This was a compromise house when we bought in '03 based on what we could comfortably afford at the time. It's nice, but not my "dream home" and we could afford more now. We put in granite counters in '05 -- that alone boosted us to overimprovement based on the houses in our neighboorhood which sell in the high 200s (280 for ours, last year one went for 290 and ours right now would sell for about that, conservatively -- this is in the midwest).

We own acreage in the country and I want to build eventually but right now our boys just have a blast in the neighborhood with all the kids and we also have some friends to hang out with on the spur of the moment.

So now I am doing a minor kitchen remodel at about $7 k for the project. Next considering an inground swimming pool. We could move to a more expensive house but again really like this community. Our 15 yr 4.5% fixed morgage is also nice and easily affordable. The projects are paid for out of cash reserves, not loans.

So I know I'm overimproving. Has anyone else been in this situation? I suppose the answer is "go ahead if those things will make you enjoy the house more, but don't expect to get your money back from them". I don't. Any other thoughts? I'm torn -- can you tell?

The problem with improving a home is that many people do so only for resale value. And buying/selling houses on a 5 or 7 year time frame----to continually improve one's ability to buy ever more expensive property-----is part of the reason the country is in the mess we are in.

I live in an area of older homes---built in the 60's and 70's. My house was once listed for sale at $260,000---we bought it as a foreclosure for way less than half that amount.

So---you want to live there and have it like you want---do it.

We did the same thing many years ago. Purchased a house, raised ranch - not my favorite, because it was vacant and the wife was pregnant with our second son. It met our needs but was not our dream house. We stayed for 24 years in that house. Over time, I basically gutted the house to the studs and re-did it. All new wood moldings, 6 panel wood doors, new kitchen with oak cabinets & tile floor. Added a 2 car garage and used the old garage space under the house for another bedroom and living space. Siding and new energy efficient windows, new and bigger deck and the like. We put in the pool for the boys - all three. It was a great neighborhood for the boys to grow up in. Looking back, we have no regrets at all. It was worth it. Many said we over did it with all we changed and updated. So be it. But many in the neighborhood copied us in what we did to the exterior look of the house - siding, windows, entrance door, front entrance, pavers for walkway.

We sold in 05 when the market was very good and received a fair price. In fact, we sold in 8 hours - the good old days! The boys were grown by then and leading their own lives. We now live in the house of our dreams - so to speak.

So do what works for you and don't worry about what others think.

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT

In many parts of the country with (previously) "hot" real estate markets, homeowners couldn't help but start thinking of their home more as an investment than a place to live. How could they not when they often made as much profit when they sold their home as they made in working for several years? I don't know if and when those days will come back, but I think improvement decisions are probably better when they are based on comparing the expected enhancement of the enjoyment, convenience or safety to the cost. It requires us to look at what we want, rather than what the "market" wants.

Of course, some people's taste is all in their mouth, so misguided "improvements" will still occur I'm sure...

I spent about 13.5% but did all the work myself and I am a hell of a negotiator (almost averaged 50% off every appliance Monogram, Miele, Wolf)but figured if I hired a GC my exact kitchen reno would of been at least 25%.

Would that be considered over spending or over renovating?