So, Punxsutawney Phil popped his head out and said six more weeks of winter. Considering he’s only right 35% of the time, and Atlanta weather changes hourly, maybe it’s a good time to quit trusting a rodent for weather advice. It seems we’re often looking for an authority we can trust to guide us through virtually everything. This holds especially true regarding protecting our hard-earned money and how to make it work for us. As residential designers, we aren’t investment gurus by any stretch, but we do have an interesting vantage when it comes to what may be the most critical investment, your home.
Since 1987, we’ve had the privilege of serving hundreds of clients while working to help shape their vision of life in Atlanta. For years, many of our clients came here on their way to another chapter in their lives. Buying a home was often an impersonal investment decision.
Acquisition costs were manageable and for years equity grew like bamboo in a monsoon. When their stay in our fair city was drawing to a close, they could sell and make a handsome return for their next adventure. Many locals used the same strategy to work their way up the housing ladder through a series of ‘lateral’ home purchases. More times than not, if the location was perfect, but the house was not, the rule was purchase, bulldoze and rebuild anew. Unfortunately, home purchases frequently lacked the guiding consideration of permanence.
In the metro today, land is in high demand as we seem to expand toward the state borders at a pace. Property costs are at an all-time high regardless of location or condition. The decision to purchase a home is one that now carries more thought to the future. Often, the home is chosen for the surrounding community, location, and the house meeting the basic necessities. With that decision, compromise is a common bedfellow. Which leads to the question, is further investment into the property worth it to make the house perfect?
When you’ve found that property, particularly in a community such as Chamblee, with a strong and diverse economy, a major transportation hub with nearby museums, parks, an array of dining delights, good schools, the answer to that question is simple; making your home work for your family is most definitely worth the investment. By adding additional square footage (an addition) or reconfiguring the space you have to function better for how your family uses it, you can fully enjoy your home and your community. Creating an asset to build generational wealth and increase the value of what you already own all without the compromise finding a new community or another house, which may or may not meet your needs. When you choose to renovate your property with a kitchen renovation, an addition, or anything in between, you’re in control of the design. Making sure that your property reflects your values and grows with you.
A home has been referred to as “equity in America.” How exciting and how true. If you own a home in Chamblee, of virtually any stripe, you have what we call a ‘golden ticket’. It has a solid intrinsic value just as it is. Don’t throw money at it, but
rather, invest in it. Seek the advice of a seasoned design professional and explore how your home can evolve to serve your family and your financial growth for years to come.
For more information, visit habitationsllc.com.