Not every dollar you spend will increase your home’s appraisal value or appeal to all buyers, so choose your upgrades wisely when prepping your home for sale.
Where to Spend:
Curb Appeal: First impressions matter. Invest in landscaping and spruce up the front door entrance with rugs, flowers and fresh paint on the front door. Some people only focus on the indoors, but if buyers judge a book by its cover (which many do), you’ve already lost them at the front door.
Declutter / Staging: This is an issue I see all too often. Like it or not, many buyers make snap judgments, and clutter is a huge turn-off. When there’s stuff everywhere and excess furniture cramping the space, it’s hard for buyers to picture themselves living there. It’s baffling when sellers invest in costly upgrades but neglect to declutter and stage the home in a presentable way.
Kitchen / Bathrooms / Paint: Repeat after me: kitchen, bathroom, paint. The best part? We’re not talking about full renovations. Simply update the cabinet hardware, swap out old light fixtures, and add a fresh coat of neutral paint. If you can only refresh one bathroom, make it the master—it’s the one that matters most to the likely decision-maker.
Side Note: Another common oversight is poor lighting—most people are not looking to buy a dungeon. Open those blinds and curtains, and let the natural light enhance the home’s airy feel... and this one costs you nothing.
Where to Save:
Major Remodels: If there’s a structural issue or something that won’t pass inspection, it absolutely needs to be addressed. But some sellers make upgrades based on personal opinion rather than necessity. I’ve seen buyers turn their noses up at a home because they didn’t like the brand-new kitchen backsplash that the seller installed to 'increase value'. What one person sees as added value, another might see as a drawback. Stick to the required fixes.
Flooring: Oh, the debate over flooring. Should you re-carpet your entire house, should you tile it or put down some laminate, or maybe go all-in with luxurious hardwood? In my opinion, it’s often not worth it. I’ve seen sellers replace all the flooring, only for buyers to say they’d rip it out because it doesn’t match their style. Only replace flooring if it’s absolutely necessary. You might think a certain flooring will appeal to most buyers, but the reality is, everyone has their own tastes.
The Bottom Line: Start by decluttering and cleaning, then assess what you’re left with. Focus on sprucing up your curb appeal, kitchen, and master bath, and make only the necessary repairs. Remember, there’s a negotiation process ahead—if you spend all your money on updates, you might end up with buyers asking for additional changes that matter more to them. Save some budget for those requests so you have the flexibility to accommodate what really matters to the buyer.
Thanks for reading... Briana
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