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Every year, Remodeling Magazine publishes the Remodeling Cost vs Value Report.  Click to view the 2010-2011 Bay Area Remodeling Cost vs Value Report or see all our reports under Quick Links on our website, www.aboutbayareahomes.com.

The Report reflects an improvement over the previous two years of transition for the remodeling and real estate.  It would be easy to think that the costs for remodeling projects would have fallen, but that turns out to not be the case. One consistency for the past couple of years is that consumers are sticking to projects that are “back to the basics”.Exterior improvements continue to be more common, primarily becauseexterior improvements contribute to the overall look and feel of a building. In other words, in a competitive market “Curb appeal is king.”

For us living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we continue to benefit from improvements that increase a home’s value above the project’s cost, which is not the case in most of the country.  For example, remodeling a bathroom, adding a deck, remodeling a bedroom in the attic, new entry doors, a minor kitchen remodel and window replacements all add to value of a Bay Area Home above the cost.

For now, “Curb appeal is king” and “Bling is not the thing.” The five-year Cost vs. Value trend toward smaller, low-maintenance projects and an emphasis on essentials over extras continues to influence homeowners remodeling plans.

With the complexity in today’s mortgage and real estate market you will benefit from the advice and guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable mortgage and real estate professional.  I’m always available to answer your questions or discuss your concerns.  Just text, call (650 325 7877) or email me for a prompt response.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, I invite you to take a look at our Resource Center,  www.AboutBayAreaHomes.com. There you will find links for active home listings, including bank owned and short sales, home loan information,  market activity reports, home seller strategies, staging and decorating, a suite of 19 calculators, plus my book, “Let’s Make a Deal, The Insiders Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate” and more. Russ Boyd and his team professionally assist buyers, sellers and homeowners in the Peninsula Communities of the San Francisco Bay Area. They serve clients in San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Licensed as a Real Estate Broker by the California Department of Real Estate, 01264240. National Mortgage Originator License 230411.

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