True House Value

Home is your center. A nest. A hearth and a hub. It’s a vital creative and spiritual axis where you rejuvenate to find peace, safety, joy and love. A good home is a place of warmth, passion and compassion you look forward to returning to again and again. It’s a space you want others to grow up remembering as a joyful, safe haven. Society can put a price on your house based on its size, materials, land and location, but you can’t put a price on what your home means to you.
 
In today’s fluctuating real estate market and American mortgage crisis, many homes are losing value (even worse, people are losing their homes). These difficult times present us with an opportunity to refocus our attention and look more closely at the emotional value of home versus it’s market value. After all, it’s what happens in the home that makes it special and brings meaning to our lives. Whether you rent or own, live in a house or an apartment, you can find some measure of relief from market stresses by honoring the warmth and emotional significance of the place you call “home, sweet home!”
 
Abundance
When market values tumble, it can be stressful. That’s why it’s so important to recognize that, no matter what, your home is and will always be a source of abundance. Home is where you start your day – it’s your launching pad. It’s where you center yourself and prepare for the demands of the day. At home, you can gather all your talents and positive energy to go out into the world and be the kind of person you strive to be – dynamic, honest, kind and prosperous. At the end of the day, your home is where you return to recharge, regroup and connect again with the best parts of you! Home gives you the invaluable space to do all this – and that makes your home invaluable. Because when you launch from this secure place everyday, you have more of a chance to create even more abundance in your life. Therefore, your home is helping you create money – not simply losing it as home values falter. Plus, if you hang in there, in most cases, your home value will eventaully go back up.

History 
Your home’s emotional value is also enriched by the memories it contains. All those specical days, phone calls, holidays and gatherings… the love you have shared there, the care you have given and received in your home – are priceless! A home’s emotional history brings unique meaning and richness to our lives. It makes the dinner table more than just a table – it’s a place where we have broken bread together and shared our lives! Memories are also what create the warmth and welcoming energy of the most valuable homes. They invite us in. They remind us that there’s no place like home.
 
A refuge
Remember that home is not necessarily just for you. It can also be a gathering place – a refuge – for visiting friends and family. Perhaps you have a friend in need who just wants to get away for a little while. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to offer them the opportunity to stay. Perhaps you already share your home with a roommate, partner, spouse or children. If so, you already know the rewards of sharing and making a home together. Being able to open your home and share its abundance, peacefulness and love is an immeasurable added value.

All together now
If you want to invest in your home without spending big bucks on a remodel, extension or new deck, you can always invest more in your home’s emotional value. One way to do this is to simply remind friends and family that they are welcome at your place, even if it’s just to stop by to chat for a few minutes. If you’re on a neighborhood board or involved in a group activity like a book club, offer your home as a meeting place.
 
Create warmth in your home by playing music, having a set dinner hour with family and engaging in activities that promote communication (not technology!), like playing board games together, rather than watching television. Gather and display your favorite things – like artifacts and art from your travels and old family photos of ancestors long passed. It will give your home a sense of depth and meaning. 

Simply remember that the abundance and emotional richness of your home at any given time is far more meaningful than just a number – especially if you plan on living in it over time. Tough times will come and go, but our nurturing nests – wherever we make them – will always live on within us and others, no matter what price tag is placed on it!