Will the features and fixtures in your bathroom help or hinder the sale of your home? Although it may be many years until you put your house on the market, the choices you make today can affect future resale value. When you’re choosing options and upgrades for your new home, keep these tips in mind to maximize your ROI.

Choose Neutral Flooring That Will Last

Porcelain or ceramic tiles are designed to handle years of wear and tear and are unlikely to go out of style. Although these tiles are available in a range of styles and colors, white and other neutral colors are the best choices if you expect to sell your home eventually.

Hardwood flooring complements nearly any bathroom, but buckling and cracking can be a problem if oak or other types of wood are exposed to water. Unfortunately, that’s a problem that’s hard to avoid in a bathroom. Bamboo flooring, engineered hardwood or ceramic tiles that look like wood may be better options, as these choices can handle a little water without warping.

No matter what type of flooring you choose, replacement may be unavoidable if you remain in your home for years. Even the toughest flooring can degrade after years of wear and tear. Including a "repair and replacement" category in your annual household budget will allow you to gradually fix, and update the parts of your house that buyers value highly.

Keep Up-to-Date with Bathtub Trends

Fiberglass tub/showers tucked into a corner of the room are decidedly out of place in today’s luxurious master bathrooms. Buyers want free-standing tubs deep enough for a long soak after a busy day. Soaking tubs practically qualify as artwork these days. They’re available in a variety of shapes and sizes, from standard rectangles to bowl-shaped and freeform designs. Although acrylic free-standing tubs are readily available, burnished copper, stone, wood and stainless steel are particularly popular.

Select Modern Faucet and Sink Styles

The faucets that come standard with your new home are perfectly functional but may not be the most fashionable choices. Satin nickel, polished chrome, or matte gold, black, rose gold or chrome models give any bathroom an upscale touch and let buyers know that you didn’t skimp when outfitting your new home. Hands-free models that turn on when you wave your hand in front of them offer both convenience and style. Although you may associate hands-free faucets with public restrooms, high-end models offer a stylish take on this innovative feature.

Remember when every bathroom featured a silver-rimmed porcelain sink set in a Formica countertop? Homeowners soon realized that the borders of the sink attracted dirt and were difficult to keep clean. As technology improved, designers focused on creating sinks that were not only functional but attractive.  

Integrated sinks aren’t dropped into your countertop after it’s installed, but are already incorporated in granite, quartz, marble or solid surface countertops. Vessel sinks, another popular option, rest on top of the counter and are designed to attract attention. Although basic models resemble large bowls, the sinks are available in a variety of materials and innovative shapes. If resale value is on your mind, you may not want to choose a neon green vessel sink shaped like a leaf, but more mainstream models will add value to your bathroom.

Upgrade the Little Things

Although buyers are bound to be impressed with the size of your bathroom, they’ll pay attention to small details too. In fact, minor details may even prompt a home buyer to choose your home rather than a similar home. Choosing upgraded lighting, adding multiple shower heads to your walk-in shower, outfitting your soaking tub with chromatherapy lights, or adding a smartphone-controlled sound system to your shower can help position your home for a quick sale.

Pay Attention to Paint Colors

Ideally, home buyers should be able to focus on the dimensions and features of a room, not its color. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In fact, paint colors can affect the price you get for your home. Zillow’s 2017 Paint Color Analysis noted that painting the bathroom pale blue or periwinkle blue added $5,440 to the sales price. If you expect that you might be transferred in the next few years, or may need to make a move for other reasons, painting your bathroom in neutral or pale colors is usually the wisest choice.

Bathrooms are an important consideration when you’re searching for a new home. Why choose a home that doesn’t quite meet your needs when the brand new homes at Country Classics at Hillsborough already feature large, luxurious bathrooms that you can customize simply by adding a few features? Contact us as soon as possible to schedule your Country Classics tour, as we expect the final phase of our new community to sell out shortly.

Sources:

Kitchen and Bath Design News: Year-End Looks and Trends for 2018

http://www.kitchenbathdesign.com/123995/year-end-look-and-new-trends-for-2018/

Zillow: 2017 Paint Color Analysis

https://www.zillow.com/blog/blue-kitchens-sell-for-more-216631/