[Swampfox]

I am going to put my house on the market in the near future. I installed a dedicated home theater a few years ago.

It's well done, professionally designed and installed with custom mill work, high end seating, etc. It looks and sounds better than 90% of the commercial venues in my city.The first real estate agent that we interviewed has never seen a house with a real theater in it and her jaw dropped when she entered the room, and it wasn't even on at the time.


Has anyone here had experience with selling their house with a theater? I don't really expect it to add much to the value of the house but was wondering how you average house buyer reacts to seeing essentially a 'Hollywood' type screening room in a house. Does it make the house more desirable, less desirable, or neutral. I'm just wondering what other folks with high end house and high end theaters experienced when they tried to sell their house.

 

[DanFrancis]

It might make the house sell faster to the "right" type of buyer, but will not add any value from a commercial standpoint. I would suggest against leaving your equipment (if I remember correctly you have a rather high end setup) If you want to leave gear, make it as budget friendly and value minded as possible (think Paradigm and receiver). The average homeowner hasn't the foggiest idea what high performance gear sounds like or is worth.


Home theaters are a staple in mega$$$ places in CA and the NY area, but it still boils down to square feet, beds baths and garage spaces. Trust me, I've been in 50+Million dollar homes and although the theater was big, it was a complete joke- the average AVS'er has higher performance than the average billionaire.


Seriously, leave less than 5k worth of gear in a HT when you sell the house, because you will not get that money out of it.


Dan

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by DanFrancis  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24473427



Seriously, leave less than 5k worth of gear in a HT when you sell the house, because you will not get that money out of it.


Dan

I plan on removing whatever I can that still leaves the theater functional. Sadly, that means leaving the expensive recliners that my wife insisted on buying. Those alone are worth well more than $5k. The ISCO lens and Cineslide are definitely not going to convey. The speakers are triads; they might be worth swapping out with some old speakers I have floating around. I can trim the electronics down to the bare minimum. I guess the remote needs to convey since the system doesn't work without it.

 

[zamboniman]

Pull gear out before showing.. Put cheap projector and surround in a box system in place.. sell as a complete working setup.. Most buyers will attempt to negotiate that everything stays. It will add no value but perhaps will help sell the place. If the room is setup with cheap gear that is fully turnkey working.. 99% won't know the difference and when it comes down to negotiation you can give an inch and say OK it's goes as is with gear. If you put the cheap stuff in they never saw the old and it's never a question.


Side note I was successful selling without the gear.. but it almost was a no go.. in that case I was going to do the above. I did have to leave the furniture custom seating.. So it was a complete "room" all they needed to do was add their own audio gear and projector essentially a plug and play theater. In the end it was messy though as they wanted assistance setting it up etc.

 

[Swampfox]




FWIW: It looks like this, although I admit this is a horrible picture.

 

[Glimmie]

I built a 725sqft addition for my HT in 2002. But I did a few things to address this very problem.


1) Finished space was a dry walled room. All HT soffits, wall treatments, and stage are easily removed and drywall simply patched.


2) Room has windows per code which are now blanked out solid inside and have closed blinds to the outside.


3) Standard electrical outlets were installed then later abandoned.


4) Framing for a sliding glass or french doors to the outside patio was put in place.


5) The 6x10 foot eqipment room has a raised floor and under that water and sewer is roughed in for a bathroom.


Don't like the theater? How about a media room or mother-in-law room,

 

[thebland]

I wonder myself. My buddy and his girlfriend just bought a house with a theater. He couldn't wait to tell me it had a dedicated theater. He was very excited... and so was I.


Well, I just got my first tour a couple days ago and though it's a really large theater - likely 25 X3 5, it had painted walls, crappy in-walls, a subwoofer in the corner and a couch on a platform that looked like it cost $50 to build and carpet. They left the Dwin Transvision for him

.


Given your question, it tells me that buying a a high end home, a $5K theater will excite anyone. I'd take all the good gear.


My buddy paid $2.5 Million for the house and though it is a nice looking place, I was still unimpressed with the level of finish on this home though the exterior was gorgeous. Though the living space was approx 9000 sq ft, it had a nice study and a 4 1/2 car garage I'd kill for but that was about it for me. This 3 bedroom home was not so impressive. Even the wine cellar didn't have a cooling system. Seemed like a poser house.


The good news, his girlfriend is going to turn the theater into a Zumba work out like gym.

 

[Bulldogger]

Did not help with the sale of my home. I have a pending sale, "contract" on my house. The perspective buyer does not even know about the 20 amp outlets and 10K I spent sound proofing the room. Any talk of those sorts of things seems to confuse them. The agent ask me to take down the screen. They offered asking price. We are to close in 3 weeks. I may try to explain some to the guy but he really told the agent he was just interested in a large plasma tv. My house is in a nice gated community. My friend with a home in a really upscale neighborhood in Houston experienced the same thing a year ago. His home was built with a dedicated theater with stadium seating, about 20ft by 30ft. He has the screen in storage. Part of the sale was that he also take all of that stuff down. Same story. The new owner planned to put up a large plasma tv. I confess to being surprised at such lack of interest.

