The longer you live in your home, the more tempted you tend to become to give it your own personal stamp and make it better serve your family’s lifestyle. But think twice before plunging headlong into a project, especially if you’re concerned about your home’s eventual resale value.

Want the most bang for your buck when it does come time to tell? Then scratch any and all of the following home remodeling “don’ts” off your to-do list.

• Converting a garage into living space. Finishing the basement or attic to gain extra living space is often a great idea. However, one unfinished space that you should not touch is the garage, especially if accommodates only one car. Even if buyers never plan to actually park their car in it, chances are they’ll still value and desire the added storage space it provides.

• Making your home a little too accessible. More and more homeowners want a home they can keep for the long haul. And with walk-in showers, roll-out cabinets, and other “age in place” design trends, it’s becoming possible. However, it’s equally possible to pursue this trend to the extreme and, in the process, alienate a large pool of buyers. As such, you’ll do well to avoid converting all your baths to showers and lowering your cabinets and counter heights.

• Underestimating the importance of lighting. If you have a dark room in your house, look for ways to brighten it up. Reflect natural light by hanging a framed mirror opposite the only window, add recessed and under-cabinet lighting, and set the mood with lamps and sconces.

• Ignoring undesirable finishes. Those gold-toned door knobs and hinges might not bother you now, but when it comes time to sell, you can be sure potential buyers will notice. Bring your home into this decade by updating your fixtures.

• Planting fruit trees. If you plan to stay in your home for a very long time, you might enjoy being able to grab a fresh apple or pear right from your back yard. However, most home buyers see fruit trees as a high maintenance pain in the neck that attracts bugs and rodents.

• The wrong counter-top choice. While beautiful and quite popular right now, counter-top materials such as marble and soapstone require a good amount of maintenance and care. If you’re re-doing your kitchen, consider a more resilient surface like granite or engineered quartz.

• Down-sizing the number of bedrooms. Have you been dreaming of expanding your master bedroom by combining it with an adjoining room? If so, you might be greatly reducing your home’s resale value at the same time. For example, in a neighborhood of mostly 3-bedroom homes, a 2-bedroom house will undoubtedly sell for less even though it has comparable square footage.

Now that we’ve given you 7 “don’ts” pertaining to your home and its potential resale value, here’s a major “do”: and that is, invest now in a home security system. That definitely adds value to your home. Plus, the new owners are free to switch home security management companies if they’re not satisfied with your choice – and all without having to replace the equipment. To learn more about a security alarm system for your home and the management services that with them, we invite you to contact Now Security Systems today.