Natural Stone Improves the Value of Your Home
January 2015 | By Conner Roohan, Real Estate Salesperson
Any practical investor realizes that it takes time for their investments to grow. Investments, in most cases, do not produce returns overnight. However, in real estate, there are ways to increase the value of your largest investment in a relatively short period of time.
Work to the exterior of the house including landscaping, new siding, maybe even a pool can help you improve your “curb appeal.” Even improvements to the interior such as new flooring or a finished basement can make all the difference in some situations. As a real estate professional, I think that focusing on certain details – like simply upgrading a kitchen or bathroom to natural stone counter tops – is one of the most beneficial things a property owner can do to increase the value of their home.
With a background in the stone industry as a natural stone specialist, I have experience in sales, fabrication, and installation in both new construction and renovated properties. Granite is the face lift that even the most beautiful home can benefit from.
“Granite is the face lift that even the most beautiful home can benefit from.”
Why granite?
Upgrading to natural stone does not just make your home more valuable, but it adds character that other upgrades cannot compare with. I find it easy to compare natural stone to wine: Grapes are grown all over the world, and whether they are white or red, sweet or dry, earthy or fruity, wine is all grapes. Similarly, natural stone is all rocks. But, when we really taste and begin to appreciate the wine, we understand its differences and can listen to the story it tells us, like where it was grown, in what kind of soil, and its native climate. Granite can tell a story just like wine can. Stones from the Adirondacks with dark colors and red garnet showcase the beauty of our region, while stones from the Middle East tell a story of desert sands and dry climates.
Stones have different colors and patterns that are impossible to recreate naturally and take tens of thousands of years to produce. This is why other upgrades cannot compare to the individuality and uniqueness that we see in stone kitchens/bathrooms/etc. Stones come from all over the world including Europe, South America, and the Middle East. These same stones are brought to local stone shops and custom made for your home, making natural stone not just beneficial to your investment, but to local and global economies alike.
Our country’s love for food has drawn our families away from the TV set in the living room, and into the kitchen to eat, drink and socialize. I find that no matter the floor plan of a home, the kitchen always ends up as a central meeting point for family and friends to gather. There are many different elements to a kitchen including appliances and cabinetry which can be incredibly costly to replace. Natural stone, however, can be the most cost effective, as it gives you the most “wow” for your dollar. Antiquated kitchens featuring pastel colored walls and accents may need more than just some new counters, but it is without a doubt a start.
Even if your kitchen is brand new, granite might just be that “something” that is missing from your home. The kitchen aside, the other high traffic area of your home is the bathroom, where the possibilities s for natural stone are endless. Counters, shower seats, inlays and accents are all common to see going into new and renovated homes.
Americans love to watch the remodeling process unfold in 22 minutes on TLC, but in real life, a project can take much longer than expected. Working in both the stone industry and real estate business have shown me this. There is no telling how long a project might take or where it might go, but it is important to remain positive and keep the focus on your main goal.
From the beginning stages of picking the right stone, to measuring, fabrication and installation, its not hard to tell that the process takes longer than your everyday home remodeling TV show. With that in mind, remodeling can be fun, fulfilling, and one of the best ways to increase the value of one of your most precious assets.
My professional advice: have an open mind, and let the stone do the talking.
About the Author
Conner Roohan is a residential real estate salesperson at Roohan Realty in Saratoga Springs, NY. Before real estate, Conner worked for Granite and Marble Works Inc., in nearby Wilton, and attended Saint Michael’s College for business and Spanish. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, contact Conner: croohan@roohanrealty.com.