Moore couple hoping for good news in ‘My House is Worth What?’
BY HEATHER WARLICK
Published: November 17, 2008
Lisa West, left, and Sharyl Pickens tape an episode of "My House Is Worth What?” in the remodeled kitchen of West’s Moore home. PHOTO BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN
Lisa and Leon West of Moore wondered what their house was worth. Leon recently was transferred with his company to Houston, and if the couple has enough equity invested in their home, they plan to buy a second house in Houston so Leon can live there Monday through Friday when he’s working.
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Enter Sharyl Pickens and the crew of HGTV’s "My House Is Worth What?” HGTV producers selected Pickens to be the expert real estate agent featured on an episode of the television show set in Oklahoma. The show is set to air early in 2009.
Pickens and an HGTV crew entered the West home Nov. 10 and analyzed the upgrades the family had made to the home to determine its value with the additions.
What criteria does Pickens use to determine the home’s value?
"The comparable numbers based on sales of comparable homes in the neighborhood or in a city is always what you start with,” she said. "Now, those numbers don’t lie.”
But then there are subjective items such as upgrades and remodels.
The Wests have spent about $90,000 upgrading their home, which they hope will make for a sizable jump in the home’s worth.
"Sometimes that makes a measurable difference, sometimes it’s not so measureable,” Pickens said. "So, I have to take the black and white and mix it with the gray and come up with an amount that I think would be, if I were to list the house myself for sale, reasonable to have it on the market for. Not too high as to scare away potential buyers and not too low so not to penalize the owners.”
Pickens appraised two other local homes for the show. For a Tulsa episode of "My House Is Worth What?” HGTV selected Realtor Kasia Dupler from Keller Williams Realty.
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If you’re thinking about remodeling or adding on to your home, here are four ideas from Styleathome.com for adding value to your home through upgrades.
→Kitchen: A state-of-the-art kitchen is one of the most popular renovations for earning back most, if not all, of its investment. Even if you don’t fully gut and renovate, certain upgrades — granite counters, hardwood or high-end tile floors, premium appliances (especially stainless steel), islands and undermount sinks — attract attention and can increase value.
→Hardwood floors: Especially on the main floor, hardwood is perennially popular with buyers. If your floors are refinished but worn, have them lightly sanded and resealed. If they’re beaten up, consider replacing them. Broadloom carpets are hot, too, especially in the bedroom.
→Master suite: If your suite is a bit tired, it’s worth upgrading, especially if you can afford a few luxuries such as a whirlpool or air jet tub, separate shower with a rainshower head, double sinks and/or heated floors.
→Lighting: Old-fashioned "can" track lighting can be easily replaced with more contemporary styles such as smaller cans or halogen track lights. Replace dingy overhead lighting with chandeliers (vintage or modern), or install them in rooms that don’t have any.
Sharyl Pickens appraised the West home in Moore and found that the improvements they had made — a circle driveway, adding on a living room to the front of the home, remodeling the kitchen and upgrading a bathroom — have added about $20,000 to their home’s value. The home has appreciated since the Wests bought it in 2002. They paid $288,000 and Pickens appraised it for $308,000.
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