The top 5 improvements that yield a seller the best return on investment.

1) Kitchen

The most important area when selling your home. Anything you can do to your kitchen will add value and almost assuredly yield a return on your investment. This includes updating cabinetry, replacing the countertops with a modern granite or quartz, upgrading the appliances- usually to stainless steel, and replacing outdated hardware.

2) Bathrooms

With a priority being your master bathroom. Today’s buyers want to see bathrooms with the best possible functionality and space. Replacing shower wall and floor tile, swapping out vanities, and replacing the countertops with a stone top can go along way. Also consider changing out light fixtures and mirrors for more modern options.

3) Flooring

Buyers will pay a premium for quality flooring throughout the home. A lot of homes in our area have carpet covering up the original hardwood floors in the main living areas and in the bedrooms. Removing the carpet and refinishing these natural hardwood floors can provide a significant return on investment. If there is not hardwood floors underneath, you still would want to replace your old worn out carpet and provide a fresh look. Most buyers want the house to be as move in ready as possible and will pay you more to not. Leaving the carpet and offering the buyers a credit towards replacement is never a winning formula.

4) Paint

The most cost effective, easiest to implement, and highest return on investment you can make when selling a home. You want warm neutral colors throughout the home. Something that appeals to most people and not very taste specific. Pro tip: Beige colors were used 10-20 years ago. Now soft gray tones are used. Our favorite color: Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.

5) Hardware (Hinges, knobs) and Light Fixtures, and Plumbing Fixtures

Updating these throughout the home can be an inexpensive way to modernize your home and make it look 20-30 years younger. We’ll often replace brass or gold fixtures with more modern brushed nickel, black, or oil rubbed bronze hardware. Same rule of thumb for bedroom overhead lighting, bathroom and hallway lighting. You can find a 2-pack brushed nickel flush mount overhead light fixtures for $30.

You can also consider upgrading older, yellowed outlets and switches to new bright white outlets and switches.