Are you thinking of taking on a new project? Considering remodeling bathrooms? Maybe in preparation to sell your home? You have all adults (or at least older children) in your house and you never take baths. You might be asking yourself, is it a bad idea to get rid of all the bathtubs in the house?
Think About the Target Buyer for a House
Do you live in the suburbs? Live in a great school district? Or maybe a neighborhood that’s home to a lot of kids? Even if you live in a Downtown condo or urban home, Austin is a very young city with a diverse group of home buyers. Your target buyer might be a young family or a parent with young kids.
No Tub at All is a Deal Killer for Most Moms
A tub is a must have for most Moms or Dads with young kids. I’ve been in homes with no bathtubs with several parents and they won’t even consider making an offer if there are no bathtubs. Even if they will save money on the no bathtub house, most are absolutely unwilling to budge.
Case Study – The Home Buyer with Two Young Kids
I had a couple with two young children that were looking for a house during the busy Spring market. They had made several offers on homes they didn’t get and were starting to get frustrated. One came up that had no bathtub. It was nicer and priced better than any of the homes they had seen. They even called a contractor to find out what it would take to change the shower into a bathtub, which they found out was pretty affordable. Ultimately, they decided not to make an offer because they didn’t know where they would bathe their kids while construction was happening. That house took longer to sell and ultimately sold for less and no bathtub was the only thing that was inferior about the house. The rest of the house was better than the competition.
If Resale is Important, Don’t Alienate the Best Buyers You Might Have
Moms with young kids are usually pretty motivated to find a house. Ending the madness of loading the kids in the car and entertaining them while they look at a house is worth a lot more to them. When they find what they like, they are usually willing to pay top dollar to get it. This group of home buyers are exactly what every seller is looking for – motivated and willing to pay more. Why alienate the best group of buyers you might have for something as simple as a bathtub?
Every Bathroom Doesn’t Need a Bathtub
If you’re thinking of getting rid of the bathtub in the master bedroom, or even secondary bathroom, just make sure you keep one bathtub somewhere in the house. If you have a giant master bathroom soaking tub, keep two bathtubs. One that’s normal size for kids baths and the soaking tub. Ideally, keep the bathtub in the bathroom that would be nearest the kids bedrooms, but as long as you have one somewhere, that’s better than none. Every bathroom doesn’t need a bathtub.
Plan to Live in Your Home Forever?
Or maybe not forever, but a long time? Then it might not be as important for you to worry about showers versus bathtubs. By the time you go to sell, likely the bathroom will need to be updated anyway. If you will live more comfortably in a home with no bathtubs, that’s worth something too. Just keep in mind, if you go to sell before you planned, the bathtub might be a deal killer for the majority of the home buyers.
Already Live in a Home with No Bathtubs?
If you’ve already made the switch and are considering selling, it might make sense to make one of the showers a bathtub. Then again, you might not get your money out of the project. It depends on your neighborhood, the market and how much you are looking to get out of your home. We’d be happy to help you analyze your house and help you determine whether you’d get a return on your investment to make the switch from shower to bathtub. Just email us at info@11OaksRealty.com or call us at (512) 827-8323 and we’ll get started!
Want to Keep Tabs on the Real Estate Market in Your Neighborhood?
Interested in learning what homes in your neighborhood actually sold for, not what they were listed at? We have the perfect tool for you. Our Austin Neighborhood Market Reports will send you a detailed report showing what sold, what’s for sale, trends and photos of each home. These reports can be delivered as frequently as every two weeks and as infrequently as every other month, so you can be notified on your terms.
Thinking it Might Be Time to Sell Your Austin Home?
If you’re looking for a Realtor who knows how to market homes to get sellers the most money in the shortest time with the least hassle, we might be a good fit. Our team specializes in selling homes and can help sell your home quickly, so you can move on to your next one. Check out our Austin Home Sellers section to learn more about our unique market program and compare us to other Realtors in Austin. We know you won’t find another home selling system that tops ours. When you’re ready to have a conversation, fill out our Seller Survey, call us at (512) 827-8323 or email us at info@11OaksRealty.com to schedule a no obligation consultation.
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