By Anessa V. Cohen

 It is funny how when it comes to home upgrades, there are some projects that homeowners jump into with zeal, and some that make homeowners sigh and ask, “Why me?”

Somehow doing a kitchen–a major project in terms of planning and shopping–gets people all excited. A kitchen is usually done at major inconvenience to the homeowner. The first step is stripping out the old kitchen. No matter what new kitchen you are installing, you will be without any kitchen for at least the better part of two to four weeks after your old kitchen is removed and the contractors start putting your new kitchen together.

Yet when people are inconvenienced this way, they typically shrug their shoulders as they say, “We’ll have to eat out for the next few weeks while my new kitchen is installed.” Instead of feeling sorry that they’re without a kitchen, the other person will just be happy for them since they are getting a new kitchen and not even consider their inconvenience.

Homeowners installing new windows or siding do not think of what they are doing as a renovation per se, perhaps since they are not being inconvenienced other than the banging going on outside their houses. Without any aggravation, it does not count as a real renovation.

Painting is another project most people do not consider a renovation. If you ask someone what is going on in their homes when you see people painting, they do not answer, “I am doing some renovations.” They say, “I have brought in the painters to do some painting.”

People feel that in order for a job to classify as “renovations,” the job must include breaking–walls, floors, cabinets, or fixtures. If something is not being broken, then a person might not feel they are really renovating even though they might be doing upgrades that could be classified as renovations.

So if “breaking” is considered necessary towards whatever project you may be doing that translates into a renovation, what is the story with fixing sidewalks? Don’t you need to break the cement in order to replace the old broken sidewalk with a new freshly mixed cement sidewalk? When homeowners make the house look great inside and out, why do they procrastinate and hate to repair and replace sidewalks? This also enhances their homes and adds to the maintained elegance.

I have yet to meet a homeowner who says, “I am having my sidewalks redone. I am so excited!” (I also never heard anyone use the word renovate when talking about their sidewalks.) Usually, I will hear, “I have to do my sidewalks. I have no choice!” or “The insurance company is making me redo my sidewalks.”

What is it about sidewalks that for some reason cause most homeowners to cringe when they need some renovation or repair? It is also part of the entire picture of a home when someone walks up and looks at the house. Yet for some reason homeowners look at fixing their sidewalks pretty much like people having to make an appointment with the dentist to have a tooth pulled.

Maybe we should start a fad with color schemes for our sidewalks, similar to choosing colors for the trim or siding of our homes. Maybe then renovating the sidewalks will also become more exciting!

Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a licensed real-estate broker and a licensed N.Y.S. mortgage broker with over 20 years of experience, offering full-service residential and commercial real-estate services (Anessa V Cohen Realty) and mortgaging services (FM Home Loans) in the Five Towns and throughout the tri-state area. She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or via her website, www.AVCrealty.com. Readers are encouraged to send questions or comments to anessa@AVCrealty.com.

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