Home Improvements That Actually Increase Property Value

The average homeowner spends more than $18,000 on renovations before listing their home, according to the National Association of Realtors' 2024 Remodeling Impact Report. But here's the uncomfortable truth about home improvements ROI: most projects don't return what you put into them.

Only a handful of home renovations that add value actually pay for themselves at resale. Some of the most popular upgrades — think luxury master suites or backyard swimming pools — can recover as little as 30 cents on the dollar. Meanwhile, a $4,500 garage door replacement might earn you back nearly twice what you spent.

So which home improvements are worth it, and which ones should you skip? In this guide, we break down every major project by cost, resale value, and ROI percentage — all grounded in national cost-vs-value data. Whether you're preparing your house for sale in the next few months or just want to invest wisely in your property, you'll know exactly where your renovation dollars will go the furthest.

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Home Improvement ROI at a Glance: Comparison Table

Before diving into individual projects, here's a big-picture look at how the most common home improvements stack up. The data below draws from the 2024 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, the industry's most widely cited benchmark for renovation ROI.

Key takeaway: The projects with the highest ROI tend to be the least expensive. Exterior improvements like garage doors, entry doors, and stone veneer dominate the top of the list, while large-scale interior remodels sit near the bottom. This pattern holds year after year.

Keep this table in mind as you read the detailed breakdowns below. And if you're curious about your home's current baseline value before factoring in any upgrades, start with a free home value estimate.

Related: what upgrades increase home value.

Exterior and Curb Appeal Improvements

Curb appeal isn't just a real estate cliché — it's where the highest-ROI projects in the country are found. The logic is straightforward: a home's exterior is the first thing buyers see, and first impressions directly influence perceived value. According to the NAR's 2024 Remodeling Impact Report, landscaping and exterior projects consistently rank among the top improvements that real estate agents recommend before listing.

Garage Door Replacement

If you're looking for the single home improvement with the best ROI, it's the garage door — and it's not even close.

Replacing an outdated garage door with a modern, insulated four-section door costs an average of $4,513 and adds roughly $8,751 in resale value, translating to a 194% ROI according to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report. It's the only common renovation project that nearly doubles your investment at resale.

Why does a garage door punch so far above its weight? For most homes, the garage door comprises up to 30% of the front-facing facade. A dented, faded, or outdated door drags the entire exterior down. A new one immediately modernizes the home's look and signals to buyers that the property has been well maintained — which matters during a home appraisal too.

Landscaping and Yard Improvements

Professional landscaping typically delivers an ROI between 100% and 200% for basic projects, according to research from the National Association of Realtors. It's one of the few categories where even modest spending — a few hundred dollars — can make a measurable difference in how buyers perceive value.

High-impact, low-cost landscaping improvements include:

• Fresh mulch and edging — Costs $200–$500 and immediately sharpens garden beds
• Lawn care and reseeding — A thick, green lawn is one of the strongest curb appeal signals buyers notice
• Tree and shrub trimming — Opens sightlines, improves symmetry, and makes the home look larger
• Seasonal flower plantings — Adds color for under $100

For larger investments, adding mature trees and professional landscape design can boost property value by 10%–12%, according to a widely cited study by the Arbor Day Foundation. If you're looking for affordable home renovations that add value fast, landscaping should be your starting point.

Exterior Paint and Siding

A fresh coat of exterior paint is one of the most cost-effective improvements available, typically costing between $3,000 and $6,000 for a standard single-family home while delivering an estimated ROI of 60%–70%.

But if your siding is damaged or severely outdated, manufactured stone veneer is the standout play. Adding stone veneer to the lower third of a home's street-facing facade costs approximately $11,287 and returns about $17,291 in resale value — a 153% ROI per the Cost vs. Value Report. It's one of the top three ROI projects in the country.

Vinyl siding replacement comes in at a solid 82% ROI and makes sense if your current siding is cracked, warped, or causing maintenance headaches. Buyers factor in future repair costs, so siding in visibly poor condition can directly hurt your sale price. If you're weighing what to fix before listing, our guide to things to repair before selling a house covers how to prioritize these decisions.

Front Door and Entry Upgrades

Replacing a worn front door with a steel entry door costs an average of just $2,355 and recovers approximately $4,430 at resale — an 188% ROI according to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report.

