Articles

Making Improvements Without Checking the ROI

Just because you might personally value an upgrade doesn't mean the market will. "It's easy to build yourself out of your neighborhood" and invest more than you can recoup at resale, says Linda Sowell, a REALTOR® in Memphis, Tenn.

What to do: Before you pick up a sledgehammer, check with an agent or appraiser. They're usually happy to share their knowledge about how much moola an improvement will eventually deliver.

Submitting Small Insurance Claims

Save your insurance for the catastrophic stuff. You want the cleanest record possible, you want to be seen as the lowest risk. It's like a driving record — the more tickets you have, the more your insurance.

Going With the Lowest Bid

 Double-check that all bids include the same project scope — sometimes one is cheaper because it doesn't include all the actual costs and details of the project. The contractor may lack the experience to know of additional steps and costs.