Finished Vs. Unfinished Basements: Getting Someone Else to Get it Done

Buying real estate always seems to involve making more decisions than you ever thought necessary, or even possible. One such decision, often overlooked or taken for granted, is the question of the finish condition for the basement. Assuming you are buying in an area where basements are the norm, and not in a place such as Southern California where no one has them, you can take it to the bank that having a basement is a definite advantage, both for living in the home and when it comes to resale. So yes, you should get a house with a basement. Now for the more often overlooked question: should it be a home with a basement that is already finished, or would it be better to get a home with an empty basement and finish it yourself?

The answer, especially if you have a do-it-yourself orientation, may surprise you. Finishing a basement can be surprisingly expensive, and you're unlikely to recover your money when it comes time to sell the house. In fact, what you have to shell out in order to remodel a basement will only get you about 75% return on the dollar at resale. The bottom line is that it is not the best plan to look for a house with an unfinished basement and then plan to finish it later. So, when you're buying a home, it's smarter to find a house that has the basement work completed. It's the other side of the coin that says it doesn't pay for the seller to spend that money on the job. As the buyer, you come out ahead because of that simple fact.

Besides the likelihood of saving yourself time and expense, there are other reasons for choosing a home with an already-finished basement. It's easy to say you're going to finish the basement, but it's a big job that tends to get put off. There are lots of homes for sale -- old homes -- with "someday we'll get it done" basements. Unfinished, unused basements can get damp and moldy. They are often unpleasant places, and can become health hazards.

On the side of advantages to be gained by having the basement finished and using it, it's a fact that basements tend to be more easily controlled in maintaining livable temperatures. They keep relatively warm in the winter and cool in the summer, which means that you'll spend less on heating and air conditioning if you spend time actually using that downstairs space.

A usable, functional basement provides useful living space. Basements are no longer just places for storage of unused items. A well finished basement can be used for additional bedrooms, game rooms, a hobby room, a living room, or places to exercise.

If you live in a place where tornadoes might be a danger like the Midwest, basements are also the best place to take shelter when a storm threatens. The need to take shelter with a tornado approaching can be frightening especially for a child, and a comfortable, accommodating space can help ease anxieties and make the ordeal more tolerable for the entire family.

So when you buy your next piece of real estate, do yourself a favor and look for a home with a finished basement. Take advantage of someone else having done the work and you will be the one to be ahead.