| More than half of home buyers say they want a | | | | 4. Get "guy" with the décor: Nothing says "This |
| finished basement, according to a survey by the | | | | space belongs to a guy" like sports décor. Frame |
| National Association of Home Builders. Real estate | | | | and hang your old high school or college jersey. Mount |
| experts agree that adding square footage to your | | | | that foul ball you caught in the bottom of the ninth. Put |
| living space will deliver the dollars when it comes time | | | | up a wallpaper mural of your favorite sport. |
| to sell. Create the sanctuary of your dreams and | | | | 5. Drink up: A wet bar is every guy's dream, but you |
| enhance your home value at the same time by | | | | can also cool off effectively and economically with a |
| renovating your basement into the ultimate guy retreat. | | | | small refrigerator or even a portable wine keeper. |
| Here are the top 10 things you'll need to turn your | | | | 6. Snack attack: The guys are going to work up |
| basement into the ultimate man cave: | | | | appetites playing friendly poker and it could get ugly if |
| 1. Finish it: First, finish those cinderblock walls and | | | | you don't have any snacks on hand. Be sure to include |
| concrete floor. | | | | space for snack storage in your design, whether it's a |
| 2. Get wired: You have to have a big screen TV and | | | | pantry or some cabinets. |
| music. Getting wired can be as easy as connecting | | | | 7. Sit on it: You'll need the armchair of your dreams in |
| cable to your portable TV and strategically placing a | | | | order to be an armchair warrior. Make sure there's |
| boom box, or as grand as a wall-mounted, high-def, flat | | | | some comfy, durable seating for your buddies. |
| screen TV with surround sound. | | | | 8. Work it out: Portable treadmills and exercise bikes |
| 3. Go wireless: A laptop or desktop is a man-cave | | | | are better than ever and easy to store. Set aside a |
| must for work and play. But you don't want wires | | | | corner of your man room for the manliest activity of all |
| cluttering up your kingdom. If you haven't already done | | | | – exercise. |
| so, install wireless connectivity on the primary | | | | 9. Work on it: If you're a doer rather than an observer, |
| computer on the main floor of the house. That way, | | | | you'll want a well-equipped workbench. |
| you can use the Internet in the basement without the | | | | 10. Sit on it: It's the ultimate man room upgrade – |
| expense and inconvenience of a lot of wires. | | | | your own private bath! |