Real Estate Agents Say These 6 Bathroom Features Are Hurting Your Home’s Value
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Ashleigh Ray
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The bathrooms in your home could be a “make it” or “break it” feature for prospective buyers.
“Bathrooms are arguably the rooms in homes that receive the strongest responses, and those responses usually begin with ‘oooh’ or ‘eww,'” said Holly Martins, a licensed realtor in New Jersey.
“When a buyer sees a bathroom that they love, it makes the house exciting, and it compels them. Conversely, when they see a bathroom they hate, it can deter them from making an assertive move on the house.”
If your bathrooms have any of these features, it could detract from its appeal to buyers, and therefore the price you can get for your home.
Tile That Is Dated or in Poor Condition
Tile that needs to be repaired or replaced can be a major turnoff for buyers.
“It screams ‘expensive to solve’ because of the amount of labor that is involved in removing and replacing tile,” Martins said.
“If you’ve got the budget to redo the tile, consider one that is clean, neutral and not too on-trend. If your budget is limited, consider glazing the tile to a neutral color and take the time to clean up grout lines.”
Impractical Vanities
“A vanity needs to suit modern living, and it needs to function well,” continued Martins. “If it’s outdated and worn, or if it is very small and doesn’t provide good counter space or storage, it creates a problem instead of providing a solution.”
Fortunately, this can be an easy improvement to make before listing your home.
“Installing a new vanity is arguably the best way to update a bathroom with little labor, especially because standard sizes can be bought in stores or online,” Martins said.
Poor Ventilation
“Bathrooms get steamy and if airflow is inadequate, moisture will take its toll,” Martins warned.
“The most common effects are mold and mildew buildup, rust on metal surfaces and dust stuck to walls and ceilings. The solution is to install a vent fan — or a more powerful one — to increase ventilation and decrease the yuck.”
Small Showers
Having a tiny shower may be the most effective use of your bathroom space, but it can be really unappealing to today’s buyers.
“If you are able to handle the cost and effort of installing a larger shower, you will absolutely get your money’s worth in resale,” added Martins.
Polarizing Features
You may have added unique features to your bathroom to fit your tastes, but they may not appeal to everyone.
“A bathroom that is designed to a very specific taste, such as one with fancy fixtures or bright wallpaper, can be a dealbreaker for some home buyers,” said Omer Reiner, realtor and president of FL Cash Home Buyers, LLC.
According to him, “Clean, simple design is always the way to go if you are looking to sell.”
Carpeted Floors
Carpeted floors are even worse than outdated tile, at least according to Beth Goltz, real estate broker associate and interior designer at WK Real Estate in Colorado.
“It truly is the worst option for flooring you could choose for a bathroom,” she said. “In showing homes to potential buyers or talking with design clients about remodeling their bathrooms, one of the first items that gets commented on in a negative light is carpeting in the bathroom.”
Before listing a home for sale, pull up the carpet and put down more moisture-friendly flooring.
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