Sable Homes’ Karin Kay sits down with WZZM about amenities that make homes more attractive in the real estate market

Karin Kay, sales manager at Sable Homes and Sable Realty, recently sat down with WZZM Evening + Anchor Julia Gorman to discuss the features that make your home most attractive or maybe more attractive if you’re looking to sell.

Here is an inside look at their conversation and some recommendations Karin Kay has for those who are looking to buy or sell a home to make it more attractive.

WZZM – Julia Gorman: Certain things in your home that maybe people think are kind of minuscule or unique to each home they’re into, really can have an impact on that buying and selling process as far as things that really can be attractive to someone looking to buy your home. What aspects are we talking about here?

Sable Homes – Karin Kay: One of the biggest things that people are looking for is usable square footage – being able to have the square footage to either grow or have room for hobbies. A lot of what we’re seeing right now are a lot of in-law suites. More square footage is really what a lot of people are looking for – just more space to do whatever they’d like.

People are really interested in having those additional bathrooms too. When you think about a three-bedroom, one-bath house, it’s a totally different idea than a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house because if you’re getting ready in the morning and you have a partner or somebody with you, it can be a lot. Having that second bathroom, even a half bath, is a huge impact on the price of your house.

WZZM – Julia Gorman: What kind of lighting and electricity and setup do we have in newer homes? Those newer features can also be very attractive as folks can imagine.

Sable Homes – Karin Kay: One of the things that people look at when they’re budgeting for their house is utility costs. Utility costs in older homes, unfortunately, oftentimes are more expensive – they’re drafty; the windows need replacing; they weren’t insulated well – and that can really make or break a budget for a lot of households. The attractiveness of newer homes allows people to look at that and go, “OK, I can manage those heating costs. I can manage those electricity costs because a lot of newer homes are using LED lights and high efficiency furnaces.” There’s so many benefits to purchasing a new home that people just don’t necessarily think about when it comes to the energy efficiency.

WZZM – Julia Gorman: If someone is getting ready to sell their house and they’re hearing about these things and they’re wondering, should I put in another bathroom? What are things people should be thinking about if they’re looking to sell in the near future?

Sable Homes – Karin Kay: The biggest thing is a bathroom, if you have the availability. Understandably, that one can be difficult for a lot of people, but just keep in mind, even a half bath can really add to the value. Other things that people are really looking for are newer fixtures in the home – like a newer water heater, a newer furnace, a new roof. A lot of those things people will look at and if they’re kind of teetering on that 30-year mark, people are looking at it going, “that’s going to be a substantial investment here in the next few years and if I’m spending all of my money on my down payment, I won’t have that to replace it when it breaks.”

WZZM – Julia Gorman: Anything else for folks if they’re kind of nitpicking, what they’re interested in buying?

Sable Homes – Karin Kay: Other positive things are always garages, especially here in Michigan. And we don’t really think about it right now, but central air is a huge thing, especially as our summers have been very hot in the past few years. Newer furnaces and things like that – those are huge impacts on what you’re going to get in return out of your house.

Watch the full interview, here.