Improve Your Resale Value With Retractable Awnings

Selling a home forces you to look at it afresh. It’s important to assess and to make changes that will make the home appealing, memorable, fresh – the kind of home that sticks in buyers’ minds. In a down market, the improvements to a house need to make the biggest impact with the least amount of money. A terrific solution is installing retractable awnings.

Realtors® identify a number of areas that formulate that first impression in a buyer’s mind:

· The appearance from the road

· Pretty landscaping and usable outdoor space, especially for outdoor entertaining

· “Green” features, especially money- and energy-saving features

All of these areas can be enhanced through stylish retractable awnings.

Increasing Energy Efficiency

It’s not a sexy term, but energy efficiency measures can return cold cash. Two studies, funded by the EPA and HUD, in the late 1990s showed that energy efficiency measures directly increase the resale value of a home $10-25 for every $1 saved on utility bills.

A study commissioned by the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA) reveals that awnings can lower indoor temperatures anywhere from 8 to 15 degrees, cutting air conditioning use by 25%. This varies by region, the direction of the windows, and local utility rates. “It’s not a guarantee,” said Michelle Sahlin, managing directory at PAMA, “but awnings [can give] 25-34% energy savings.”

Assume that a retractable awning (in ideal conditions) saves $200 on your annual utility bills. With an average of $17.50 value per $1 of savings, that increases your home price $3500…….Simply from the utility savings.

Energy efficiency is one of the best areas to increase resale value because a) fuel costs are rising significantly and b) every region of the US is affected. To get the direct home price benefits of retractable awnings:

· Install awnings over windows facing the south, west and east to maximize heat reduction.

· Retract the awnings regularly in winter and cloudy days to allow natural heating.

· Compare last year’s utility bills with this year’s to set a baseline for savings.

Going for a Visual Affect

The outside appearance is one of the most compelling reasons to buy a house. Realtors® have a list of exterior areas that command attention: gardens, patios, doorways, driveways.

Front Doors and Driveways

Entrances are some of the most important areas to focus, since they make the first impression. Many houses in a neighborhood have the same layout and facade, and that sameness can make your house easy to overlook. An unexpected feature – like retractable awnings – makes a home standout from the rest through bright colors and eye-catching styles. “The different variety of shapes of retractable awnings, an awning over the door, can make your home stand out,” Sahlin advised. Additionally, retractable awnings work with almost any architectural style, from basic ranch to Spanish Revival.

Consider putting awnings over a front door, front windows, or over a side door near the driveway.

Patios and Outdoor Entertaining

Outdoor entertaining areas provide shady and pleasant places to sit. “You’re extending that living space,” said Sahlin. “That trend is very, very popular.” Sahlin mentioned that retractable awnings pique the interest of interior designers to harmonize both interior and exterior design features. “[Designers] are interested because their clients wanted to extend their design ideas outside,” she said.

Retractable awnings – which can be adjusted for better shading, unlike fixed awnings – define those outdoor spaces very simply, so they are a favorite option for many landscape designers. In fact, other popular home seller projects such as sunrooms are somewhat unpopular with home buyers. Sunrooms and decks return very little in home values, according to the National Association of Realtor®’s cost-value report.

Unfortunately, the financial benefits of curb appeal vary between neighborhoods. There are no solid numbers, and NAR does not include awnings in its cost-value report. According to Walter Moloney, information analyst with NAR, there’s still value, even if, as he admits, “it’s hard to determine the exact dollar value.” Moloney recommends using an appraiser to assess how much retractable awnings improve your home, based on the specific neighborhood.

Looking at Retractable Awnings

By working towards both energy efficiency and curb appeal, retractable awnings answer several common home problems with a single fix. Sahlin points out that the affordability of retractable awnings makes them a great idea: “Homeowners ask, ‘What can I do with a reasonable amount of money?’ Awnings work for someone who may be looking for multiple solutions.” Retractable awnings are even more cost-effective since they’re a do-it-yourself solution.

The keyword with retractable awnings is variety. There are dozens of frame styles, hundreds of different fabric options, and a wide range of sizes and projections.

· Location and style. You can select a retractable awning style specially suited to your install location. For example, dome style awnings are popular for windows and doorways; lateral arm styles are popular for patios. You can even mix different styles across your exterior, using colors and fabrics to tie styles together.

· Fabric color. The best kind of fabric is solution-dyed acrylic, which lasts more than a decade longer than traditional canvas awnings, without fading or mildewing. Solution-dyed acrylic also has a near-unlimited number of options, with more than 500 fabric styles, with dozens of kinds of stripes, patterns, and solid colors.

· Frame quality. For long-term benefits, aluminum frames are the most durable, as well as being lightweight for easy installation. Electrostatic powder-coating gives added protection. Look for Kevlar® brand straps in the arms, which , unlike steel cables, cannot rust.

· Motors, sensors, and other accessories. A variety of sensors (rain, wind, sun, motion), switches, and remote controls and can be combined with motors to make retractable awnings easier to use. These add-ons also extend the life of the retractable awning by reducing wear.

In a tight real estate market, the goal is to spend as little as possible for the greatest impact. Retractable awnings are one of the least expensive improvement projects you can tackle, yet can solve a number of problem areas with a stylish approach to your resale value.