24 Affordable Upgrades to Instantly Increase Your Home’s Worth

House prices have been rising steadily in America over the past few decades — it is inevitable. However, 2023 was the first year median house values dropped since 2019. Therefore, selling one’s house today may come with unwelcome complications, not least a lower selling price than is desired.

There are many affordable measures one can take to increase their property value. We have researched some simple yet effective additions to aid your home-selling objectives. Spoiler alert: first impressions are everything.

1. Increase Curb Appeal

Even the most wonderful home can fall on bad aesthetic times, especially if the owners are either too busy (or unmotivated) to maintain it. The first thing one must do if they are selling (or just want to give their home a makeover) is improve the most visible area: the front.

Emma Woodward writes for Home Light that boosting curb appeal for buyers “can get them excited about the home as soon as they drive up.” Sprucing up paintwork, pruning shrubs, and organizing the front yard space all go a long way.

2. Consider Manufactured Stone Veneer

Leaving a lasting first impression on a homebuyer is essential, so fitting your front wall with stone veneer is an effective way to do this. Zonda’s “2024 Cost vs. Value Report” reveals how this move can bring great return on investment (ROI).

If you can afford to buy and fit this material, the report claims it will lead to a 153% ROI based on the property’s value afterward.

3. Replace Your Entry Door

A front door speaks volumes about who resides behind it — or at least leaves an impression on a misinformed stranger. A dilapidated or flimsy-looking front door may be unappealing, indicating an unsecured or worn-out home.

U.S. News & World Report’s Liz Brumer-Smith argues the case for this potentially affordable upgrade. “Regarding first impressions, replacing an older front door…should deliver a 100% ROI,” she writes.

4. Make the Home More Energy Efficient

When a buyer moves into a new home, they will want to know how much utilities will cost once they move in. By improving heat retention and lowering energy costs, the home will be more appealing and, hence, more valuable.

Just Energy shares ways to improve home energy efficiency. One low-cost way to improve heat retention is patching up any gaps in your home’s insulation.

5. Add Some Kitchen Tweaks

The kitchen is the heart of the household, where many simple memories are made. If a homebuyer discovers a worn-down kitchen, this could adversely affect their feel for the home.

Most serious cooks fantasize about fitting a new, state-of-the-art cooking temple, though the price deters them. The less-is-more mindset may be necessary, says Family Handyman’s Rachel Brougham. “Install new kitchen cabinets or give current cabinets a refresh,” she writes. “Upgrade old kitchen countertops and add a kitchen backsplash for a new look.”

6. Upgrade the Bathroom

“A new bathroom will add value to your property — and you don’t have to spend a fortune,” says Ellie Isaac in a Zoopla article. One needn’t rip out the plumbing or retile the entire room to achieve this task.

Finding a well-priced toilet bowl, shower screen, and sink (even good-conditioned used fixtures) might be all it takes to make the restroom sing. Isaac also argues it can add “3% to 5% to a home’s value.”

7. Improve the Internal Lighting

Some homes don’t have much natural light — a feature some prospective homeowners crave. Moreover, poor light won’t showcase even a beautiful home interior to its full potential.

Installing new lighting makes smaller rooms feel larger, and it may be the deciding factor in achieving the best-selling price. Zillow’s Learning Center lists several ways to do this, including adding mirrors to bounce external light and fitting LED bulbs. Both measures may increase the home’s selling price.

8. Hire a Professional Organizer

Cluttercore isn’t just a word; it’s a way of life — except for those who work full-time jobs. In any case, decluttering is one of the easiest pathways to home improvement. The biggest investment here is time, so hiring someone who lives and breathes organizing can lighten the burden.

Who are you gonna call? The National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO). They can help you find a professional organizer to breathe life back into your home and hopefully increase its value.

9. Refinish or Install Hardwood Floors

Renovations only cost a lot if you either allow them to spiral or hire people to do work for you. In reality, the largest drain is on your time. Those with the patience (and time) can spruce up tired-looking floors with ease.

Some research shows home buyers will happily spend an extra $5,000 to $6,000 for a home with hardwood floors. If your carpet squeaks in places, that could be your wood floor crying for help.

10. Top Up The Interior Paint Job

Your walls invariably bear the brunt of wear and tear on a property — scuff marks, scratches, and flaking paint bring down the first impression vibes. When you enter a home, a clean finish makes a visitor more comfortable.

Teresa K Traverse advises in an OpenDoor article against bold colors. “Neutral colors make it easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there because the paint goes with just about anything,” she writes.

11. Clean the Gutters

The humble roof gutter is a forgotten hero for anyone’s home, especially those living in rainy or temperate climates. Redirecting water away from the ground around the home is not only important to structural integrity; the home’s appearance and resale value benefits.

You can clear any blocked gutters without breaking the bank. Moreover, freshly unblocked gutters show a home the previous owners have cared for — improving that sweet curb appeal.

12. More Garden and Less Driveway

You may have decluttered, fixed, and swept the front yard, but how inviting does it look? A Raven Wisdom post on LawnStarter encourages adding shrubs for a balanced appearance that will enhance buyers’ reactions.

