ROI: Which Home Improvements Fit Your Bill?

by Lori Madden 08/01/2021

Many homeowners spend thousands of dollars on improvements and upgrades only to find out that the return on their investment (ROI) is less than $1 to $1. That means that for every dollar spent, the selling price of their home does not go up a corresponding dollar. In fact, very few home improvements offer a dollar for dollar increase in price.

What some improvements accomplish, however, is a reduction of time that your home spends on the market. When calculating overall costs, a quicker sale can save you several additional mortgage payments on your home.

In-Home Improvements

If you intend to live in the house for some time, make the improvements that give you pleasure in your home. Renovate the house to meet your needs and improve your life. If you’re renovating just to sell, unless you bought the home as the lowest-priced house in a highly desirable market, redoing the kitchen and bath won’t always pay for themselves. However, they will make the home more attractive to buyers and give you a leg up on the competition.

Adding a room and increasing square-footage usually improves the home’s value. This means converting an attic or basement might be a better use of your funds. Adding a second bathroom also garners a buyer’s attention. But turning a garage into a family room could backfire on you if buyers treasure a garage more than the extra space. Before undertaking a garage conversion, speak with a knowledgeable real estate agent in that area to see which option buyers most often request.

Curb appeal Improvements

When choosing improvements for resale, adding to the curb appeal gives you the most bang for your buck. Replace street-view garage doors with carriage-house style or modern minimalist options and update the front door to match. Clean out flower beds, replant them, and trim them with stone edging. Keep bushes and hedges trimmed and prune trees to keep them healthy.

Circulation Improvements

Old homes in areas where air conditioning was an afterthought benefit from adding attic fans and insulation to improve the cooling properties. Also, when possible, install a whole house fan (different from an attic fan) as it offers superior circulation for a small investment and makes the lack of central air conditioning less noticeable.

Your professional real estate agent is your best resource to learn what’s selling in homes in your neighborhood.

About the Author

Lori Madden

As a Florida native growing up in Sarasota, I have seen my hometown grow from a sleepy coastal town to a highly sought-after destination along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. After working in Chicago for 5 years, I returned to Sarasota and saw it through a new lens and really began to appreciate what makes Sarasota so desirable, including temperatures that allow for year round outdoor activities including tennis (a personal favorite), golf, boating, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, or just relaxing and/or shelling on our pristine sandy shores, including Dr. Beach’s #1 beach in the United States for 2017, Siesta Key! Sarasota’s cultural amenities are many and diverse, appealing to a wide range of arts lovers. Downtown Sarasota has become a destination in itself, drawing many new developments for those who want to be within walking distance of Main Street's offerings and the picturesque bayfront and marina. Foodies will find an eclectic mix of locally owned and operated restaurants offering something for everyone, and there are now Farmers Markets every day of the week in various locations throughout Sarasota, but the Saturday morning Farmers Market in downtown Sarasota draws the biggest crowds. Since 1988, my passion has been selling real estate, representing both buyers and sellers. I have been recognized by my clients and customers for an uncompromising work ethic and dedication to helping them achieve their real estate goals. Relying on my experience as a real estate paralegal and being highly organized, I am able to help make the transition between contract and closing a smooth one for my clients. With an eye for interior and landscape design, I've been known to pitch in and help Sellers minimize and/or reorganize their belongings in order to stage their home to maximize its sale potential. I specialize in out of state buyers looking for their piece of paradise along the Gulf Coast and make it a priority to keep them up to date on our quickly changing local real estate market. I welcome the opportunity to share with you all Sarasota and her surrounding islands have to offer!