Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
When we're estimating the potential market value of your home, we will often focus (in part) on the features that it stand out from other nearby homes.
Sometimes those differences truly do increase a home's value. But not always. A helpful way to think about it is this: the more universally appealing a feature is, the more likely it is to increase your home's value.
Some examples...
A Fourth Bedroom. Let's say most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms. If your home has four bedrooms, that's great, and buyers will probably pay more for your home than they would pay for a three bedroom home. Buyers might want that fourth bedroom to use as a home office, a guest room or for a growing family. Because that extra bedroom appeals to a wide range of buyers, it will almost always positively contribute to your home's value.
A Sixth Bathroom. Now imagine a home that already has five bathrooms… and then adds a sixth. At that point, the additional bathroom becomes much less meaningful to most buyers. While a few buyers might appreciate it, most won't specifically be looking for a sixth bathroom. So even though it's technically an additional feature, it probably won't meaningfully increase the value of your home.
A Very Short Basement. Suppose your home has a 2,000 square foot unfinished basement -- but the ceiling height is only six feet. That basement might still provide storage space, but it's not going to be useful for finishing into living space, and some people will even find it uncomfortable to move around in. Because it's not broadly useful to many buyers, it likely won't add much value compared to homes without that space.
When we identify features that your home has that others nearby do not, the key question becomes... how many buyers will actually find this feature valuable? If the answer is most buyers, it will probably positively impact your home's value. If the answer is only a small percentage of buyers, then we probably shouldn't assign much additional value to it.
That doesn't mean those features aren't enjoyable or useful to the you -- or that they won't be enjoyable or useful to some potential buyers. It simply means that the broader market (of most or all buyers) may not view them the same way... and thus may not be willing to pay extra for your home because of those features.
Sometimes those differences truly do increase a home's value. But not always. A helpful way to think about it is this: the more universally appealing a feature is, the more likely it is to increase your home's value.
Some examples...
A Fourth Bedroom. Let's say most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms. If your home has four bedrooms, that's great, and buyers will probably pay more for your home than they would pay for a three bedroom home. Buyers might want that fourth bedroom to use as a home office, a guest room or for a growing family. Because that extra bedroom appeals to a wide range of buyers, it will almost always positively contribute to your home's value.
A Sixth Bathroom. Now imagine a home that already has five bathrooms… and then adds a sixth. At that point, the additional bathroom becomes much less meaningful to most buyers. While a few buyers might appreciate it, most won't specifically be looking for a sixth bathroom. So even though it's technically an additional feature, it probably won't meaningfully increase the value of your home.
A Very Short Basement. Suppose your home has a 2,000 square foot unfinished basement -- but the ceiling height is only six feet. That basement might still provide storage space, but it's not going to be useful for finishing into living space, and some people will even find it uncomfortable to move around in. Because it's not broadly useful to many buyers, it likely won't add much value compared to homes without that space.
When we identify features that your home has that others nearby do not, the key question becomes... how many buyers will actually find this feature valuable? If the answer is most buyers, it will probably positively impact your home's value. If the answer is only a small percentage of buyers, then we probably shouldn't assign much additional value to it.
That doesn't mean those features aren't enjoyable or useful to the you -- or that they won't be enjoyable or useful to some potential buyers. It simply means that the broader market (of most or all buyers) may not view them the same way... and thus may not be willing to pay extra for your home because of those features.
