You heave a wistful sigh admiring those white laminate kitchen cabinets topped by gleaming granite countertops when strolling through model homes. The house has every bell and whistle you could ask for; speakers in the family room ceiling, French doors on the den, marble in the entry. It's all just too much. After all, you may be an "empty nester" looking for that smaller home that will see you into retirement. Is it wise to "over-improve" a smaller home?

Trends in new home purchases have changed dramatically over the past 10-15 years or so, and fancy upgrading to smaller homes is not nearly the anomaly that it used to be. In fact, not many years ago, many builders did not give small home buyers the huge array of features and options that they do in today's production home building market. Back then, a 1400 square foot house at a modest price tag could, perhaps, have had a few cabinet options (maybe an upgrade from a particle board-photo finish to real oak), a change from a Formica to a tile kitchen countertop, upgraded carpeting, or even (just think of it!) a bathroom attached to the master bedroom!

Now, even some of the most modest of new homes not only offer these amenities included in the sales price, but also offer optional granite countertops, elaborate "smart wiring" for sound systems and computers, and upgraded appliance and lighting packages. The flooring possibilities are dizzying, from marble to hardwood; fancy tile and slate to trendy, but bulletproof laminates. They also boast many architectural options, such as dens and master retreats, super family rooms, or lofts. The possibilities seem almost endless. In fact, one "affordable" community I am familiar with, geared to first time home purchasers, told me recently that the average dollar amount spent on upgrades and options there runs around $10,000 to $12,000. This is, of course, based on the buyer's ability to qualify for a loan amount that included these additions, and the necessary down payment money to make it work as well. Even first time homebuyers, however, are not nearly as shy about "getting it all now" as they once were in our parents' generation.

To answer your question regarding whether upgrading this smaller home to your heart's content is a wise decision, you may want to do a little research first. You may ask the builder's sales agent or the design center consultant to give you an overview of how much the average upgrade amount (for the floor plan you are interested in) is running for the subdivision you are considering buying in. They will usually provide you with a ball park figure.

If you are good at reading the sale agent's topo table (the map with all the "sold" and "available" buttons on it), drive the neighborhood and find the address that corresponds to the sold buttons. Make sure these houses appear occupied, indicating the escrows have closed. Then, you may go to the county recorder's office and scan the recent closing prices at which these homes were recorded. This is public record, and open to anyone. Compare these numbers with the price sheet given to you by the builder. This will have base prices only, but leave some room for price increases that may have occurred in the meantime. A title/escrow company may also help you with this, especially if that is the title company that the builder uses for its escrows. This way, you can find out for yourself whether the dollar amount for the additions you have in mind are in or out of line with the rest of the existing neighborhood, hopefully giving you the confidence you'll need to proceed.

If I were at your envied, but earned stage in life, I would go for the gusto and get the amenities I have always wanted if they were within my financial ability to do so. You'll enjoy that house for many years to come, and have sturdy (but elegant) surfaces for all those rambunctious grandchildren you can blissfully wave good-bye to when it's their time to go. Then saunter carelessly into your family room and crank up the "surround sound" while the fire roars in your marble-faced fireplace and say, "I'm home".

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