article

Is School Improvement Part of Your Ownership Strategy?

By PJ Wade via Realty Times

bluehammer

Neighborhoods with good schools often carry higher value for home buyers with children, so if you want to raise values in your neighborhood, supporting school improvement may be a valuable undertaking.

Improving the ranking or reputation of local schools involves community investments on many levels, and it generates benefits for everyone that extend well beyond real estate value. Obviously, "school improvement" is a larger undertaking than redoing a kitchen or adding a second floor to a home, but it may be more achievable than many realize.

How do home buyers, including millennials, prioritize in your area? Surveys have revealed that top home-selection priorities include safe, affordable neighborhoods with good schools. School district quality has a significant influence on neighborhood choice and often home values when buyers focus on what's best for their children.

Jack and Alice Johnson (name changed) finally found a house they could afford, proudly moved in, and grew to love the area. Their plan was to renovate their home and gain from improving the real estate value. At no time in this process had they thought about local schools since children were not in their immediate plans. They soon discovered that a "value ceiling" existed. No matter how much renovation money they poured into their home, its value would not significantly increase beyond that price point.

The Johnsons researched the area to identify criteria which established the local value ceiling. Some they could do nothing about; others showed some potential. They zeroed in on what they could contribute to and what could increase buyer perceived value for the area[—]the local elementary school was ripe for improvement.

Neglect and apathy are among key factors challenging schools and communities. These two negative factors can be minimized or canceled out by commitment from parents and non-parents alike. Your contribution, based on your skills, knowledge, and local connections, may become obvious to you and do-able for you when you read the following list of possible benefit strategies to supporting schools:

Back up parents

Schools benefit from parental contributions of time, skills, connections, money, and fundraising. Pitch-in to support parent efforts to improve buildings, textbook holdings, or facilities and benefits will abound.

Add your voice

Local politicians and school boards respond to numbers. Attend public meetings concerning the school to lend your support to parents and learning issues. Add your voice and presence[—]encourage other neighbors to join in—and the school may receive more attention and funding.

bluehammer

Strengthen teacher appreciation

Acknowledging teacher effort with recognition reinforces the type of classroom excellence that earns good schools their higher standings. Teacher benefits and recognition can attract more qualified educators who want to work and achieve more for themselves and their students. It's not the size of the reward but the quality of recognition received.

Support student excellence

Coaching, tutoring, and other motivational and productivity-enhancing efforts raise student performance and school ranking. The more people who get excited about school improvement to reinforce student learning, the more noticeable the returns.

Spread the word

Local media, websites and real estate professionals want to praise neighborhood efforts. Make sure they know what benefits the school, its programs, and extracurricular activities offer its students.

FYI: The Fair Housing Act directs real estate professionals not to make value statements linked to local schools, but to provide interested consumers with school-evaluation resources so they may draw their own conclusions.

Bolster community choices

Sometimes effort spent improving community centers, arenas, playing fields, and other local assets can also benefit local schools. Your sports interests may lead to health and wellness contributions that provide benefits for teachers and students.

Harness expertise

Retired educators, business people, and professionals know the value of education for neighborhood students. Enlist these adults, even those without children or with grown children, to join your school improvement project.

Review relevant school ranking and evaluation systems to target key features or factors which will bring the greatest returns when they are corrected. Talk to parents, educators, politicians, and others who are already working to improve education in your area. Your opportunities for contribution will become evident to you.

TIP: If your home-buying search continues, adopt a long-term perspective and consider local schools whether or not you have or want children.

Want to estimate your home improvement costs before talking with a contractor? Claim your home for free with bluehammer to estimate costs, secure your home inventory and learn more about your home.

* THIS REPORT IS AN OPINION THAT MAY BE INACCURATE AND IS PROVIDED SOLELY AS AN INFORMATIONAL TOOL NOT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS. ALL ELEMENTS ARE OFFERED "AS IS" AND BLUEBOOK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND GUARANTEES OF ANY NATURE, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABLITILY, NONINFRINGEMENT, TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, ACCURACY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL BLUEBOOK (OR THEIR SUPPLIERS) BE LIABLE FOR ANY GENERAL, DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE RESULTING FROM USE OF THE PRODUCT, INCLUDING : (1) RELIANCE ON THE MATERIALS PRESENTED, (2) COSTS OF REPLACEMENT GOODS, (3) LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, (4) DELAYS OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTIONS, (5) AND ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF INFORMATION) WHETHER OR NOT BLUEBOOK HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Know what you should pay for your home improvement projects with bluehammer.Claim your home. It's free!

Popular


Nine House Cleaning Tasks That Give You A Great Workout

House cleaning is a drag. That comes as a surprise to no one. But, there is a great side benefit to having a tidy home. Well, there are many, but we're not talking about the psychological advantages of living in a clean home or even the fact that a clean house just plain looks good. We're talking about working up a sweat. Go ahead and skip the gym. Grab the broom or the vacuum cleaner instead. Turns out the simple acts of sweeping, vacuuming, and so many more housecleaning tasks can give you a great workout.

Choosing Window Treatments: Pros and Cons

Deciding on the right size, color, fabric and pillow configuration for your couch took three weeks. You still haven't decided on the paint color for the bedroom, despite having seven different shades of blue in swatches up on the wall. It seems like every design decision you've made in your home was critical, but the one that will help pull it all together hasn't garnered a moment of thought.

New Tech All Homes Will Have By 2020

New technologies are constantly emerging, rendering others obsolete every day. Many of these technologies eventually enter into our homes after being used in businesses or other capacities throughout the world first. Once they show themselves to be useful, people incorporate them into their everyday lives. Here are some technologies that every home will have by 2020.

You Really Should Inventory Your Personal Property

A home inventory is a smart way to safeguard your valuables, saving money and time.

How To Create Year-Round Home Curb Appeal

Exceptional curb appeal will add to the enjoyment and value of your property and home. Maintaining your curb appeal throughout each season may pose its challenges, but with these tips, you can ensure that your home and landscaping will look their very best throughout the year.

The Top-Three Considerations When Starting a Home-Based Business

If you’re considering starting a home-based business, you're in good company. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of all businesses are run out of the owner’s home.

Inspired Ways To Create A Guest Space When You Don't Have A Guest Room

Not all of us are blessed with enough bedrooms to accommodate every member of the family plus a home office and a man cave and a theater room and a guest space. And, it's that last one that often ends up as a challenge when friends and family come to visit and you either have to break out the blow-up bed or give up your room and hunker down with the kids. You don't need to add on or buy a new home to provide a comfortable space for guests. These smart solutions will help you create a great space for guests with minimal effort.

The First-Time Homebuyer's Guide To Grown-Up Furniture

You just bought your first home. Congratulations: You're an adult! Now it's time to fill it up. But if you were planning to pack up those ratty old beanbag chairs and the bed that awakens you with a morning backache and move them to your new place, we have a few suggestions. It's time for a grown-up upgrade. Here's where to start.

The Nightmare Next Door: What To Do When Your Neighbor Is a Nuisance

The animals that live in the house across the street bark incessantly. The people two doors down play their music so loud you now know all the lyrics to every Kendrick Lamar song ever written. And something, presumably a dog (you hope) keeps leaving presents on your lawn. Annoyances like these can make it unpleasant to live in your neighborhood. And, they can quickly escalate, becoming dangerous or even in need of legal intervention.

A Homeowner's Guide To Water Filtration

Is a home water treatment system a luxury or a necessity? Based on surveys commissioned by the Water Quality Association (an industry trade group), people who viewed water treatment as a luxury rose from 50 to 54 percent between 2013 and 2015.

See More Articles