Does the House Always Win?

Everyone wants to know if they’ll get a return on their renovation investment. While it depends on how much you spent buying your home and where you’re putting that reno money, one of the biggest indicators is how long you plan to live there. If this is not your forever home, ask your designer about surfaces and appliances that are good for resale. “We can say, ‘Everyone wants quartz countertops right now, not granite,’ and encourage them to lean in that direction to help with salability,” says Leferink. And if you are in your forever home, be selfish: True customization— think a laundry machine between your workout room and shower so dirty clothes never pile up—can be lifechanging. If that’s not a return on investment, what is?