Feng Shui your home's equity with a little remodeling!

By Tim Lessard Special to PRIME February. Long dark nights and long gray days. What to do with yourself? How about a remodeling project? In these days of a depreciating housing market, you can improve the comfort of your home as well as raise it's equity by doing any one of three simple remodeling jobs. How to decide what and how much to remodel? With a little western statistics and a little eastern aesthetic guidance. That's right. Feng shui your equity. A Feng Shui primer Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of aesthetics literally, wind-water parallels the findings of American realtors on how to most quickly raise the value of your home through remodeling. Feng Shui enhancement of "chi" or life energy is no longer looked at as some ethereal, impractical philosophy. In fact, thirty percent of Americans buying homes these days ask about the Feng Shui of the property they're interested in buying. Even western psychological studies show that we all survive better emotionally and mentally in homes that are clutter free, well lighted and full of plants and pets all key principles of feng shui. In short, we're happier in homes with good chi. Remodels for better chi A modest repeat, modest remodeling of either your kitchen or your bathroom or the replacement of your old windows are the best ways to quickly, easily and inexpensively increase the equity in your home. A midrange bathroom remodel will return you an amazing 102 percent on your investment, a similar kitchen remodel, up to 100 percent, and window replacement more than 80 percent. Given today's low interest rates for home equity loans and the tax write-offs available, a well-chosen remodeling project is a simple way to immediately increase the value of your home. Real estate studies show that a modest remodel brings the highest return on your investment. A completely new bathroom or kitchen does not pay off with anywhere near the same increase in equity, and upgrading other areas of your home beyond comparable homes in your neighborhood also adds no value. Extravagances such as a pool, an entertainment den, or a new master bedroom, for instance, all bring a low percentage of return of your investment. Unless you're living in Beverly Hills. Of course, it's 78 degrees there in February. Those folks don't need any mid-winter remodeling projects. Steps to simple redos A modest upgrade of your kitchen might include new countertops, refurbished cabinets and midrange appliances particularly a stove, which is the feng shui focal point of the kitchen and is your "wealth generator." Install full spectrum bulbs, repaint in whites, blues and light greens, and add in a couple reflective surfaces brushed aluminum or polished countertops and the wealth, the chi and the equity will all flow. With a bathroom remodel, the key again is aesthetic improvement, not expense. Your bathroom is the center for the major water flows of your home, and water chi is "wealth." Full length mirrors and new, but not necessarily luxurious, fixtures at the sink, shower and tub, as well as a low-capacity toilet that is sleek and an attractive color all improve the appearance and comfort of your bathroom without breaking your bank. Be sure also that the plumbing system in your home is working efficiently. Leaking pipes and dripping faucets indicate an unwanted drain to your wealth. They need to be fixed, not just to hold in your prosperity, but so that dripping doesn't keep you awake during these long winter nights. New high-efficiency windows will restrict the flow of cold chi in and warm chi out. This increases your equity, saves you on your energy bills, and makes your home far more comfortable during these cold February days. Consider also replacing your curtains or blinds with thicker ones that better hold in the heat and hold out the cold. Those, too, like our other remodeling tips, will help you get your chi and your equity right back up there where they both belong. Tim Lessard is a Master Plumber and the president of Lessard Home Solutions of Springfield. Visit his web site at www.lessardhomesolutions.com or call him at 413.736.0066. Tim can also be heard on John Walter's Home Improvement Show on WMAS AM the second Saturday of every month at 11:00am.