Often I am asked by homeowners, "What renovations/ improvements should I be doing to my home to bring the highest return?"

In today's marketplace...Grosse Pointe properties are prime hunting grounds for renovating homeowners. Our market continues to see homes neglected in basic renovations, i.e. updated Kitchens, baths, heating systems. Luckily, there's tremendous resources available in the Pointes for tackling a renovation job.

THE KITCHEN FACTOR: Not surprisingly, the Kitchen will bring you the most return on your renovation dollars. Corian countertops are making way for granite or synthetic granite-like materials. Wood floors and ceramic tiles are still a popular choice...as are the new synthetic wood floors (they're good-looking copy-cats and very durable). Center cook/preparation Islands are still in vogue due to their practicality and versatility. Large, live-in Kitchens are most popular among young families. It's the next best thing to Family Rooms located off the Kitchen.

BATHS: The Bath...more specifically...the baths make the difference. The larger...the better. However, many buyers realize here in the Pointes when the majority of homes were built, post-War 1940's homes just didn't have the luxury of large baths. Two story additions have aided in remedying this fact. Second floor additions allow room for more Bedrooms and Baths.

OFFICE SPACE: Another popular room up and coming is the Office. The home office is truly becoming a necessary room for the 90's and beyond. Parents are finding employers more amiable to the idea of working at home while raising youngsters. Even if a family doesn't work at home, the computer needs a room to "live in". This room also offered privacy for work or entertainment for anyone in the family that needs the computer.

HEATING: Heating systems are and have been a great way to update properties. Whether you have gas steam or forced air systems, consider upgrading your heating system for safety's sake. Maintain your system, keep a carbon monoxide detector in the appropriate location (some experts say up in the Master Bedroom, while others say in the basement near the heat source. Contact your heating/cooling specialist for 
their advice).

Articles on a Variety of Subjects

• Home Safety
• Antique Clock Care
• Vintage Theme Design
• Staining Wood Floors
• Selecting a High Performance Window
• Need New Furniture?
  Order factory direct furniture from Hickory and Highpoint North Carolina

Research Resources for Preservation

• National Register Database
  Find information on any historic place in the National Register
  

Fun Stuff

• Hardware Store on the Internet
  They have been in business for so many years, they just might have what you are looking for in renovation supplies. They offer Internet discounts and answers to home repair questions too!
• Salem, Massachusetts
  Historic Homes in old Salem, a tour sponsored by the Peabody Essex Museum
  

• The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Pointe Shores
• The Detroit Institute of Arts
• Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI