As the son of an architect and someone who has renovated 3 homes myself, I believe I can provide quite a bit of guidance when it comes to renovating one’s home. 

But let’s put renovations aside for just one moment - because we all know you can transform almost any home into something halfway decent. Right now, I want to talk about a home’s intrinsic value and what I look for when identifying a good quality home. Here are 4 elements I always look for:

No. 1: Location

While I hate to sound cliche, the first rule of real estate is location. You've heard it time and time again - and it’s true. Location is very important. You want to buy a home in an area that always has demand whether it be in a central location, one with a good community, or one with tremendous housing stock. 

No. 2: Light and Air

When we talk about light and air, we’re really talking about what sort of views does the property have? While a view may not be critically important to all, it’s going to factor into the price and generally speaking a home with good light and air will have better long-term value. 

No. 3: Layout

While a home can be renovated, and the layout changed, sometimes a home simply has bad flow. You can adorn the kitchen with all the latest design trends but if it’s too small or in a bad spot of the home, it doesn't matter how much money you spend. 

No. 4: Unique details: 

When it comes to unique details, you want to ask yourself - does the home have big windows, high ceilings, exposed brick, or crown moldings? What key features are in the home that give it that special feeling you know will be universally loved? There are some homes that simply have "it". Being able to identify that unique quality can pay big dividends in the long run. 

And that’s it! What else do you think gives a home its value? Did I miss anything? I’d love to hear from you so drop a comment and let us know what you think.