New home builders pride themselves in giving buyers as many choices regarding floor plan options and upgrades as they possibly can these days. How do you choose, however, those options that may make it easier for you and your family to sell that new home someday, getting you the most money in the least amount of time?

It's a wise buyer who thinks about the future re-sale of his new home, even when he hasn't even started to occupy it yet! That kind of forward-thinking individual can only benefit by it in the years to come, and I would commend them for their realistic thinking.

I believe, as do many other real estate professionals, that there are options and upgrades that can become real attractants when you someday sell your home, potentially reaping you a higher sales price, and perhaps less marketing time when that day comes.

Some of the "big ticket" choices you may be faced with have to do with lot size, garage size, and room count. Should you pay to get that premium lot with the extra-deep back yard? Perhaps the way to look at this is; did that home site with the extra deep back yard sit for very long after the builder released it for sale? Was it difficult for the builder to sell? Probably not. The largest lots, even if the lot premiums seem a bit exorbitant, are usually the one sales consultants have people on waiting lists for.

As for garage size, it seems that Americans love space, even when they don't think they're going to use it all. The saying "there's no substitute for square footage" must be the mantra of every new home agent selling the luxury of a three car garage. We use that extra stall for everything from toy storage, exercise equipment, workshop, or even - (gasp!) a third car! When faced with the decision to buy your home with or without it, and, say, the cost of the option runs an extra $5,000, it may be easier to view it as an extra, perhaps, $35 a month to your house payment. And, since you don't plan on living in the house for the entire thirty years for the loan to be paid off, you'll never end up paying the full price for it to begin with (unless you pay cash).

Room count can be a tricky one. Cramming too many bedrooms in to a small square footage (I would say 1500 sq. ft. or under with more than three bedrooms) can rob a home of it's liveability and comfort. Hallways become narrow, living spaces are compromised, and bedrooms feel cramped. Depending on the floor plan design - and some use space better than others -try to avoid this scenario. Homes with a square footage of 1500 are usually the most spacious in a three-bedroom-plus-Great Room set up. In plans offering 1700 square feet of living space or more, a four bedroom count, with two to three baths seem to be the most popular, and sell the quickest when the time comes to sell. Even if you, personally, will not need that many bedrooms, using it as an office or guest room (try to keep the closet in tact, for appraisal purposes) will give you purpose for this extra space and be an attractive feature to the buyer of your home.

To preserve re-sale value, be careful not to permanently rob your home of too many of its bedrooms by remodeling, removing closets that cannot be restored, and ending up with a two bedroom home (unless it is a condo or townhome, where that is more acceptable).

Choosing flooring options and cabinet upgrades is one of the more "fun" parts of buying a new home. At the builder's design center, you will find a dizzying array or carpet selections, tile, vinyl, and choices in cabinet designs. My admonition here would be: stay neutral. Even if you plan to go wild with color in your home, try to use neutral colors in your permanent flooring and counter tops, and decorate with color around them. You will see that this is what is done in most model homes themselves. Although the merchandiser may have used a central theme of colors throughout the model home, items that must stay with the home and are difficult to change, such as flooring, are usually tans, taupes, creams, or grey tones. Why? Because the builder has to someday sell its model home! A home with colorful permanent colors will not appeal to the widest range of buyers, and builders do not like to get stuck with and "carry" a model home any longer than it has to. It might be wise to learn from their years of experience after all . . .

There are many other options and upgrades that create great re-sale potential, and I have hit on but a few here. Although it may be hard to do, try to look at this new home in the eyes of the typical home buyer who would be looking for a home in your neighborhood-to-be. If it is one filled with families, think about what most families may need or want. If, however, it is an area that attracts "empty-nesters", you must alter your thinking. The sales consultant cannot answer questions as to neighborhood demographics unless it is designated an "over -55" or "active adult" community. In driving the neighborhood, however, you may begin to notice trappings giving you clues to what types of neighbors you will have, and you can gear the choices for you new home accordingly.

Also See: New Homes News