Sell or remodel? That is the question

If you are a homeowner looking for a change, you will be subjected to some pretty intense sales pitches. Thinking of moving? Commission-minded real estate agents are all too happy to put your home on the market and find you a nice expensive new one. Remodeling on your mind? The contractor you call about a new bathroom may well suggest that it is time to upgrade that tired old kitchen, too. Moreover, the specter of upwardly-creeping interest rates adds a sense of urgency: You had better make a decision--and the right one--now!

"Too many people make the decision to move when they would actually be better served, financially or emotionally, or both, by simply remodeling," explains Dan Fritschen of www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner support resource. "And, of course, the converse is also true in many cases."

The website's centerpiece is a Remodel-or-Move Calculator, which helps figure out what is financially best by calculating the cost of a hypothetical remodeling project versus the cost to move. Then, it helps determine your "gut feeling" about the decision based on your opinions concerning your home, neighborhood, and the remodeling process.

The site also is a clearinghouse of practical information. Fritschen and company offer 20 or so articles on different aspects of moving and remodeling, such as the advisability of various projects based on length of time you plan to stay in your home, etc.

Consider the following:

* More than 6,000,000 families spend $60,000,000,000 to sell their homes each year, many because they choose not to remodel. Other homeowners spend $170,000,000,000 to remodel instead of move. Either way, most families will spend thousands upon thousands of dollars.

* A common misunderstanding is that moving is free. In truth, it can cost up to 15% of your home's value for expenses associated with getting the residence ready for sale, decorating your new place, real estate sales commission, closing costs, and moving expenses.

* It is easy to overspend on remodeling for two reasons. First, since many homeowners remodel only once or twice in their lives, they are not educated remodeling consumers and do not shop around for the best prices on the work to be done. Second, they get caught up in the excitement and spend money on upgrades and features that they do not really need or want.

"Don't underestimate the importance of this decision," Fritschen urges. "Too many people see their friends move to a new home or install an extravagant new kitchen and immediately want to do the same. But it's easy to see the glamour and not so easy to see the hard work and money that's involved. Both choices can be expensive and cause major upheaval. That's why you should empower yourself with plenty of information before you take the plunge. Then, when the dust settles, whether it's dust from the moving trucks or the contractors, you can enjoy your new home without regrets."

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