Do buyers want a wet bar in the basement?

[Anonymous]

Ugh, no, ours takes up so much space in our basement and is completely pointless.

Has anyone priced removal?

[Anonymous]

Not really but it adds a lot in the appraisal

[Anonymous]

There is an interesting history locally of basement bars that were a thing because of segregation. But imo unless your basement walks out to a pool area, I don't understand the point of them at all except if you want your teens to be drunk in the basement. Why on earth would you have guests over and then be like, "The living room is not for you. Come to the basement."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is an interesting history locally of basement bars that were a thing because of segregation. But imo unless your basement walks out to a pool area, I don't understand the point of them at all except if you want your teens to be drunk in the basement. Why on earth would you have guests over and then be like, "The living room is not for you. Come to the basement."

Teens can easily get drunk in basements without wet bars. I do not understand why this keeps coming up. If your kids are going to sneak alcohol, they will.

And, at least in my experience, it is not like people with basement bars use them exclusively when they have people over. Usually its one of many gathering places for bigger parties, a place with easy snacks and drinks for kids to hang out, or useful for long-term guests to have their own hang-out area.

[Anonymous]

YES. Put a fireplace in too and I would definitely put an offer on that house.

[Anonymous]

We have a kitchenette with a bar type counter, fridge & sink. Our basement is more of a movie room so it’s nice for drinks/snacks. There is also a guest room & my husband’s office is in the basement. He uses the kitchenette as a breakroom between calls. It’s useful for us

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Almost every 70s house here already has one. It started to become a joke with us when we were looking.

Now, a little kitchenette in the basement, if it is potentially legally rentable or usable as an in law apartment, would be great. If you really want a bar, you could place a movable one there or an island to use as a bar / eating area. People need more practicality at this point.

One reason why I really like a full wet bar... being they have a fun retro feel. You can paint them gray if you want.

No, I'm in my 50s. I hate both gray and wet bars.

It's best if you put in something a bit more practical if you want to sell for the most money. It's not 1975, and we are paying half a million and up for even the most basic house in the DC area now. Most people need an inlaw apartment to help pay their mortgage.

Most people need an inlaw apartment? No, they don't. Most is not 5%. I think you don't know most people. My guess is you have a very insular circle that has a unique perspective.

No, most people want to rent it out to a young professional, or want it for their older kid to use. My insular circle has lots of fed employees who can't afford to live in their own apartment and save money, so they tend to rent basements if they want a place of their own.

In fact, some fed friends bought a house, and they live in the basement in-law apartment and rent out the main part of the house to make $$$ faster to help them pay off the 600k mortgage in the 1980s house.

If you install a drinking area that will be flexible and appeal to more people, you will have a larger market when you sell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a kitchenette with a bar type counter, fridge & sink. Our basement is more of a movie room so it’s nice for drinks/snacks. There is also a guest room & my husband’s office is in the basement. He uses the kitchenette as a breakroom between calls. It’s useful for us

I agree. If you have the space, and are building from scratch, just rough in plumbing & electrical to be able to add a kitchenette. It could add more value than a wet bar alone, especially if you (or a future buyer) ever wants to use the space as an in-law suite.

[Anonymous]

I still see people spending big $$ to build lavish bars in the basement. B

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a kitchenette with a bar type counter, fridge & sink. Our basement is more of a movie room so it’s nice for drinks/snacks. There is also a guest room & my husband’s office is in the basement. He uses the kitchenette as a breakroom between calls. It’s useful for us

I agree. If you have the space, and are building from scratch, just rough in plumbing & electrical to be able to add a kitchenette. It could add more value than a wet bar alone, especially if you (or a future buyer) ever wants to use the space as an in-law suite.

This is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Skip the wet bar and put in a dog shower station. Sold!

[Anonymous]

You need something down there. Do a dry bar. Cheaper and still sort of willl impress future buyers

[Anonymous]

I think they're trashy and a waste of space. It reminds me of my home in the 1980s. If I had a huge home, I might think different, but we live in a smaller home and the sink/counter space/etc. just seems like a huge waste. As soon as I seem them in photos on real estate apps I immediately think "NOPE!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they're trashy and a waste of space. It reminds me of my home in the 1980s. If I had a huge home, I might think different, but we live in a smaller home and the sink/counter space/etc. just seems like a huge waste. As soon as I seem them in photos on real estate apps I immediately think "NOPE!"

Really? We modeled ours after basically this same picture:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/Afd38HZgKEY5zWAe8NjD5gfmN7T66C7h_-iY3QXa_HmRYsH8MEJK5Io/

We're also in a smaller home and the extra storage has been a big help and having a drinks/coffee station for guests who stay in our (tiny) basement is also nice too. I'm just surprised by all the negative comments on these things, I always considered them a great convenience to have around.

[Anonymous]

My childhood home had a full size wood paneled wet bar in the basement. My parents never entertained and don’t drink, so it never made sense. It just collected piles of paper and crap. It was hard to sell their house 30 years later because it is ugly and took up 1/2 the basement. The new owners knocked it down (at their expense) before they moved in.

If you are doing a new build and really want the wet bar, then maybe think about future flexibility- can the “bar” be a piece of furnishing that can be removed or replaced. Can you convert the space into an in law or Au pair suite? Then having access to water and a fridge is 100% worth it.