Basements run the gamut from dark, dank rooms fit only for doing laundry and storing holiday decorations to fully tricked-out spaces with a home theater, basement bar, and more to make it a full-fledged floor ready for entertaining family and friends.

Many home buyers will appreciate having something in the middle of those two extremes for a finished basement. A well-lit space with finished floors may not make for the most interesting decor, but it does provide a clean, blank canvas for homeowners to use as they please. While luxurious basement amenities might be expected in the luxury market, most homeowners will appreciate that the very basics are already taken care of on the lowest level of their home. And if comps in the area have finished basements, you'll at least need to transform your property's space from something out of a horror film into something more suitable.