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Overall Considerations In Remodeling

(714) 299-7325

The first thing to consider are your changing needs. Why are you considering remodeling? Wife and husband may wish to go through this little exercise. Write down three reasons each why you need to change your house. Then, if you could change only one thing, what would be the primary goal to achieve from the new changes? The answers to these simple questions will be helpful to your designer in meeting your needs within your budget. Next, you must determine how much money you should spend and have available to spend on the project. You don't want to "overbuild the neighborhood" so that you will have a difficult time in selling the property for its proper value at some time later when your needs change again. Check with a real estate professional to determine the values of properties in your neighborhood to feel reasonably certain you are doing the right thing. Go to Pacific Southland Properties Online for a free property profile, showing comparative values of recent sales in your area. (Southern California only, click the link!) Will the source of the remodeling funds be cash in banks? Will you borrow against a pension fund, and try to refinance after the completion of the project? (not at all often advisable, check with your accountant!) Will you refinance the property and get "cash out" for the funds? All these questions must be answered as you learn about the complexities of remodeling. What about the governing bodies in control of your area? Are there rules and regulations in your planned unit development or condominium association rules (codes, covenants and restrictions) governing how you may change the appearance of the property from the outside? Art juries (Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills areas as examples) coastal commissions (Del Mar, other beach areas as examples) and planning departments of most cities impose strict regulations on what a new or remodeled building may be like. View corridors may come into play. Needless to say, a professional on your side in the initial investigations is strongly advised.