What are the top 3 renovations that you can do to raise home value?

Ron Cooper
by Ron Cooper
  5 answers
  • Tuula - Color Me Thrifty Tuula - Color Me Thrifty on Sep 19, 2018

    In my opinion kitchens, bathrooms, and landscaping... and they don't have to be extreme complete makeovers... just minor updating and sprucing up can work too. It really depends on the home.

  • Dfm Dfm on Sep 19, 2018

    It varies by region, in iowa, in ground pools have a 3 month season. Not a big seller. When I sold my last 2 houses, they were squeaky clean, and if repairs were needed, they were done. The paint was a neutral vanilla type color through out the house. Clashes with very little. Buyers can have very little imagination. Kitchens and baths have to function properly. Most $$$ are spent there. If you get a good realtor, they can give you tips. I had one of the best. Bribed him with apple pie. I am assuming you are going to sell the place? If not you may have more taxes to pay on the house as you raised the value of it. In my area taxes are evaluated every 4 yrs.

  • Joanne lueke Joanne lueke on Sep 19, 2018

    I agree with Tuula, especially as far as return on investment. Clean and uncluttered, updated lighting and fixtures,fresh paint. That ought to do it! Best wishes.

  • I agree with Tuula, kitchens, bathrooms and in my case back yards as well as curb appeal. Where I am in Southern California, people use their patios and back yards just about year round. If you can afford an outdoor kitchen, even better. While the rest of the country is covered in rain or snow, we are grilling and enjoying the weather. Think of the Rose Parade on New Year's Day. While the weather is good, don't fool yourself, it is far from nirvana . . .


    Nothing looks or sells better than a clean, neat well maintained home.


    A first rate realtor will know what is desirable in your area, know how to play up the strengths of your property and gloss over any weaknesses or less than perfect features.


    If you intend to sell, interview lots of realtors. Out here they are a dime a dozen, most mediocre at best. You want a seasoned professional that knows the ropes. Don't fall for the Purple Brick commercials. I have nothing against them personally, but unless you have a hot property that would sell itself at any price, you are doing yourself a disservice. They plop a photo or two on the MLS, big whoop. Serious buyers do a virtual tour on line, if it doesn't look good, they will not make an appointment to see the house. They move on to houses that provide the best info and video tour or photo collage. Flat rate = flat service.


    One more thing about realtors, if you decide to do an open house, make sure it is your realtor hosting the event and they are knowledgeable about your property and the neighborhood in general, schools, shopping, kids activities, parks, the whole shebang. I went to an open house around the corner from me. Some newbie was the stand in and was the face of the open house. I signed in and was handed a ticky tacky sloppily photocopied spec sheet on the house which provided no viable info on the house or neighborhood. There were several prospective couples in the house, most from out of the area. The rep could not answer one question that anyone presented. "I don't know, you will have to ask the listing agent" was his response to everything. Bad bad bad. I stepped in and answered questions for the prospective buyers. I felt so bad for the homeowners I went back that night and gave them my rundown on their open house. Their faces said it all. They flat out asked me what they should do. I told them if it was my house, I would let the listing expire. Then wait an appropriate amount of time and get a new realtor and advised as to how to interview new realtors. They asked me who I use and I provided a few names. By luck, they chose my favorite one, listed the house a bit higher than previously advertised and ended up in a bidding war. They ended up making a nice chunk of change more than they anticipated. I was very happy for them. And they had a good buyer that was a nice addition to the neighborhood. And no, I did not get a kickback from anyone, i just hate to see people being taken for a ride to nowhere.


    Sorry for the long post, you should be well informed no matter what you decide to do. Thanks for reading.

  • Beni Beni on Jun 15, 2023

    I don’t know about the other two, but in my opinion, color makes or breaks the deal. A good color scheme can lighten up, smoothen out, add character, you name it. Here’s an article I read on trending color schemes: https://www.realestateagent.com/advice/home-renovation-ideas.html Fixing up the kitchen definitely raises value, but it doesn’t guarantee you will sell easier. Depends on what people are looking for in your specific area. If you fix it up and the new owner tears it apart to do something else the moment they sign the papers, it’s a waste of time, energy, and resources. But if people are looking for turnkey solutions in the area, sprucing up the kitchen can be a good solution, I think. A good agent can probably help you identify what buyers usually want in your area.