Increasing Your Home’s Value with a Smart Remodel

Some projects make your home more enjoyable. Others also make it more valuable. The best remodels do both.

Kitchens and bathrooms lead the way

Buyers notice kitchens and bathrooms first. Updated cabinets, counters, tile and fixtures in these rooms tend to pay back more than almost anything else.

You do not need the most expensive finishes to see a return. Clean, durable, well-installed choices appeal to the widest range of buyers.

Add usable square footage

Finishing a basement or adding a bedroom suite increases the home’s functional size, which directly affects appraised value.

Usable space counts most when it connects naturally to the rest of the house, with good light and proper heating and cooling.

Curb appeal matters

New siding, a covered porch, updated entry doors and a stone accent change a buyer’s first impression.

Small exterior updates — lighting, a new front door, fresh trim — often cost less than one interior room and change the first impression completely.

Energy efficiency

Better insulation, windows and HVAC lower utility bills — a selling point that buyers increasingly ask about.

Keep receipts and product information for upgrades. Buyers and appraisers like seeing proof of what was improved.

Know what is personal

Very specific design choices may not add value for the next owner. That is fine if you plan to stay — just know the difference.

If you plan to sell soon, lean toward choices most buyers will like. If you plan to stay, build for yourself.