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogger  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24474687


Did not help with the sale of my home. I have a pending sale, "contract" on my house. The perspective buyer does not even know about the 20 amp outlets and 10K I spent sound proofing the room. Any talk of those sorts of things seems to confuse them. The agent ask me to take down the screen. They offered asking price. We are to close in 3 weeks. I may try to explain some to the guy but he really told the agent he was just interested in a large plasma tv. My house is in a nice gated community. My friend with a home in a really upscale neighborhood in Houston experienced the same thing a year ago. His home was built with a dedicated theater with stadium seating, about 20ft by 30ft. He has the screen in storage. Part of the sale was that he also take all of that stuff down. Same story. The new owner planned to put up a large plasma tv. I confess to being surprised at such lack of interest.

Frankly, I'm not at all surprised. I know there is no way I can get what I put in the theater. My theater has red cloth walls; taking down the screen and removing the seating would make it look like a New Orleans brothel.

I doubt the buyer would want to stop there.

 

[DaveN]

Years ago I left my Barco PJ, video processor, screen, and custom power curtains in a dedicated HT. I found out later owner removed everything and didn't use the room as a HT. I so wish that I had taken the curtains....

 

[LJG]

My suggestion would be to leave the equipment in place and list the house at two prices, one without the equipment and one with all the equipment in place.

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by LJG  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24477431


My suggestion would be to leave the equipment in place and list the house at two prices, one without the equipment and one with all the equipment in place.

I can bring that up with the next real estate agent.

Honestly, given the right offer, I'm not concerned about the equipment. The room without the equipment costs the equivalent of a starter home in my community. The real issue is "does having a 8 seat, dedicated theater help or hurt the sale"?.

 

[jamhead]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Swampfox  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24477523


I can bring that up with the next real estate agent.

Honestly, given the right offer, I'm not concerned about the equipment. The room without the equipment costs the equivalent of a starter home in my community. The real issue is "does having a 8 seat, dedicated theater help or hurt the sale"?.

My thought is....it won't help.


No one, including myself, is going to pay a premium because of a room used for HT...exclusively.


Now, if the room could double as something else (ie-bar/ rec room / HT) then perhaps.


However, if someone's not into HT (majority of people), then the room becomes a project to remodel (and added expense)...so, a deterrent more than a "bonus".

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jamhead  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24477829


My thought is....it won't help.


No one, including myself, is going to pay a premium because of a room used for HT...exclusively.


Now, if the room could double as something else (ie-bar/ rec room / HT) then perhaps.


However, if someone's not into HT (majority of people), then the room becomes a project to remodel (and added expense)...so, a deterrent more than a "bonus".

It's a really big house! It doesn't need to double up to have all those functions.

 

[jamhead]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Swampfox  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24478040


It's a really big house! It doesn't need to double up to have all those functions.

Then why move? Sounds perfect!

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jamhead  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24478117


Then why move? Sounds perfect!

It's a long story but I'm planning on a new phase of life in a more southern location.

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24474626


I wonder myself. My buddy and his girlfriend just bought a house with a theater. He couldn't wait to tell me it had a dedicated theater. He was very excited... and so was I.


Well, I just got my first tour a couple days ago and though it's a really large theater - likely 25 X3 5, it had painted walls, crappy in-walls, a subwoofer in the corner and a couch on a platform that looked like it cost $50 to build and carpet. They left the Dwin Transvision for him

.


Given your question, it tells me that buying a a high end home, a $5K theater will excite anyone. I'd take all the good gear.

Most of the high end homes around here have set-ups similar to what you describe. Only one other home in my neighborhood has a true dedicated theater. His home is really nice and at least 10,000 sq ft. custom build. His theater is OK but uses a standard off the shelf wall system. There are no elaborate electronics, a low end projector, and no curtains. Nice guy. I think he does what you for a living but he's 'cornered the market'. My guess is that he is in his house for life.

 

[Mr.SoftDome]

Expect no return. It takes a very exact buyer for a theater. It's no different than a swimming pool- some want one but the majority do not.


My best friend had over a quarter million in pool, waterfalls, incredible patio and decking, mind blowing landscape. Most potential buyers were more turned off with the pool then for it. Amazing.


Dedicated theaters about the same.


Wow some of you that can buy a 11,000 square foot home for 2.5 million amazing. A 2100 sq foot condo can go for that here. I guess living in a crappy weather environment has it's perks.

Here is a quaint 850 sq ft gem. Needs some TLC $1.5million? Unbelievable.

http://www.trulia.com/property/3147998300-410-Oxford-Ave-Palo-Alto-CA-94306




Rick

 

[Swampfox]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.SoftDome  /t/1522232/any-experience-selling-a-house-with-a-dedicated-theater#post_24489435


Expect no return. It takes a very exact buyer for a theater. It's no different than a swimming pool- some want one but the majority do not.


My best friend had over a quarter million in pool, waterfalls, incredible patio and decking, mind blowing landscape. Most potential buyers were more turned off with the pool then for it. Amazing.


Dedicated theaters about the same.


Wow some of you that can buy a 11,000 square foot home for 2.5 million amazing. A 2100 sq foot condo can go for that here. I guess living in a crappy weather environment has it's perks.

Rick

The last agent I spoke to told me that the theater would not add any value but is a desirable feature for a house in my price range.


Around here most homes sell for about $180 /sq Ft including the lot. The most expensive house per sq in the past two years was $230 / sq ft. The irony is that you can't really build a fully featured house for under $200 / sq Ft, and most quality custom builders are coming in above $250.