Insulation: An Ideal Improvement for Home Sellers
Written by Gary Ashton, Gary Ashton REALTOR®
The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage
Before selling a home, owners usually want to create a comfortable atmosphere in the house that exudes happiness and efficiency. This may require a few home improvements to confirm that the home meets buyer expectations. The good news is that adding insulation in the attic and home exterior is often an excellent choice with a good return on investment.
How Is Insulation Important?
“Paying more for energy is a great idea!”, said no one ever. Most homeowners rely on a furnace to heat their homes in winter, and an air conditioner or heat pump to cool it down in the summer. There are several systems within the home that can make this process easier or more difficult to achieve. Insulation acts as a vital barrier between the outdoor temperature and inside. The better the insulation, the more that the home can keep heated air inside when it is cold, and outside if it’s hot. Homes that do not have adequate insulation may need to run the furnace or air conditioner more frequently, which costs
more money and can decrease the lifespan of the equipment.
Why Do Buyers Expect Quality Insulation?
There are two reasons that buyers want a home with great insulation. First, homes that need more insulation may have parts of the home that are particularly drafty or cold in the winter. This is especially true for houses that also have problems with air leaks. Second, buyers prefer homes that can feature a greater degree of efficiency and energy savings — and while improvements like solar panels may be too costly for some, insulation can appeal to any buyer. When there is not enough insulation, the furnace or air conditioner could run all day without making the home ideally comfortable. Owners could even
consider replacing the furnace or air conditioner, when doing so would cost thousands of dollars more and might not completely solve the problem. With the right amount of insulation, the home may actually feel better without using quite as much energy for heating and cooling.
Does Insulation Need to Be Replaced?
Every home is a little bit different, so what works for one homeowner might not be exactly the same for another. However, the truth is that many homes can support the addition of insulation without having to remove what is already there. If the existing insulation is in good condition overall, it may save money and time to consider simply having a professional increase the insulation to meet the current guidelines for the climate region. Some types of insulation, such as spray foam insulation, are designed to minimize or solve for faults in the home exterior, as well. An expert can help determine which insulation is best for any given home.
Is Insulation a Valuable Home Improvement?
Most people gearing up to sell a home do not have unlimited home improvement budgets, and this is where insulation really gets an opportunity to shine. Gutting the kitchen and rebuilding it may certainly look flashy, but it costs a great deal of money to accomplish. By comparison, adding insulation may cost less and greatly improve the comfort and efficiency of the entire home. As a result, increasing the insulation is often regarded as a home improvement that may actually raise the home’s resale value by more
than its cost. This helps to save money for other upgrades that buyers also want to see.
When thinking about the best home improvements to make before selling, the choices with the best value may not be visible to potential buyers. With better insulation, the home will be more efficient and feel more temperate to buyers when they come to see the home. An investment that yields an excellent result and a nice increase in the possible sale price.
Nashville REALTOR ®, Gary Ashton started in his career in real estate sales in 2001, and quickly became part of the top 1% of REALTORS ® in the country. His team has also become the #1 real estate team with RE/MAX Advantage, which consists of more than 80 Nashville REALTORS ®.
Since 2001, Gary has focused his attention on gaining a strong internet presence, and on refining his sales and marketing process to generate enough leads to keep more than 80 full-time buyer's agents happy.