Not so scary Friday the 13th news

Here is a quick rundown of the residential real estate activity over the first 8 months of 2013

• Chester County- 2013 single family home sales (3863) are up 15.5% compared to the first 8 months of 2012. The year-to-date median price of single family homes ($310,000) is also up 3% from during this same reporting period
• Delaware County- 2013 single family homes sales (3460) are up 10.3% compared to the first 8 months of 2012. The year-to-date median price of single family homes ($220,000) is also up 4.5% during this same reporting period
• Montgomery County- 2013 single family home sales (5689) are up 14.7% compared to the first 8 months of 2012. The year-to-date median price of single family homes ($269,500) is also up 4.6% during this same reporting period

Wondering what upgrades are a waste of money and time? 
Houselogic.com compiled a list of upgrades with the lowest Return on Investment (ROI)

Outdoor Kitchen

The fantasy: You’re the man — grilling steaks, blending margaritas, and washing highball glasses without ever leaving your pimped-out patio kitchen.

The reality: For what it costs — on average $12,000-$15,000 — are you really gonna use it? Despite our penchant for eating alfresco, families spend most leisure time in front of some screen and almost no leisure time outdoors, no matter how much they spend on amenities, according to UCLA’s Life At Home study. And the National Association of Home Builders’ 2013 What Home Buyers Really Want report says 35% of mid-range buyers don’t want an outdoor kitchen.

The bottom-line: Instead, buy a tricked out gas grill, which will do just fine when you need to char something. If you’re dying for an outdoor upgrade, install exterior lighting — only 1% of buyers don’t want that.

In-Ground Swimming Pool

The fantasy: Floating aimlessly, sipping umbrella drinks, staying cool in the dog days of summer.

The reality: Pools are money pits that you’ll spend $17,000-$45,000-plus to install (concrete), and thousands more to insure, secure, and maintain. Plus, you won’t use them as much as you think, and when you’re ready to sell, buyers will call your pool a maintenance pain.

The bottom-line: If your idea of making it includes a backyard swimming pool, go for it. But, get real about:

• How many days per year you’ll actually swim.

• How much your energy bills will climb to heat the water ($760-$1,845 depending on location and temperature).

• What you’ll pay to clean and chemically treat the pool ($20-$100/month in-season if you do it yourself; $75-$165/month for a pool service).

• The fact that you’ll likely need to invest in a pool fence. In fact, some insurance carriers require it.

Related:

Less expensive option: an above-ground pool

Lower maintenance option: natural pools

If you do put in a pool, you can save money by installing a solar heater.

($200-$650) probably will suffice.

New Windows

The fantasy: Brand new windows that don’t stick, and slash energy bills.

The reality: A $10,000 vinyl window replacement project will recoup about 70% of your investment at resale, and if they’re Energy Star-qualified, they can save you around $300 in energy bills per year.  So, plan to live in your house about another 10 years to recoup the cost of new windows. 

The bottom-line: We get it — new windows are sturdy, pretty energy save. But unless old window frames are thoroughly rotten, most windows can be repaired for a fraction of replacement costs. And if you spend about $1,000 to update insulation, caulking, and weather-stripping, you’ll save 10%-20% on your energy bill.

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