What percentage of the cost of a wine cellar do you get back when you sell your house?

WINE TALK
21

I think it might add a tiny bit of value (proportionally) in a high end home that has a lot more room than anyone needs. Because what’s an extra $20k on a house that’s meant to be shown off for its extravagance? But they don’t want the functional cellar. They want a place to show off their collection, which they will have someone buy for them, unless they already are wine collectors.

But otherwise? No value added, and, again, if it takes up a space that could otherwise be used in another way? Negative.

I built mine in a spot in the basement that probably wouldn’t be all that useful for anything else, kept it relatively small (about 500 bottles, no wasted space), bought racks that cost about $2 a bottle, cooling unit that cost $2200. Framing, insulated weather-tight door, drywall, paint, etc, altogether I probably spent maybe $5k. I expect it will add nothing, and I’ll be in the house for 10 years from the time I built it.

22

A conventional real estate broker will tell you to take it out before putting the place on the market in order to make the place broadly appealing, so it’s a negative. That’s a bit obsolete, especially in my area, in that buyers tend to make so many modifications that paying for those conventional “improvements” isn’t worth it…so it may not represent a cost of selling. If you’re in the right market with enough people looking, it might be seen as an asset to someone, like if the stars line up on a blue moon.

23

It’s been said many times, but it’s totally dependent on the size of your home, the region you are in, and the relative sales price of your home compared to your area. If you have a 6000 sqft home and the cellar is going into some unused basement space, I doubt that a prospective buyer would see it as a negative. At best it will be an amenity that makes your home stand out to prospective buyers who are wine enthusiasts, either actual or aspirational.

One clue is to run some comps and check other similar homes in your area at around the same price level. How many of them have wine cellars? If this is an amenity that is valued by many people in your area, then you will find a decent number of homes that have them.

24

Yes, the bigger and more expensive the house, and the more showy and attractive the cellar, the better odds it will add value or at least not be a negative.

It’s also somewhat regional — more likely it’s a plus in Napa, Beverly Hills or Aspen than the Midwest or South.

25

I got lucky when I sold my prior house, in that the buyer was a home brewer and was excited to use my small, utilitarian (but actively cooled) cellar to lager beer. He had only made ales up to that point, lacking such a space in his prior place. Even then it didn’t add anything, but maybe at least it didn’t detract, at least with him. His wife may have had other ideas.

I’d imagine the circumstances where you got your money back would be pretty limited. Even a Berserker is going to want a cellar that works for them in terms of capacity, layout, etc.

26

My guess is that it is a negative value because the buyer will have to incur costs to make the space usable by them.

27

$0. I’ve seen a great custom cellar pulled out by the new owners.

Could have been a minus $ in that case.

28

+1

29

Another vote for more than likely 0.0. Typical buyer is more than served by a small no-name wine fridge.

30

Just put in a very utilitarian cellar in the winter; an insulated room with a split cooling unit, shelves for cases, no bottle racks.

It is saving me public storage fees and lots of travel time but I assume it is worth nothing in terms of home value. It might make financial sense to take the split cooling system with me if we ever move. In that case, we’ll be leaving the buyer with a large storage room with lots of strong shelves so it won’t have significant negative value.

31

I guess it you have better chances for more expensive houses; but agree with the zero to minimal comments.

32

I saw buyers pull out a $30K custom cellar a few years back. Brought tears to my eyes and was not cheap for them to get rid of it was there was custom ducting and cooling units installed.

33

While houses were flying off the market near us, one with a third bedroom turned into a wine room, sat…for a long time. Not many care about wine the way most of us on here do.

34

if i were presently in the house market I’d pay an extra amount for a well built cellar (and include a bottle in my offer to entice seller). conversely I once put in an offer on a house with a home theater; there all I saw were future costs putting chairs, projectors, speakers back in (as seller took all of them with him) and that made me discount the house low 5 figures that I’d immediately have to spend.

35

Wine cellar isn’t going to add value to any house with 2 or 3 bedrooms.

36

I disagree with that. That probably used to be the case, but at least in AZ and when you’re talking more contemporary/modern homes/remodels, temp-controlled wine walls are the new theater rooms. They are being installed in most higher end jobs and are a definite positive when it comes to demand for the home. Its impossible to say how much right now since literally all homes are going under contract within 48 hours at over asking price…but I would absolutely say that wine walls in particular have value.

37

Of course you would. [pillow-fight.gif]


What if you put one underground, detached from the home with a tasting room above ground? Asking for a friend.

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38

Ha ha! Maybe i’m a little biased :wink:

And for the record…I would pay a substantial premium for the very hypothetical cellar that you’re describing

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39

Can’t say means no measurable difference, but no doubt you’re biased. [snort.gif]

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40

$0; we looked at some places with cellars and they were generally negatives except one that was amazing.