These over-the-top home customizations will bring down your real estate value

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

When it comes to adding value to a high-end home, an amenity with a large price tag doesn't guarantee a return on investment. Sometimes, a customized modification can actually reduce a home's value.

But that can be a tough sell to high-end homeowners.

"If they have sought out a unique feature, and paid for it, they think it's valuable and will overprice the home because of it," said Brendon DeSimone, real estate expert from Zillow.

Over-the-top features and customizations can even degrade a luxury property to fixer-upper status.

"I once saw an apartment in the city with Venetian plaster on all the walls. The new buyer would have to take it all off. That comes with a cost," said DeSimone.

Here's a look at luxury home customizations that might not be worth the investment:

Ornate landscaping

Strong curb appeal is a must, but there's a limit to just how far to take landscaping.

"Today's buyers want a cleaner cut yard and landscaping, they don't want all the fuss with multiple trees, shrubs and bushes," said Bo Mastykaz, a luxury real estate agent in Miami. "They don't want to feel like they're in a jungle."

Related: 5 luxury amenities wealthy homebuyers want

Elaborate outdoor pools

Turns out, not everyone wants an amusement park in their back yard.

"Elaborate rocks fixtures, slides and waterfalls may be nice to look at, but may require a lot of maintenance and safety can be a factor for some buyers," said Jud Henderson, broker associate at Sotheby's International Realty in Princeton, N.J.

Be warned: If you're thinking of adding a pool, it takes a long time for the investment to pay off.

Huge tubs in the bathroom

Gone are the days of needing to host a party in the bathroom.

"Most modern buyers want a normal-sized bath tub and a large shower, there's no longer the desire for a six to eight person Jacuzzi in the bathroom," said Mastykaz.

He added that overspending in the bathroom tends not to bring a strong ROI, but one upgrade that's worth the money is walling off the toilet. "When it's out in the open, that's a definite draw back."

High-end materials

Imported marble might cost a pretty penny, but it could also be a deal-breaker for a potential buyer down the road.

"It doesn't matter if it was flown in from Italy or Spain, a lot of today's buyers think it's too ornate, especially the size of the tiles," said Mastykaz.

Even the once-popular granite is falling out of buyers' favor. "Quartz is less busy and more minimalist and it has a natural sparkle finish that buyers want."

Related: No end in sight for New York's multimillion dollar housing boom

Using too many colors for the cabinets, tiles and floors and can also turn off buyers. "It's difficult for the vast majority of people to envision living in a highly expressive space or anything outside a more neutral color palate that they can then add their own personalization to," said Dean Jones, CEO of Realogics Sotheby's International Realty in Seattle.

Too much automation and security

While luxury homeowners want to be able to control their home's features remotely, the technology still has to be manageable.

"They want to touch one button to have all the lights turn on and off and control the temperature," said Danny Hertzberg, luxury realtor with The Jills of Coldwell Banker Miami Beach. "But when the showing agent can't work the system, the buyer isn't going to want to bother."

Security tends to be a top-priority with million-dollar homeowners, but too many cameras can become creepy, Mastykaz added.

Oversized rooms

Taking away a bedroom to create a larger room or re-purposing it into something like a wine cellar or recreation space will likely reduce a home's resale value. "There's a reason the first thing typically detailed on a home listing is the number of bedrooms," said Jones.

Related: Own a pricey pied-à-terre? Get ready to pay more taxes

Another no-no, is converting a garage into a living space.

"Buyers spending $10 million on a home have a lot of toys that they they're going to want to store," said Hertzberg.

The man cave

A special room for the man of the house is so 2010.

"No husband that I have taken out in the last three years has put an emphasis on that," said Mastykaz. "And women just disregard it and have it changed."

Screening/media room

With today's large screen technology, media rooms have become old news.

"These are definitely out, especially those with projections screens," said Mastykaz. "When you add in the stadium seating and everything else, it feels gimmicky rather than true value to buyers and they will pursue something else."

First Published: December 4, 2014: 10:03 AM ET

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Ho, ho, go! Aeropostale closing 75 stores during holiday season

Aeropostale is finding itself unable to keep some stores open through the holiday rush.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The troubled clothing retailer announced late Wednesday that it plans to close 75 of its store in its fiscal fourth quarter, which runs from November through January. Even stores slated for January closings are likely to go through store closing sales with limited inventories rather than the typical holiday promotions before Christmas.

The company did not say how many jobs would be lost with this next round of closings.

The closings follow the 23 stores the company shuttered in the third quarter, and are significantly more than the 40 to 50 stores it expected to close throughout the entire year.

And it said Wednesday it is looking at closing an additional 50 to 75 stores next year.

