Last week was all about renting versus buying and their associated costs with each. This week I’d like to take the flip side of that and address the question of whether you should stay or go.

This decision can be a simple one if it is to improve the quality of life for yourself and your family. Do what is needed and enjoy. Deciding which home improvements will be the most appealing to potential buyers is another matter altogether.

First, decide if making any improvements at all would be cost effective. Presently, due to the lack of available homes for sale, we are in a sellers market. Selling as-is or just focusing on repairs may be the way to go.

Second, if you decide to sell you will need to move and buy something else. This is when upgrading appears to be more appealing. Especially if you like the neighborhood, the school district, and see yourself there for several years to come.

Improvements you should make, provided your goal is to enhance the value of your home, are as follows:

Remodeling the kitchen and/or bathrooms have always been at the top of many surveys that increase value of a home.

Depending on the age of your home, paint and new flooring is a close second.

Increase the amount of useable space by adding an outdoor living space via a fireplace pit or a water feature. In essence, extend your living room to take advantage of the favorable weather we enjoy here almost year round.

Replace and trim old shrubs, add new ones, and include colorful flowers for a quick fix to enhance the curb appeal.

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[ Carrington Home Loans ] to spend money on mending or installing a sturdy fence. A good rule of thumb here is a good fence makes for great neighbors.

Despite the popularity of reality show "Tanked" on the Discovery Channel, aquariums topped the list in 2012 of home improvements that offer little to no return on investment. Tank glass will fog, grimy filters emit an odor of rotting seaweed, and to make things worse, some owners will convert these aquariums to reptile dwellings.

Next, avoid over-the-top built-in electronics. The newness of the latest electronics is short-lived these days and electronics are becoming increasingly more mobile. Flexibility is the key here.

Don’t eliminate a third or fourth bedroom to create a walk-in closet and/or expand the master bath. A walk-in closet and large bath is great but not at the expense of a bedroom. The number of bedrooms needs to be in balance with the common living space and the surrounding neighborhood.

Lastly, unless you are a licensed contractor, be sure to utilize one for any improvements. Gather multiple bids, ask around for references and for ideas before you do anything. Take the time to vet out everybody. It’s a lot easier to do it right the first time because the "cost to cure" will include the cost to rip out in addition to the cost to re-install.

If you have questions regarding this and/or other real estate matters, contact Mike Mason, Broker/Owner of Mason Real Estate DRE: 01483044, Board of Director of your Southwest Riverside County Association of Realtors® (SRCAR), Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource certified by National Association of Realtors® (NAR) at

Mike@GoTakeAction.com or (951) 296-8887.