The Things You Can and Cannot Change About a House

When buyers walk into a home, it is easy to get distracted by the things right in front of them.

The paint color is wrong. The flooring feels dated. The kitchen cabinets are not their style. The bathroom tile looks like it has been there since 1987.

And sometimes those things matter.

But sometimes they matter far less than the things buyers cannot change at all.

You can replace a countertop. You cannot move a view of the Topa Topa Bluffs into the backyard.

That distinction is worth remembering when you are looking at homes in the Ojai Valley.

Start With the Things That Stay

Every house has two categories of features: the ones that can be changed with enough time, money, and effort, and the ones that are simply part of the property.

Paint is changeable. Light fixtures are changeable. Flooring, appliances, landscaping, cabinetry, and even entire kitchens can be changed.

But the location is the location.

The orientation of the house on the lot is unlikely to change. Neither are the mountain views, the mature oak tree outside the kitchen window, the distance from neighboring homes, the afternoon light, the size of the lot, or the feeling of the street when you pull up.

Those are the things worth paying especially close attention to.

Cosmetic Problems Can Be Loud

One reason buyers sometimes overlook a good house is that cosmetic problems demand attention.

An unusual wall color can make an entire room feel wrong. Heavy furniture can make a perfectly reasonable space seem small. Dated window treatments can block beautiful natural light. A kitchen that has not been updated in decades can make it difficult to imagine anything else.

That first impression is powerful, but when you are touring a home, try mentally removing some of those layers.

What would the room feel like with lighter paint?

What would happen if the oversized furniture disappeared?

Are the cabinets truly unusable, or are they simply not your favorite color?

Could new lighting dramatically change the space?

Sometimes a house that feels dated is really a house with excellent bones that is just wearing an outdated wardrobe.

Pay Attention to Natural Light

Natural light is a feature that can be improved at least a bit, but it is difficult to manufacture.

You can change curtains, trim vegetation, add mirrors, repaint the walls a lighter shade, or even install larger windows, but the direction a house faces, the placement of its windows, nearby buildings, mature trees, and the way sunlight moves through the home are largely built into the property.

When you walk through a house, notice where the light comes from and which rooms feel bright and welcoming. Notice if you find yourself naturally drawn toward a particular window or view. Also notice if the house just feels dark or heavy in a way that easy fixes are not going to improve.

Look Beyond the House Itself

In the Ojai Valley, some of the most valuable qualities of a property may have very little to do with the house.

It may be the enormous oak tree that has been growing there for generations, the quiet street, the mountain views from the patio, the ability to walk to the farmers market, the privacy of the lot, or the way the backyard already feels like a welcoming retreat. 

You can remodel the kitchen and repaint the bedrooms, but you cannot move the house closer to town, create a view that does not exist, or quickly create mature, retreat-worthy landscaping that took 20 years to get where it is.

Of Course, Not Everything Should Be Overlooked

There is an important difference between cosmetic issues and significant property problems.

A dated bathroom is one thing; a major foundation issue is another.

An unattractive light fixture is easy to replace; a floor plan that simply does not work for you may be much harder to solve.

Buyers should absolutely consider the condition of major systems, necessary repairs, renovation costs, insurance considerations, and whether the house realistically fits their needs and budget.

Not every flaw is easily or affordably fixable, but it is worth weighing each one and deciding what you could live with, what you could change, and what may ultimately be a dealbreaker.

Ask Yourself One More Question

When you find yourself rejecting a house, it can help to ask: Am I reacting to the property, or am I reacting to the way it looks today?

The answer to this question will help determine whether the house really is not the right one for you, or whether it might have the location, natural light, setting, and feel you have been looking for once you can see past the paint color, old carpet, or somebody else's decorating choices.

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Ojai, Meiners Oaks, Mira Monte, Oak View, or elsewhere in the Ojai Valley, Nora Davis & The Davis Group would be happy to help you look at the whole picture and find the right home for you.

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AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, and green living. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.