Owning your primary residence has all the earmarks of a great financial deal. Mortgage payments amount to forced savings, a home is an inflation hedge, and capital gains are tax-free.

However, you can easily fritter away these solid real estate investments by upgrading excessively, or moving frequently. Here are 4 reasons why:

1. Neighbourhoods limit home prices: Suppose nearby homes are selling for $350,000 to $400,000. You spend $70,000 on your $370,000 home. Your new deck, landscaping, etc. only raise your home’s value by $30,000, to the area’s top price of $400,000. As well, your renovations may not appeal to all buyers. For example, they may be more interested in room and lot size, the layout of the home or other factors.
2. Additions have limited appeal: A new second floor or extra room may suit your needs, but will likely raise your home’s value by only half the cost of the extra room or floor. Additions are more costly and less functional than original construction, and buyers may have different needs than you.

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3. Swimming pools can actually hurt your property value. That’s because buyers who don’t want the expense or work of a swimming pool may cut their offer to reflect the cost of filling it in.
4. Frequent moving has many hidden costs: For example, you’ll have to pay real-estate commissions, plus lawyer’s fees and related costs, as well as moving and possibly redecorating expenses. You may also face costly repairs to your new home if the seller did as little maintenance as possible.

Our real estate investment advice: When you buy a home, try to choose one that will suit you and your family for as long as possible. That way, you limit your need to renovate or move. If you own a home, treat home-improvement or moving expenses as consumer items, not investments. They may provide enjoyment, but not profits.

Real estate investments: Treat recreational properties in the same way as renovations and additions

From an investment standpoint, we continue to believe the family home provides all the real-estate exposure that most investors need. If you’re planning on buying property for recreational purposes, such as a cottage or a ski chalet, you should do so mainly for enjoyment.

That’s because these properties generally appreciate at a much slower rate than, say, a home in a major urban centre. Moreover, unlike your primary residence, you must still pay tax on gains on the sale of a recreational property.

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