For quality of life, this could mean enhancing the functionality of your kitchen or bathroom, adding more space to the home, or repairing something that’s broken or has failed. If the reason is strictly return on investment, it’s usually a “flipping” situation or a short-term fix in anticipation of moving somewhere new in the near future.

When the reason is both, you’re looking for the wisest investment in your home to maximize quality of life and the return from resale value.

If you really don’t like something about your house and need to make a change, you can remodel or sell your home and find something new. You may get a great price on the sale, but good luck finding something new, with housing supply at historic lows and rapidly rising interest rates.

That leaves remodeling. “But what about inflation?” Well, inflation has started to come back down, but the effects on cost are cumulative. Translation, the pace of rising costs is slowing, but actual construction costs rarely get cheaper.

So, what is the solution? If you’ve ruled out moving and plan to stay in your home for the foreseeable future, invest in your home now and refinance when rates return to normal levels. Unfortunately, costs are only going to increase. It’s just a matter of how fast and how high. However, interest rates WILL come down. They always do. From an investment standpoint, take advantage of the costs of today and the rates of tomorrow.

For quality of life, enjoy your new and improved space each and every day, until the eventual day it makes more sense to move. In an uncertain economy, there’s never a perfect solution, but maybe there’s the right solution for you to help weather the storm.

Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, James moved around and eventually settled in North Carolina. Since the age of 12, James has been hard at work learning many trades, ranging from fire restoration to painting, plumbing, and, of course, carpentry.

From the time he was 20, James has fueled his passion for carpentry by running framing crews, installing cabinetry and trim, and troubleshooting everyday remodeling problems as a member of “The Uh-Oh Squad.”

James has a son and daughter who are very dear to him and currently enjoys life with his girlfriend in West Charlotte. In his free time, James loves boating, fishing, grilling, working on cars, and sipping drinks while listening to live music.

Welcome to the team, Meg and James!