6. Making your home clash with the neighborhood.
A sure way to sour relationships with your neighbors and potentially harm your home's resale value is to change your home's size or facade so it contrasts sharply with the character of other homes in your neighborhood. If you live in an area filled with bungalows, Cape Cods, or other traditional styles, for example, think before you transform your home into a contemporary design statement. Likewise, carefully consider any additions so they don't overwhelm the houses that border or face your home. It's a matter of context, says Michael Lander, principal of the Lander Group in Minneapolis. "If you're in an existing neighborhood that's rarely a forum for drastic statements of individual taste, do your best to make your home blend into its surroundings," he says.