Planning a Home That Works for Both Living and Long-Term Value

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understand the balance between comfort and value  
• Discover design choices that support long-term property value 
• Learn how to make future home decisions with the future in mind 

There is a famous quote by Oprah Winfrey, an American media executive, that goes, like, I will forever believe that buying a home is a great investment. Why? Because you can’t live in a stock certificate. You can’t live in a mutual fund. 

Trust me, as a homeowner, now I believe the same, but before things were different. A few years ago, when I was building my home, I was mostly excited about pretty things, nice lighting, beautiful tiles, etc. 

But with the help of my real estate uncle, who is aware of qualifying investment, I got to know about the concept of home value deeply and realized that a home is not just for today. It needs to feel good to live in now and also hold its value for the future. 

I made a few mistakes and some good decisions, too, along the way, which, with the help of this article, I’m going to share with you, to help you make informed decisions. 

Understanding the Balance Between Comfort and Value

At the start of the plan, I wanted everything according to my personal taste. Bright colors, bold patterns, and trendy designs. But before going further, I was asked by my uncle ‘If ever I wanted to rent or sell this house, do I really think others would like it too?’ 

That made me realize I needed a balance between comfort (how the home feels for me every day) and value (how the home will be seen by others in the future). So I decided that I will design the home mainly for my daily comfort. But I won’t make choices that only I like, and everyone else might hate, which can decrease the value of the home. This simple rule helped me a lot in planning things and manage assets, which is very important for ‘my home’. 

Planning Spaces for Everyday Living

All the information, suggestions, and research I did on my uncle’s advice made me sit down and question my daily routine before deciding on the colors and the materials. Where do I spend the most time? Do I work from home? How many people visit regularly? Do I need quiet corners for studying or reading? 

After examining and thinking about these questions, I planned the different places of the house accordingly. 

• Living Room: I kept it open, simple, with enough space for walking, and planned things like the placement of the sofa, TV, charging points, and other things in advance. I tried not to keep it overcrowded with the furniture. 
• Kitchen: I used the simple triangle idea, stove, sink, and fridge in a comfortable reach, and I also placed the everyday items at easy height, and rarely used items go higher. I added more storage than I needed (and I was right, I needed it).  
• Bedroom: I chose a layout where I can walk around the bed without bumping into things. Also, make sure that there is enough natural light in the room. This is something that everyone loves, and if someone doesn’t, I installed blinds in advance. A small side table and nightlight made their place in the plan too, as I love reading at night. 

When I started focusing on my real lifestyle rather than the magazine photos, my home started to feel more practical and functional. 

Design Choices That Support Long-Term Property Value

There were many things that looked great to me, but were a bad idea for the house. Like when it was time to paint the house, I wanted a bright red color, but I knew not everyone would like it. So I followed a rule I learned from my interior designer friend, who got greece residency by investment and with the help of a greece golden visa: ‘keep big things simple and play with small things’. 

So I pick neutral colors like off-white and beige for the walls that are on the safer side, look good, and have good value in the market too. Along with this, I picked classic tiles and a simple cabinet design. 

Now I added the touch of my personality to the home using cushions, rugs, wall art, and plants. This way, if my taste ever changes, I can play with these things, and so can someone who rents or buys this place in the future. 

During this process, I also realized that a good layout increases value more than fancy decor. This is the reason my home has fewer partitions; the living area, dining area, and kitchen are connected, not cramped. 

Budgeting and Materials That Stand the Test of Time

One of the biggest lessons I learnt was where to spend and where to save. Although at the start I wanted fancy lighting, luxurious wallpapers, the more I read and discussed with others, the clearer it became that I should spend more on things that are hard to change later. And spend less on the items that can be upgraded easily. 

So I decided to invest in strong flooring that won’t chip easily, good quality bathroom fittings (tap, shower, flush), solid kitchen hardware (hinges, channels, countertops), proper wiring and electrical points, etc, important things.

Wondering where I saved money? Well, in fancy false ceilings, costly wallpapers, too many decorative lights, and art pieces, I also tried to choose low-maintenance materials. For example, washable paints for walls, easy-to-clean kitchen finishes, and tiles that don’t show every small stain. I am still proud of these decisions, as later they made my life easier.   

Making Home Decisions With the Future in Mind

While planning all the things, I constantly reminded myself (you should do it too) that life will change. So I started the series of questions again: can this room work as a guest room or a study? If my family grows, can I easily move the furniture and change things accordingly? Are there enough power sockets for more future gadgets?  

I also thought about guests and aging, like there should be at least one simple bathroom, that is non-slippery and easy to access, the steps should not be very high, the doorway should be wide enough for easy movement (wheelchair, walkers). 

These things might not seem important today, but I know they will help later, both for me and someone who will live here later. Apart from making the future ready for living, these things also positively impact the value of the house. And for me, it’s a win-win deal. 

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