It's tough to recoup renovation costs

24 Stone Brook (nee Hooker) Lane is under contract, last listed at $1.595 million, after starting in September at $1.975 million. The sellers paid $1.415 for it in 2015 and slathered a lot of lipstick on to this 1972 contemporary, including a new roof, kitchen, new baths, deck, etc., all of which must surely have cost far more than they'll be getting back. It's by no means a terrible house, and the new buyers will be doing well here, but the fate of these owners does illustrate the danger of putting a lot of money into renovations if you aren't going to be around to enjoy them.