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, and tiled tub s, you may want to look at putting a few hundred into some gadgets that your buyers have heard about, but don't have yet. Make them happy and they will write the checks to make you happy.
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