Dan Fritschen has a suggestion: Go to www.remodelormove.com , a homeowner support resource that provides objective and unbiased advice, before making the “remodel or move” decision.

“Too many people make the decision to move when they actually might be better served – financially or emotionally, or both – by remodeling instead,” explains Fritschen. “And, of course, the opposite also can be true in many cases. My web site is a safe haven for homeowners who know they want a change bur aren’t sure exactly what that change is. I have no agenda to promote. I simply want to provide impartial information so individual homeowners can make the decisions that’s right for them.”

The web site’s centerpiece is the Remodel-or-Move Calculator. This free online analysis tool helps you determine your best financial course by calculating the cost of your hypothetical remodeling project vs. the cost to move. Then, it helps you determine your “gut feeling” about the decision, based on your feelings about your neighborhood, your home, and the remodeling process. Taking all of these factors into account, the Calculator makes a recommendation geared specifically to you, your lifestyle, and your unique needs.

But the Calculator is just part of the story. The site is a clearinghouse of practical information. It offers articles on various aspects of moving and remodeling: good reasons to move, good reasons to remodel, the advisability of various projects based on length of time you plan to stay in your home, etc.

Consider the following statistics and facts, excerpted from www.remodelormove.com :

Five million families spend more than $80 billion to sell their homes each year, many because they choose not to remodel. Other homeowners spend $200 billion to remodel instead of moving. Either way, most families will spend tens of thousands of dollars.

A very common misunderstanding is that moving is free. In truth you can spend up to 15 percent of your home’s value for expenses associated with getting it ready for sale, the broker’s commission, closing costs, moving expenses, and the cost of decorating your new home. For a typical $200,000 home, that 15 percent is $30,000.

It’s easy to overspend on remodeling for two reasons. First, since many homeowners remodel only once or twice in their lives, they often don’t know how to shop around for the best prices on the work to be done or the materials to be used. Second, they get caught up in the excitement and spend money on upgrades and features they don’t really need or want. So, if you’re going to remodel, take time to become educated. Websites like www.saveonmyremodel.com  are a great resource to learn how to save.

Much of the information on the web site is from Fritschen’s book, Remodel or Move? Make the Right Decision (ABCD Publishing LLC, 2005, ISBN 1933007699, $15.95).

So who should visit the web site? Fritschen recommends it for any homeowner who knows he or she wants a change and wants to avoid making the wrong decision.

“Don’t underestimate the importance of this decision,” he urges. “Too many people see their friends move to a new home or install an extravagant new kitchen and immediately want to do the same. But it’s easy to see the glamour and not so easy to see the hard work and money that’s involved. Both choices can be expensive and cause major upheaval, especially in these tumultuous times – with home prices down, the stock market down, and interest rates falling. That’s why you should empower yourself with plenty of information before you take the plunge. Then, when the dust settles, whether it’s dust from the moving trucks or the contractors, you can enjoy your new home without regrets.”