The Restor-It Is a Company Specializing in the Restoration of Old

question 291

Essay

The Restor-It is a company specializing in the restoration of old homes. To showcase its work, the company purchased an old Victorian home in downtown Pittsburg, Kansas. The original home was purchased for $125,000. A new heating and air-conditioning system was added for $30,000. The house was completely rewired and re-plumbed at a cost of $50,000. Custom cabinets were added, and the floors and trim were refurbished to their original condition, at a cost of $75,000.
The project was such a success, that Restor-It decided to purchase another very large home, this time in nearby Joplin, Missouri. A realtor offered to purchase the home in Pittsburg for $175,000. He plans to lease it as luxury short-term apartments for visiting dignitaries. Restor-It decided that a modest return was all that was required, and so they agreed to sell. Only afterward did they learn that they had a $10,000 loss on the sale. The president of the company, Dan Easler, does not believe that a loss is possible. "We sold that house for more than we paid for it," he said. "I know we put some money in it, but we had depreciated it for three years. How in the world can we have a loss?"
Required:
Write a short memo to Mr. Easler explaining how it would be possible to have a loss. Do not try to use specific numbers for cost or depreciation.

---

Definitions:

Coupon Rates

Coupon Rates are the annual interest rates paid by bond issuers on the bond's face value, distributed typically in semi-annual payments.

Floating-Rate Bonds

Bonds with interest rates that adjust periodically based on a reference interest rate or index, protecting investors from interest rate risk.

Market Price

The price at which a product or service is traded in the competitive marketplace.

Put Provision

A clause found in certain securities that allows the holder to force the issuer to repurchase the security at specified prices before maturity.