Over the years, I’ve been somewhat amazed at the importance home buyers place on a bath tub, specifically the one in the owner’s suite. A tub’s presence – or not – can make or break a sale. A tub’s style – regular, soaking, whirlpool – can make or break a sale.
So many buyers want a tub like the one in the photo. It’s a plus if that tub has jets. But ask a move-up buyer if they ever used that big tub and frequently the word is ‘no‘.
It takes too much water and too much time to fill it. It’s hard to clean because it’s hard to reach the back. It gets dusted more often than actually used.
Some owner’s suites don’t include a tub at all – only the shower stall. Instead that space is used for cabinets, treadmills, exercycles, etc. For those times when a tub is actually used/needed, there is one in the hall, guest or kid’s bath.
What if there are absolutely NO tubs in the home? I once listed a home that had a bath on each of the three floors but each bath only had a shower stall. I wasn’t able to get that home sold after lots of showings and months on the market. The next agent to list the home didn’t get it sold either. (Note to self – don’t list a home without any tubs!)
Obviously, people with kids are most likely to use a tub for bath time. People who have sore muscles or bones may use a tub for pain relief. People like me may use a tub for dog baths.
I don’t mean to get too personal, but I would love to know whether you use the tub in your home. You can vote in this poll … anonymously of course.
Copyright © 2008. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.