Aeropostale made the announcement at the same time it announced that losses in the third quarter essentially doubled to $52 million, while sales at stores open at least a year plunged 11%. Shares of Aeropostale (ARO) were down more than 10% in early trading on Thursday.

Related: Fewer shoppers hit stores on Black Friday

It used to be that even troubled retailers tried to keep stores open through the holiday shopping season to capture a last rush of sales before closings. But some are finding themselves unable to do even that.

Sears Holdings, which operates both the Sears and Kmart brands, has quietly confirmed plans to close 77 stores and cut 5,300 jobs in the fiscal fourth quarter as well. That's on top of the 235 stores closings so far this year that it announced early Thursday when it reported results.

Sears Holdings also announced a $548 million loss in the quarter. It burned through about $500 million in cash in the most recent quarter, leaving it with only $326 million of cash on hand. But shares of Sears Holdings (SHLD) were up in premarket trading.

Related: When did Black Friday start?

First Published: December 4, 2014: 8:09 AM ET

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Europe punts again on more stimulus

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Investors hoping to find more central bank cash in their Christmas stockings were disappointed when ECB President Mario Draghi told them they would have to wait at least until early 2015.

Draghi said the central bank needed more time to assess the impact of the recent slump in oil prices on inflation, growth and wages, before deciding whether to launch quantitative easing -- buying government bonds to stimulate the economy.

"The changes that have taken place recently in the price of oil are so meaningful... that they need careful assessment," he told reporters.

Falling energy costs will depress inflation further below the ECB's target of just under 2%. At the same time, they could give the region's economy the shot in the arm it so desperately needs by saving companies and consumers billions of euros.

The ECB slashed its forecasts for eurozone GDP growth next year to just 1%, down from 1.6% in September. It also cut its forecast for inflation in 2015 to 0.7%, down from 1.1%.

Annual inflation sank to just 0.3% in November. The eurozone's top three economies -- Germany, France and Italy -- are either stagnating or in recession.

Related: Dreary days for U.S. economy may be over

The ECB continues to discuss a range of options for quantitative easing, and is ready to pull the trigger on more stimulus if the measures it has already taken fail to boost prices.

But markets may have to wait until March for a clear steer on policy. A pledge to reassess the situation "early next year" did not necessarily mean the ECB meeting on January 22, Draghi said.

European stocks markets reversed early gains on Draghi's comments. The euro, which has fallen 10% against the dollar this year, bounced 0.6% as the horizon for European stimulus receded.

First Published: December 4, 2014: 10:07 AM ET

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Holidays got you stressed? Outsource your to-do list to the pros

Santa's little helpers: Kalamazoo Gift Company workers wrapping up a client's holiday checklist.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

If reading that list stresses you out, don't worry: You can hire professionals to help get you through the holidays.

For $50-$100 an hour, personal assistant services company Girl on the Go in Chicago will battle the shopping crowds and conquer your gift list for you. The company can come up with gift suggestions for approval and buy them or pick up items detailed on a list.

"Sometimes we get the challenge to find the hottest gift of the season and we can't fail if we want that repeat business," said founder Jancy Walker.

While most of the company's business is local, Walker also gets appeals from all over the country for luxury items. "We get requests from people who want a high-end item from Hermès for their wife for Christmas, but the store won't tell them if it's in stock, which is the case with a lot of high-end lines. So we go to the stores, purchase the item and ship it to them."

Walker and her team can also help with the often-dreaded task of holiday greeting cards. Not only do they help design personal cards, they'll also get them in the mail. "The majority of our clients don't have time to personalize their own cards so they rely on us to personalize, stuff and stamp."

Related: 5 ways retailers are tracking you

Presentation is everything when it comes to gift-giving, and the folks at Kalamazoo Gift Company are ready to help create the perfect parcel.

At a starting price of $25, the company will wrap already-purchased gifts or the staff can do the shopping and wrapping. For a $100 minimum, people can mail in gifts to have them professionally wrapped and sent back.

Parents often seek out the wrapping services to help create the picture-perfect Christmas morning, but founder Lindsey Wilson said working professionals -- particularly men -- make up the largest portion of her clientele.

"The wrap job has to match the gift," said Wilson. She recently wrapped a pair of Louboutins with customized ribbon. "You need it to be as special as the gift. Set the right tone."

Orders have started coming in already and Wilson expects to wrap more than 1,000 gifts for the holidays.

The least expensive wrapping option includes the paper and a satin ribbon, while the most expensive would be larger boxes with an elaborate topper or several ribbons. "These presents become a display, it's almost like you don't want to open them because they're so pretty," Wilson said.

Related: This gingerbread house can be yours for $78,000

If you want to play hostess this season but don't have time to plan a holiday party, you can hire event producer Jung Lee to create the perfect night from start to finish.

