Which would you rather

We live in a small cape. Would you rather have a 4th bedroom or 3 bedrooms and a dining room. The kitchen is too small to allow for a table.

We are thinking about knocking down a wall in one of our downstairs bedrooms to make it into a dining room but someone said it may lower the cost of the home because we would be losing a bedroom.

Re: Which would you rather

Where do you currently eat? Is there any eating space at all? To me, a 3 or 4 bedroom house needs at least one place where a minimum of eight people can sit comfortably around a table. It does not always have to be set up that way, but for every day 4 people should be able to eat in the home.

Which would you rather

I took the wall down in my cape. We didn't need 4 bedrooms. We needed dining space. Most of the houses in my area did the same.

Which would you rather

We currently eat in the living room in front of the TV. Its just the two of us so we have always done this but I personally think its more important to have eating space over a fourth bedroom if we decide to sell.

Thanks of the responses.

Re: Which would you rather

If you are contemplating selling and divorce, don't Reno the house. You could always stage the room as a dining room without taking down walls to give someone the idea of them turning it into a dining room if so desired. I wish you good luck. Hugs.

Which would you rather

I live in a 4 bedroom cape. I made what is considered to be the master into a formal dining room. We haven't knocked the wall down, but assuming we do we will put it back up when we sell because we were also told 4 bedrooms is better for resale value. Honestly though, I've only used the dining room once, on Christmas. We have a decent sized dining area adjacent to our kitchen which is where we eat normally.

Re: Which would you rather

Which would you rather

If you do not have anywhere to eat then I would choose a dining area. You will lose more value not having that than taking away the 4th bedroom. In most cases if a couple is buying a 4 bedroom house they are buying it because they have kids, and kids need a table to eat on. So, with a 4th bedroom and no dining area, whether it be a separate room or eat in kitchen, I think a lot would pass on the house.

Go with a 3bdrm and dining area.

Which would you rather

I think having an area to eat is important and adding that will add at least some of the value you might lose by taking away a bedroom.

Re: Which would you rather

Re: Which would you rather

I would choose the dining room.

Re: Which would you rather

i would def do the dining room, unless you have a pressing need for the 4th bedroom

Which would you rather

I over looked apartments that didn't have somewhere for me to put a table so I would say a dining room.

Re: Which would you rather

3 bedrooms and a dining room, for sure. I would personally rather it, and I think it's better for resale. Most capes lack common living space and have most of the square footage in bedrooms. Many buyers want the space to entertain, host holidays, etc.

A 4th bedroom does not really add too much value. Many buyers look at the 4th bedroom has a plus, but don't really need it.

We recently had an appraiser come to our office to give a talk, and she surprisingly said that appraisers don't adjust upward for extra bedrooms beyond 3 the way they do for extra bathrooms or more square footage, etc. Overall number of rooms factors in to value, but taking a bedroom and repurposing it as a dining room would not detract from value.

Also, it's a very common thing to do with capes, and just as it's easy to open it up and make it a dining room, it could always be closed back up into a bedroom if needed for a future buyer. It's just putting up walls, really. It's not something that can't be undone.

Which would you rather

I would make a big kitchen w an eating area if that's an option. I would rather have a nice open kitchen than a formal dining room, and def need a place to eat over a 4th bedroom.

Message edited 8/24/2015 7:39:49 AM.

Which would you rather

Definitely a dining room/eating area.

Re: Which would you rather

Re: Which would you rather

If there were no eat in kitchen then I would pick a dining room over a 4th bedroom