Porch/Deck Views
Is this porch worth keeping?
It is on the east end of the house and is shaded on the south by a large cottonwood tree. There are no neighbors to the north and there is a good view of Thunder Mountain and the Sandias. In other words it is a great place for outdoor grilling and enjoying the evening.
On the other hand, it is obviously made from un-treated scrap wood and is weathered and decaying. There is some question whether it will hold several people safely and it looks pretty ugly.
I doubt that a new deck would add enough to the value of the house to recover the cost. Replacing it would add several thousand dollars to the cost of the home and that might limit the number of qualified buyers.
However, it’s hard to know what matters to potential buyers and what they will pay for. This might be a case where picking up the trash and driving a few nails would be enough. Make sure you know what a new deck would cost. Then, if a prospective buyer really wants a deck, and can afford it, you can offer to have the work done as part of the sale.
