Is connecting to city water and sewage worth it?

Question

I recently purchased a home in a neighborhood very close to a utility water/sewage hookup. My goal with this property is to house hack it (5bed 3bath 2kitchens but not separate units yet) while force appreciating it to match the local market. Median homes in the area $250,000 for 3bed 2bath homes and I got mine for $185,000.

A few of the neighbors in our cultesac/20 home drive are interested in getting a water system put in and connected to the utilities.

Would investing in something like this raise the value of the homes/neighborhood? I think so but would love to hear from someone with this experience.

Any advice or feedback is appreciated- thanks!

Account Closed · Answer

@Joshua Huston

Sounds like a good idea to me, just know that fitting septic tanks and putting in sewage takes a while and costs a lot. If I were you I wouldn’t plan on selling it anytime soon, the house I’m in went through the same thing, construction took well over a year (& $30k) for our neighborhood but they repaved the streets and put new sod down in the yards and it looks great. Definitely boosts the curbside appeal. Granted yours is a cul-de-sac so it would take less time and money but it’s a worthwhile investment; especially considering 3 bathrooms. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve had to change the septic tank a few times already. I think you and your neighbors are headed in the right direction!

Joshua Huston · Answer

@Tyler Mulcahy thanks for the reply, I’ll have to figure out the cost of everything but having that curb appeal would make the whole street much nicer and I’m sure add value. The great thing is that this side of town is seeing lots of new growth and being gentrified currently so I’m hoping my timing will give me an advantage.