Real Estate Blog June Archive

If your house has an attic, you may have wondered if (and how) to finish it into living space. More space is always a good thing, so here are a few pointers to make it work out the best all around.

• Make sure that finishing the space won't compromise the integrity of the house overall. Not valuable if the house comes down.
• Make sure the floor is properly supported to bear the weight of people and furniture.
• Put the stairs up there in a smart place, and don't make them too steep or forbidding.
• If you can open a section to the downstairs, like the living room, that makes it feel really great.
• Add plenty of lights and outlets, and make sure it's up to code. No sense creating a fire hazard.
• Add windows if possible, preferably the kinds that protrude with little roofs over them.
• Extra space is nice, but a bedroom adds more value. If you don't want a bedroom, just put a closet up there and it will still technically pass on an appraisal.
• An extra bathroom and/or kitchen adds a ton of value, and can make it a whole apartment or sorts, but can be very expensive.
• Skylights that open look nice, but can really keep the temperature reasonable in hot summer months.