Heat Up Your Home’s Value In A Cooler Housing Market (NAPSA)—If you’re ever trying to sell your homein a cooler housing market or simply looking for an affordable, value-enhancing renovation project, adding a fireplace can be a smart bet. Several studies point to the increased valuea fireplace brings to a home. A recent six-year study by the National Association of Realtors and Florida State University suggests each fireplace in a home yields a 12 percent increase in homevalue. According to the study, only adding an additional full bath or a garage increased the value of a home more. In addition, the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers indicates homeowners without fireplaces can potentially raise the selling prices of their homes by about 6 to 12 percent simply by addinga fireplace. Because of their warmth—both literal and figurative—fireplaces are one of the features that potential homebuyers inevitably gravitate toward. “When I get a new listing of a home that has fireplace, it’s imperative that I work that fact into all the marketing material about the property,” said Brad Palecek, a realtor with Edina Realty in St. Paul, Minn. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by new homebuyers. An NAHBsurveyalso found that 77 percent of homebuyers want a fireplace in the family room, where they'll spend most of their time. And 50 percent of homebuyers would like a fireplace in the living room, where they do muchof their entertaining. ‘as " With the high demandfor fireplaces, adding one to your home clearly means a great investment. One of the most attractive, conve- nient and cost-effective options is a direct vent gas fireplace. Direct vent gas fireplaces can be installed in virtually any room of the home at a fraction of the cost of a masonry fireplace. Homeowners can turn them on or off with the flip of a switch and some man- ufacturers such as Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire actu- ally allow operation with a remote control. Besides adding value to your home, direct vent gas fireplaces can cut heating bills by reducing dependence on the central furnace. They burn efficiently with up to 70 percent of the heat they generate remaining in the house. A direct vent gas fireplace also adds intangible value by helping buyers see your home in a better light. For more information on fire- places and how to select the right one for your home, visit www.fire places.com.