For $7,500, the Ultimate Dinner Party Package includes a one-on-one consultation, personalized e-vites, printed menu cards, flowers and candles, catering, rentals and clean up service for up to eight guests. The hostess also gets to keep the table cloth and some pieces of the place settings used at the event.

"We talk to the host, but we also add in a few whimsical surprises and special touches," said Lee.

First Published: December 3, 2014: 10:04 AM ET

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Elizabeth Warren's foot soldiers mobilize against Obama nominee

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A progressive group called CREDO says it has obtained that many signatures to an online petition against President Obama's nomination of Antonio Weiss to a key Treasury Department role.

Warren took the unusual step of bashing a nominee from her party when she came out last month against Weiss, the global head of investment banking for the financial firm Lazard. (He was also an important fund-raiser for the president.)

Weiss is tainted by his Wall Street experience, Warren said. She also takes exception to his background in international finance, which she says is not a qualification to be under secretary for domestic finance.

Weiss' supporters dispute Warren's claims. New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin recently argued the job requires the "deep experience in the capital markets and global relationships" that Weiss brings. Plus, he said, Weiss' work wasn't at one of the banks typically criticized for a role in the financial crisis.

The petition calls for supporters to "stand with Elizabeth Warren" and echoes her claims, including her criticism of Weiss for his work on tax-saving international mergers known as corporate inversions, which she and others say rip off U.S. taxpayers.

"We already have too many Wall Street types in the Treasury Department," the petition reads. "We need a Treasury leadership that understands Wall Street without being beholden to it, and represents different points of view than what you'll get from someone who has spent his life in investment banking."

Senators Bernie Sanders, an independent, and Dick Durbin, a Democrat, have also expressed reservations about the nomination.

Related: Elizabeth Warren blasts lobbyists for the 'rich and powerful'

First Published: December 3, 2014: 9:33 AM ET

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Tataka says refusal to comply with regulator is best for customer safety

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The National Highway Safety Administration has demanded that Takata recall driver side airbags nationwide, rather than only in states with high humidity, which was the initial focus of an investigation into exploding airbags. But in prepared remarks for a Congressional hearing Wednesday, a Takata executive said the company believes it is best to keep the recall limited to those high humidity areas.

"Takata continues to believe that the public safety is best served if the identified areas of high absolute humidity remain the priority," said Hiroshi Shimizu, Takata's senior vice president of quality assurance.

Shimizu said the company is willing to work with the 10 automakers whose cars have the Takata airbags if they decide to expand their recalls. About 8 million of the cars were manufactured by Honda (HMC), which has so far recalled 5 million of the autos.

And Shimizu again apologized for the deaths and injuries tied to the exploding airbags. At least four deaths have been attributed to the airbags, and at least two drivers suffered vision damage due to airbag shrapnel.

Related: Takata airbag victims looked like they had been shot or stabbed

David Friedman, NHTSA's deputy administrator, is set to testify that the agency no longer believes a regional recall is sufficient since there has been at least one exploding driver's side airbag reported outside of that region. He said the agency is prepared to take the legal action needed to force Takata to comply.

But Friedman clarified that the agency is not ordering a national recall of passenger side airbags made by Takata, and is sticking with the regional recall in that instance.

"At this point, a national recall of all Takata [passenger side] air bags would divert replacement air bags from areas where they are clearly needed, putting lives at risk," he said in his prepared remarks.

First Published: December 3, 2014: 9:37 AM ET

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Walmart says Cyber Monday was its biggest online day ever

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Walmart (WMT) said the Monday after Thanksgiving "was the biggest online day in its history for orders."

The retailer has been promoting hundreds of items as part of its week-long cyber sale.

While online sales have surged this season, in-store sales slumped on Black Friday. It was once considered the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, but has declined in importance as retailers spread out their deals, offer more options online, and open their doors on Thanksgiving Thursday.

In fact, Walmart said last week that Thanksgiving was its second-biggest online sales day ever.

And from Thursday to Monday, Walmart said 70% of traffic to its site came from mobile devices.

To grow its slice of the online market, it offered same-day, in-store pick-up on many online deals.

Related: Walmart is hit with protests on Black Friday

Walmart said the most popular Cyber Monday online sellers were:

--Apple iPad mini 16GB

--PS4 500GB Console Bundle (with Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and LittleBigPlanet 3)

--Nintendo 3DS XL New Super Mario Bros 2 Limited Edition Handheld

--Xbox One Assassins Creed Unity Bundle

--LG 49" LED HDTV

--Skywalker Trampolines 12' Round Trampoline and Safety Enclosure with Blue Spring Pad

--LEGO Giant Creative Tower: 1,600 pieces with storage box

Related: Gun sales boomed in November

First Published: December 2, 2014: 8:43 AM ET

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