What is better than getting into a freezing car before going to work at 6:30 am? Not having to. Having a garage is something that makes life much more pleasant. When its freezing outside, your won’t be cold when you get into your car. Likewise, you won’t be sitting on a blisteringly hot car seat when you get into it. Garages are extremely important to many homebuyers. If you have a garage yourself, you know how they feel. If your home lacks a garage, don’t lose hope. Many homebuyers do not have to have a garage; some consider it a perk that they are willing to forego if they like the rest of the house. Some may not. It all comes down to preference.
Sometimes sellers wonder if they should build a garage. Well, unfortunately this cannot be answered without information about that particular home. However, if for example, every home on your block has a driveway and yours doesn’t, you might consider building one. Especially if your neighbor a few blocks down has a driveway and also has their home listed on the market. This is a great time to discuss with your realtor about what to do. Whether to repair your driveway, add a new one, or leave it as-is.
Understand, though, that even with all the realtors knowledge, and market comps, it all comes down to a buyers personal preference. A garage definitely can add value to your home, especially depending on the size and condition of it. Just having one doesn’t mean that that’s good enough. If its not in great condition, or its really tiny, having it may not make much of a difference overall.
If you are building one, you should definitely use an remote garage door opener. It sort of defeats the purpose of a garage if you have to get in and out of the car to open and close it. That actually makes things more of a hassle. If you already have a garage, but its not electric, don’t panic. Ask your realtor what they think. Depending on your garage, it might be easy to add an electric door opener. One great idea when building a garage is to add outlets, air ducts, and a roof structure. This is also attractive to buyers, because those things mean that the garage could be transformed into a room. If you are going to build a garage, please check with the city and find out about the zoning rules in your area. Often, neighborhoods have restrictions when it comes to add-ons of a home.
2 Comments
My realtor is telling us that we probably should build a garage. We have the room, but really don’t want to spend the money. What should we do?
Hi Amanda. Well..if your realtor is telling you to build the garage, they probably have made this suggestion based on neighborhood and market comps. I’m assuming if she said that, that many homes in the area have garages, including some of the ones for sale. If you have the money, I would suggest following her advice. You do not need to build a fancy one, just make sure it flows with the architectural style of the actual home.