Steel doors offer superior insulation, security, and a clean modern aesthetic. If a full replacement isn't in the budget, even repainting your existing front door in a bold, on-trend color (deep navy, black, and sage green are strong sellers) can noticeably lift curb appeal for under $100.

Related: paint colors that boost home value.

Kitchen Remodel ROI

The kitchen is the room most buyers evaluate first when touring a home, and kitchen updates consistently influence sale price. But the kitchen remodel ROI story is more nuanced than "renovate and profit." The scale of your remodel matters enormously.

Minor (Mid-Range) Kitchen Remodel

A minor mid-range kitchen remodel is the sweet spot for ROI — and it's the version most real estate agents recommend before listing.

According to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report, a minor kitchen remodel costs approximately $27,492 and recovers about $26,406 at resale, delivering a strong 96% ROI.

What a minor kitchen remodel typically includes:

• Replacing cabinet fronts (refacing, not ripping out cabinetry)
• New countertops (quartz or laminate that mimics stone)
• Updated hardware and fixtures
• New sink and faucet
• Fresh paint
• New energy-efficient appliances (mid-range, not commercial grade)

The key insight is that a minor remodel refreshes the kitchen's look without gutting its layout. Buyers want a kitchen that feels modern and clean. They rarely care whether it's brand new — they care whether it looks dated.

If you're exploring how to finance home renovations, a minor kitchen remodel is one of the most efficient places to deploy those funds.

Major Kitchen Remodel — Is It Worth It?

A major mid-range kitchen remodel (new cabinets, new layout, premium countertops, high-end appliances, custom lighting) costs roughly $79,032 and returns approximately $39,490 — a 50% ROI. The upscale version fares even worse, with an average ROI of just 36%.

The diminishing returns are clear: spending three times as much on a kitchen doesn't come close to tripling the value you get back.

When does a major kitchen remodel make sense?

• You plan to stay in the home for 5+ years and will enjoy the upgrade daily
• The current kitchen is functionally broken — outdated electrical, poor layout that buyers universally dislike, or failing infrastructure
• Your home is significantly undervalued relative to neighborhood comps and needs a major lift to compete

If you're selling within the next year, a minor remodel almost always beats a major one. Spend on cosmetics and functionality, not on custom cabinetry that reflects personal taste. Consider checking how your home stacks up by learning how to determine your home's value before committing to a large kitchen budget.

Bathroom Remodel ROI

Bathrooms are the second-most scrutinized rooms during a home tour, and updates here reliably influence buyer offers. Like kitchens, the bathroom remodel ROI depends heavily on scope.

Mid-Range Bathroom Remodel

A mid-range bathroom remodel costs an average of $25,251 and recoups approximately $18,613 — a 74% ROI according to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report.

A mid-range bathroom remodel typically includes:

• Updated tile (floors and tub surround)
• New vanity with solid-surface countertop
• New toilet
• Updated lighting and fixtures
• New faucet and showerhead
• Fresh paint and improved ventilation

The highest-impact changes in a bathroom are often cosmetic: replacing brass fixtures with brushed nickel or matte black, swapping dated tile, and installing a frameless glass shower door. These changes modernize the space without the cost of relocating plumbing.

Pro tip: If you can only update one bathroom, prioritize the one buyers will see first — typically the primary bathroom or the main-floor guest bath.

Bathroom Addition

Adding a bathroom where one didn't exist before — particularly a half-bath on the main floor — delivers a 53% ROI at a cost of roughly $56,422 for a midrange addition, according to the Cost vs. Value Report.

While the percentage isn't as high as a remodel, the context matters. A bathroom addition is most valuable when:

• Your home has only one bathroom (moving from one to two can significantly improve marketability)
• You have a three-bedroom home with a single bath — a common deal-breaker for families
• Comparable homes in your area already have two or more bathrooms

The decision to add versus remodel should be based on how your home compares to local comps. Understanding the factors that influence your home's value can help you gauge whether a bathroom addition fills a meaningful gap.

Upgrades that add physical square footage (and when they pay back)

Adding square footage is the highest-leverage way to change appraised value, because price per square foot is the single biggest driver in a comparative market analysis. But not every square-footage addition pencils out at resale — the project type, the cost basis, and the local market all matter. The data below pulls from Remodeling Magazine's Cost-vs-Value Report and matches it to what most U.S. metros pay back at sale.

