The Bathroom Upgrade That Realtors Say Can Save Your Relationship

Sharing a bathroom has always been tricky. With all the extra time spent at home this year, it’s become even more so. If you don’t have your own space, a messy countertop and some stray toothpaste are bound to spark a petty fight no matter how even keeled you usually are. 

It’s also no secret that in addition to staying home, people are making more improvements to their homes than ever before. There’s one renovation project real estate agents are advocating for right now — and it could just save your relationship. The project in question? Installing double vanities in the bathroom.

Nicole Christie, licensed real estate salesperson at the Corcoran Group, says they’re definitely a bonus feature for a home — and a tension diffuser for relationships.

“It actually does add to the quality of life and quality of the relationship,” she says. “Just having that separation and having your own area — not having as much overlap — it keeps some of that mystery in the relationship.”

While some small apartments don’t lend themselves to this luxury, if your budget and square footage allows, Compass real estate broker Tricia Lee says double vanities are an absolute-must upgrade.

“I always suggest it because a single person is not going to mind it and a couple is going to love it,” she says.

This bathroom feature is especially beneficial while putting a home or rental on the market.

“I think there are just certain upgrades, and a double vanity is one of them, that just demonstrate that the seller gets it — they just understand functionality,” Lee says.

If you live in a smaller townhouse or apartment with a cramped bathroom, Lee says potential buyers still will respond well if there’s a double vanity. “It maximizes the space even when there’s not a lot of space,” she says.

Christie always advises her clients to install a double vanity if they have room in their budget. “No one will turn it down if they can afford it,” she says. “It’s icing on the cake.”

However, she says depending on the condition the bathroom is in, it may not always add that much to a home’s resale value. Part of it depends on how well the room is maintained. Is your grout grimy and dirty? Does your counter have water stains? Distractions like this can take away from allowing your bathroom to shine.

Christie says that the importance of a double vanity also makes a difference depending on who the potential buyer is. It’s a luxury for the average buyer, until they have one and see how it affects their relationship.

“Once [couples] have that experience and realize what that space allows them [to have] in a relationship, then they move forward saying, ‘Okay, that’s a must then in our next purchase,’” she says.

Plus, in the era of staying at home, our collective desire to scroll Zillow — and, in turn, make those upgrades — has only increased.

“So much of our activity now is scrolling and seeing other examples of how people are designing their spaces,” Lee says. “It’s broadening people’s tastes and desires.”

The takeaway? When it comes to relationships and real estate prospects, double vanities can only help.

“It’s always better to have a space that two can work in versus one,” Lee says.