When selling your home, a hardwood floor can be the best decision you can make to appeal to potential buyers. More and more people are installing hardwood floors in their homes, not only for their own enjoyment, but to increase the resale value of their home.
When a potential buyer is looking at a home, he or she will often be more interested in a home with hardwood flooring, over those with carpeting or tile. Hardwood flooring is often more resilient and timeless than other floor coverings. Carpet can be very dated and difficult to clean, while tile can show wear and tear, and grime in the grout area.
A national survey by the National Wood Flooring Association showed that a whopping 99 percent of real estate agents agreed that homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell. 82 percent of agents believe homes with hardwood floors sell faster, and 90 percent said they would sell for more money.
“Hardwood floors are environmentally friendly, forever fashionable, and will last for generations,” said Pembroke Jacobs, president of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association. “Plus, with a life span of more than 100 years for certain premium hardwood flooring, you can be assured that the hardwood really is a one-time investment with a very long-term pay-off.”
Even if your home already has hardwood floors, they may not be looking their best after years of wear. The good news is, you’ll find that hardwood flooring is not very costly to refinish, and is one of the best long-term investments in a home. Hardwood floors up to 150 years old can still be refinished.
Hardwood flooring is also the environmentally-friendly choice. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named indoor air quality as one of the top health threats, but hardwood floors do not accumulate dangerous toxins, and are very easy to clean. Hardwoods also do not trap dust mites or mold, which is good news for allergy sufferers.
There are many different varieties of hardwood flooring. Mahogony and oak are the most popular woods, but some homeowners go a more exotic route, with bamboo or Brazilian Cherry.
Regardless of your personal taste, it is likely you’ll be satisfied with hardwood flooring in your home, but it is even more likely that potential home buyers will be interested in your home, if it had hardwood floors throughout. Make the investment in your home, and it will return to you when it comes time to sell.