WHAT DANNY IS SAYING

A: Over-improving happens when a seller spends money on upgrades that buyers are willing to pay for them. Beautiful, high-quality work doesn’t always translate to a higher sale price. Pricing is more often determined by buyer preferences and neighborhood comps rather than craftsmanship.

That said, not every improvement needs to be about return. Some items—the priority is daily enjoyment—custom closet systems, built-in audiophile speakers, or a bedroom converted with a built-in desk. The key is understanding which upgrades are lifestyle choices versus market-driven ones.

Where sellers get into trouble is assuming every dollar spent will be recaptured at sale. Ultra-luxury finishes, highly personalized design, or upgrades that push a home beyond its neighborhood ceiling often deliver joy, but not always value.

The smartest approach is clarity. Renovate for enjoyment when that’s the goal—and renovate strategically when resale matters. A good realtor can help put upgrades in context with buyers expect, what the market rewards, and what’s likely to pay back. That perspective allows homeowners to spend confidently, knowing which investments are for love, which are for leverage, and how both fit into the bigger picture.

Find a Realtor you trust. Pick their brain.

-Danny Yadegar, City Real Estate,
  510-909-8330,
  [email protected]

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

A: It’s usually pretty overwhelming selling the family home, especially when it needs a lot of work. Here is what a home seller should do to get the most and spend the least amount of money:

Remove and store all valuables and sentimental items. Donate usable items that nobody wants. Have the rest hauled away. Now you have a blank slate to work with.

A neutral interior and/or exterior paint job is usually needed. At this time new light fixtures and light switches could be changed or cleaned.

Old carpet should be removed. Nine out of 10 homes have some kind of wood floor underneath that could use some sanding and refinishing.

Yard cleanup with some fresh mulch or bark.

Complete interior house cleaning, including windows, window tracks, inside kitchen cabinets, appliances, fireplace, bathroom, and garage.

When a home has been remodeled, or improved to the previous owner’s taste, it is often completely gutted when the new person takes possession. Don’t make the mistake of over-improving when all you’re going to make is your money back!

-Karin Cunningham, Intero Real Estate

A: Superadequacy occurs when a home includes features or improvements that exceed what is typical or necessary for the market. These additions are considered excessive or over-improvements, meaning they cost more than what the market is willing to pay for them in resale value. If most of the neighborhood homes have two- to four-car garages, a home with a seven-car garage might be viewed as having three additional superadequacy garages.

Just because homeowners can install a car elevator, build a dog spa, or add four more garages, doesn’t mean those features increase the home’s market value unless these are normal features in the neighborhood.

Often, we often hear that new owners remove underused or impractical features such as tear out swimming pools, sunken bathtubs, or climbing walls. This isn’t just a matter of personal preference; it reflects the principle of functional obsolescence, which also shows up in the appraiser’s report. Appraisers typically assign no contributory value to excessive features considered to be superadequate because the market doesn’t recognize them as adding worth.

-Anne Feste, Vanguard Properties