Wisdom says a front yard can become a low-cost garden in no time through “planting flowering shrubs, spreading mulch, and adding stone pathways.”

13. Light It Up Outside

While most open houses or realty tours take place in the daytime, buyers will no doubt be looking at the light quality everywhere. This factor also applies to the backyard, though you don’t need to light up your garden like a ballpark.

Landscape professionals at Ground Source champion landscape lighting for an added touch of class outside. “Focus on lighting a few key areas,” Joe Mouad writes. Columns or walls look great with carefully placed uplighting; trees and fairy lights may also add homely charm.

14. Buy Some New Appliances

Adding a few new gadgets to your kitchen, living room, or bedroom can help sell your home, according to a Consumer Reports survey. Many would argue that kitchens are still the most important part of a new home.

“A ‘modern/updated kitchen’ topped the list of ideal home features in our survey of millennials, registering as most important to more than a third of respondents,” writes Daniel DiClario. Furthermore, even if homebuyers have their own set of appliances to use in a new home, they can still appreciate how yours looks.

15. Replace Your Garage Door

There are many connotations with a garage door, such as security, energy savings, and convenience. Crucially, a new, modern garage door will add instant curb appeal; an old, shabby door does the opposite.

Specialist platform Commonwealth Garage Door advocates for a new garage door on your home, if anything to improve family safety. Further, researchers at Haas Door say it will bring an average 102.7% ROI.

16. Power Wash the Property

YouTube is rife with power-washing videos. Anyone who has seen them will identify with feeling satisfied at the post-wash unveil moment. At the very least, power-washing your house could be a deciding factor for a prospective buyer.

A JD Power Washing article concurs with this ideal. “While pressure washing won’t directly add value to your home, it can make the property more attractive, which may help you get a better price if you decide to sell it,” reads the post. Meanwhile, a Castle Window Cleaning post mentions research that it may “increase your home’s value by as much as $15,000.”

17. Put in Ceiling Fans

Property sellers will likely be against installing air-conditioning units due to the costs — and the fact they never got to enjoy them. However, ceiling fans might be a feasible addition and will add the necessary appeal for viewers.

Kiplinger Personal Finance puts ceiling fans 5th on its list of features first-time buyers would like to see. Ceiling fans can significantly reduce home energy bills during the summer months.

18. Put In Some Decking

Who doesn’t love decking for their outdoor area? A 2018 National Association of Realtors (NAR) study found that many homeowners yearn for a wooden decking area outside. Home Advisor puts the average cost-per-square-foot decking at “anywhere from $3 to $30 per square foot.”

The report awarded wooden decks a 9.9 “joy” score for outdoor remodeling projects, concluding they are worth a 95% ROI. Clearly, many people would like a wooden decking area for their homes.

19. Go on a Door Knob Frenzy

As with other parts of the home, visitors might see one run-down thing and then associate this with the rest of the property. “Not only will this affect the value, but will also increase the amount of time your home stays on the market,” reads a Direct Door Hardware post.

Door knobs might cause this issue — any rusted, worn-down, or sticky door handles can be replaced with a cheap investment. Replacing them is a cost-effective way to add a new finish to one’s home.

20. Refinish Tired Woodwork

Sometimes, a property seller doesn’t have the funds to renovate and is forced to sell their home. In such cases, the less-is-more approach can be viable; this can be something as easy as sanding down old doors and restoring them.

As with some measures, it may not increase the home’s value per se, but the psychological factor is underrated. Nash Painting’s guide to door restoration puts forth a similar argument. “For one thing…they will contribute to your home’s overall atmosphere, helping you close the deal with a potential buyer,” reads the guide.

21. Update the Laundry Room

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) did a survey discussing the features home buyers want most in a new home. Curiously, a laundry room — namely a standalone one — came top of the list.

84% of people would prefer a new residence with a well-resourced space to sort unwashed clothes, according to the survey. Maybe you have a tired laundry room in need of a makeover that could fuel-inject your bid to sell.

22. Wash Your Car

It may sound irrelevant, but washing one’s car regularly — especially if the home is on the market — may help the home sell. While the car isn’t the center of any transaction, it will certainly affect your curb appeal.

Many sources will tell you that a clean driveway improves curb appeal for home sellers; however, your mud-splashed sedan won’t. Other research shows a luxury car helps sell a home because viewers can imagine themselves driving that car.

23. Install Water Filtration

Put simply, a working filtration system in any property expands the appeal, especially for families. Sadly, four in 10 Americans don’t trust tap water, which means almost half of potential home viewers will be impressed by safe drinking water.

78% of the NAHB survey participants agreed a water filtration system was near the top of their priorities. Peace of mind has a substantial selling value.

24. Invest in a Security System

While this option might verge on “unaffordable” for some, Forbes ranks the average cost of a new home security system at only $600. This is good news for anyone selling their home that can afford it.

Furthermore, a blog from Advanced Alarm cites a National Council for Home Safety and Security (NCHSS) survey with more good news. Installing a home security system might improve selling value by 3.5%, which is $14,000 based on average home prices.