For Short Term Purchases, Think Market Value

There are a quite a few options to consider when building or buying a house. When evaluating a purchase so large and easily customized, the infinite choices can be overwhelming. As with any purchase, the key ingredient to keep in mind is your personal plan and goal for using your purchase. How you select a home you plan to live in for only the next two years will be drastically different from the decision-making process you would employ for the home you plan to retire in. The more short term your home purchase is, the more you should focus on sustaining or increasing market value. The more long term your plans are, the more you should focus on how the house pleases you personally and meets your personal lifestyle goals. In this day and age, the population has become increasingly mobile, and it is becoming increasingly rare for individuals to work and live in the same spot more than a few years. Accordingly, we are going to focus on short term purchases, and more specifically, what to look for in the composition of your home to ensure maximum market value when it’s time to sell.

There are a few major elements to consider in terms of home composition. The primary external elements include the siding and roofing. Options include various metal sidings, wood sidings, or vinyl sidings. Roofing options include clay tiles, asphalt shingles, and metal. These can of course be mixed and matched to create straight metal buildings, wood buildings, or a mixed combination. When it comes to these materials, there tends to be an inverse relationship between installation and maintenance cost. If you are simply buying a house for the short term, you will want your home to be composed of expensive, low-cost maintenance materials. Since you do not have the responsibility of paying the initial costs, you will purely enjoy the benefits of low maintenance and higher market value when it’s time to sell. The best material for this scenario is metal. Metal buildings last the longest. Steel sidings can be made into a variety of different looks and metal roofing is by far the most durable. Close seconds include brick siding and clay roofing tiles, particular for areas with intense heat during the summer months. Remember to thoroughly inspect the quality and age of the structure as opposed to just the composition. Metal siding is great, but not if it has 50 years worth of rust crawling down its side.

Finally, there is the interior to consider. Creative designs and trendy themes aren’t necessarily a downside, but keep in mind that you won’t be selling this home back to yourself. Play the statistics and try to stick to a more classic and timeless design. Wood trims and cabinets, granite counter tops and hardwood floors are all great bets for sustainable and even increasing market value. Stainless steel metal appliances, in addition to energy efficient lighting and appliances, also go a long way toward making your home equally as profitable regardless of the personal interests of the buyer. Just remember, if you’re buying for the short term, focus on market value in every aspect of your home’s composition.