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Amerika Davis, managing broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, said that weighing the cost and the disruption of renovations is important.
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Kimber Smith, President, WAAR
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Mark Ackermann, 2nd Street Floors
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Doug Hogue, Creative Cabinet Works
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Scott Maynor, Home Enhancements
On the hit HGTV show “Love It or List It,” a realtor competes with a designer and her renovation crew to help homeowners decide whether they want to stay in their home after it’s upgraded or sell and start fresh in a new home. In Williamsburg, people in their 20s, 30s and 40s ask the same question—Should we move? Or can we fix what we have?
Their reasons boil down to three Cs: cost, community and convenience.
Kimber Smith, the president of the Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors® (WAAR), said that in Williamsburg, comparing costs is definitely a factor.
“People with growing families consider whether to invest in a home, taking into account their lot size and constraints, and the costs of renovations. Getting an estimate is the best first step, and then talking to realtors about the home’s value compared to the rest of the neighborhood. Then it’s time to go see if there’s a better fit out there. Some will stay and some will not.”
Cost
For Dorothy and Todd Freneaux, 47 and 55, who’ve lived for more than 20 years in Chanco’s Grant, they decided to stay. With a household including three children—now a middle schooler, high schooler, and college freshman—they considered a number of factors.
“We’ve thought of moving several times,” she said. “We had everything we wanted in our house, but we wanted a little more space, but to get that space we would have to give up other things and we couldn’t find a house in a location we liked in our price range.”
Todd, a small business owner, built an exterior office and regularly parks his vehicle trailer in their driveway, which other HOAs would not accept. So the Freneauxs opted for smaller upgrades and eventually, a more extensive remodel, including new floors and counters in the bathroom and kitchen.
This is a smart move, according to local specialty contractors.
“Updating bathrooms and the kitchen are the best way to add value to your home,” said Mark Ackermann of 2nd Street Floors, citing “vinyl planks, tile and hardwood” as trendy flooring upgrades. While not everyone can rip up their carpets, there are other creative options to get those hard surfaces.
Doug Hogue of Creative Cabinet Works, said that kitchen renovations offer a big return in style and function.
“We’re seeing trends of sleek clean lines and a recessed panel look, rather than the traditional raised panel style. It’s timeless,” Hogue said. “Painting cabinets is not going away. Eighty percent of our jobs are painted cabinets,” he added.
Amerika Davis, managing broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, said that renovators are optimistic, but that weighing the cost and the disruption of renovations is important.
“There are certain things you can’t change about a house, and may not get the return on investment that you think. Most homeowners who are looking to move up want a house that’s move-in ready, and upgraded with the right styles,” Davis said.
Community
These days, most young couples buy their first house expecting to move in a few years, or they buy a house that needs renovating and plan to put in the sweat equity to improve it as an investment. Often, housing decisions are about more than just the house though.
“People move into neighborhoods because their friends, or their children’s friends, live there. It’s about community,” Davis said.
In Williamsburg, distance to the interstate for commuters, the right school district, proximity to amenities like trails and walkability to shops, like in New Town, High Street and downtown Williamsburg can make the difference in where people want to live. It’s not just the house!
For the Freneauxs, their renovations gave them the improved and expanded living space they wanted without the hassle of moving.
“We converted our garage into a room and screened in our back porch to give us a little bit of extra living space. We just finished a remodel downstairs,” she said. “We have no plans of moving. This is where we are staying.”
Convenience
The powerful influence of HGTV has raised the bar for sellers and those who are up for renovations. Davis said buyers want upgrades done for them and those looking to renovate have high expectations.
“There’s a generational shift in taste and 45-year olds don’t want the same thing as 65-year olds. Young people live differently, and they are turned off by homes that have a lot of work to be done,” Davis said. She notes that buyers are looking for updated bathrooms, modern lighting fixtures and mature (but not unruly) landscaping.
Scott Maynor, general manager at Home Enhancements, The Remodel Division of Wayne Harbin Builder, Inc., said that middle-aged couples with children are focused on upgrades that maximize existing living space to accommodate their growing families.
“They do a little bit of everything from master bathrooms, hall bathrooms, finishing rooms over garage or attics for flex space for children toplay,” said Maynor. “It’s a mix—not necessarily an entire home remodelall at once.
Maintenance is also a huge issue for mid-life homeowners. Davis said that buyers have a lot going on and want their house to be easy to manage.
“You don’t want to be thinking about painting, countertops or mowing the lawn. You want to move into a house and live your life. You want open concept, with plenty of room for your family and not a list of things to get to ‘someday,’” she said.
That’s exactly why Kasey and Drew Pittman, both 34, built a new house in Monticello Woods in 2014. Their first home, built in the 1960s, had too many issues.
“We had so much maintenance, both expected and unexpected. My husband was going out to sea at that time and we had our first child and it became overwhelming. We knew we wanted to build a new home to avoid a lot of those headaches,” she said.
Smith reiterated the generational shift in the desire to avoid maintenance, as well as a shift away from focusing solely on square footage.
“Value is much more than how big a home is, but now what’s in it, and how does it work for your life? Plus, what can I get for my money?” he said.
So, there may not be a good answer to the question, “To move or not to move?” But you certainly can find a lot of options here in greater Williamsburg!