So on dcum no tv over the mantel and no home theater room, where the hell does the tv go?

How about a home live theater? Ya know, stage, curtains, dressing rooms, orchestra pit. It would be distinctive, it would really be great for kids, and you wouldnt have to worry about the wiring going out of date (theater lights are pretty much the same as decades ago, right?)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but absence of a home theater would be a deal-breaker for me.

Me too.

Really? I was joking....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eh, might be like a swimming pool.

Funny......but how?

Ya know....all the spirited DCUM debates about swimming pools. I love them! I hate them! I would never buy a house with a swimming pool! I would never buy a house without one! and so on

Why would it cost that much. We finished our entire 1300 sf basement (from nothing), including a state of the art home theater with in-wall speakers and 110" screen for $50k.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but absence of a home theater would be a deal-breaker for me.

Me too.

Yes, especially if the basement is already finished.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I saw one of these in a house recently. It was around 7 years old and SO dated now. Like the speakers and the screen, everything had changed so much. Even the couches looked older. I felt like it had dated the house way too much.

+1. I'd think it might increase value by, say, $5-10k (guesstimate), just because it means you'd have good wires in place to support a reno later on. But otherwise, people want what they want. I'm not going to want your stadium seating, or else I'm going to want a different configuration.

Probably right. Plus, who knows what wiring standards will be in 5-10 years so the existing pre-wiring may not even be an advantage or current then.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but absence of a home theater would be a deal-breaker for me.

Me too.

Anonymous wrote:We had one at our old house and we enjoyed it. We lucked out and the new buyers loved it - or so they said. But it easily could have gone the other way. We were preparing to wipe the slate clean if buyers didn't want one.

And if we were buying, it'd only "add value" if it seemed up-to-date and in line with our taste. There are a lot of ugly ones out there.

And I'd only value it as $10-20k unless it was huge and amazing.

We had one at our old house and we enjoyed it. We lucked out and the new buyers loved it - or so they said. But it easily could have gone the other way. We were preparing to wipe the slate clean if buyers didn't want one.

And if we were buying, it'd only "add value" if it seemed up-to-date and in line with our taste. There are a lot of ugly ones out there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all, IMO.

I loathe home theaters. If I bought a house with one, I'd only be thinking about how much it would cost to tear it out and turn it into useable space.

We have a home theater but our house is 6br 6ba and 6000 SF. I don't think I need another room. Point is that most houses that have home theater rooms are already large.

Totally agree

I like home theater but wouldn't spend more than 10k

Like a separate room set up like a movie theater with seats and a projector? (yuck) Or just a nice rec room with a big tv, comfy couch, etc (yay)?

I really don't see how even one of those little theater rooms can cost 50k?!? Where does the money go?

I'd rather have a pool, personally! Or a roller rink.

Anonymous wrote:So I saw one of these in a house recently. It was around 7 years old and SO dated now. Like the speakers and the screen, everything had changed so much. Even the couches looked older. I felt like it had dated the house way too much.

I think that this is the main issue with home theaters. There's always something newer coming like a minute after you install something. So all those fancy projection TVs people put in in the early 2000s are worthless now.

Personally, I would prefer NOT to have a room like that in my house. I'd rather have a versatile nicely finished living space - with a wet bar and full bath - in the basement, that I can use for whatever I'd like!

$0.