What the data says about footprint-expanding projects:

• Bathroom addition: Typical cost $56,422 with about $30,110 in resale value — roughly 53% ROI. Best when the home is short on bathrooms relative to bedrooms (e.g., a 4-bed/1-bath house).
• Master suite addition (upscale): Typical cost $325,286 with $107,000 in resale value — roughly 33% ROI. Generally a poor financial return; do this for lifestyle, not resale.
• Major kitchen remodel (mid-range): $79,032 cost, $39,490 resale value, 50% ROI. Adds little or no square footage but often reconfigures the existing footprint.
• Basement finish: Typically returns about 70% of cost latest basement finish ROI figure when adding bedroom/bath/living square footage. Code compliance (egress windows, ceiling height, fire separation) is the limiting factor.
• Garage conversion: Variable; can return 50-80% garage-conversion ROI range depending on whether you preserve a parking option. Removing the only garage in a car-dependent market usually subtracts value.
• Sunroom addition: Roughly 30-40% ROI. High cost per usable hour because most sunrooms aren't climate-controlled year-round.

The better-than-average square-footage decisions almost always share three traits: they bring the home in line with the dominant floorplan in the neighborhood, they don't sit way above the median home price for the area (over-improving rarely pays back), and they're permitted and on official square-footage records so an appraiser counts them. For a related comparison of which renovations carry resale value into the appraisal, see our improvements that increase home value guide.

Deck and Outdoor Living

Outdoor living space has surged in buyer demand since 2020, and decks remain one of the strongest ROI projects in the home improvement category. If you're weighing which home improvements are worth it for outdoor spaces, decks outperform patios, pergolas, and outdoor kitchens.

Wood Deck Addition

A new wood deck costs an average of $17,615 and returns approximately $14,622 at resale — an 83% ROI per the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report. Pressure-treated pine is the most common and cost-effective material.

Wood decks appeal to buyers because they extend livable square footage, create an entertainment-ready space, and photograph well in listing images — all of which contribute to faster sales. If your goal is to sell your house fast, a deck addition can be a meaningful differentiator in your listing photos.

Composite Deck Addition

Composite decking (brands like Trex and TimberTech) costs more upfront — approximately $24,677 — and recovers about $15,974, for a 65% ROI. The lower ROI compared to wood reflects the higher material cost, not lower buyer appeal.

Composite decks require virtually no maintenance, don't splinter, and resist rot. Buyers appreciate the longevity, but they're generally not willing to pay a premium that fully offsets the higher installation cost.

The bottom line on deck ROI: A wood deck is the stronger financial play if you're selling soon. A composite deck makes more sense if you plan to enjoy it for years and want to avoid ongoing staining and sealing costs.

Outdoor Kitchens and High-End Patios — A Word of Caution

Full outdoor kitchens with built-in grills, refrigeration, and stone countertops can easily cost $30,000–$60,000 and typically return only 30%–50% at resale. They're appealing in warm-climate markets but considered over-improvements in most of the country. Unless you live in a market where outdoor kitchens are standard (parts of Florida, Texas, or Southern California), this is a lifestyle spend, not an investment.

Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Energy-efficient upgrades are one of the fastest-growing categories in home improvement, driven by rising utility costs, buyer preferences for green features, and generous federal incentives. This is a category where the value isn't just about resale ROI — it also includes ongoing cost savings and available tax credits.

HVAC Conversion and Electrification

Converting from a fossil-fuel-based HVAC system to a heat pump or electric system delivers one of the best returns in the latest data: roughly 103% ROI at an average cost of $18,489, according to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report. This makes it one of only a handful of projects that actually adds more value than it costs.

Beyond the resale math, modern heat pumps significantly reduce energy bills — often by 30%–50% compared to older furnace systems — which is an increasingly important selling point for buyers.

Window Replacement

Vinyl window replacement costs approximately $20,482 and returns about $13,912 in resale value — a 68% ROI. While that may seem modest, new windows also reduce monthly energy costs by $200–$500 annually (depending on climate and home size), according to Energy Star estimates. If you live in the home for several years before selling, the combined savings and resale value make windows a strong investment.

Insulation Upgrades

Adding or upgrading attic insulation is one of the least glamorous and most cost-effective energy improvements. The Department of Energy estimates that proper insulation can reduce heating and cooling costs by 15%–25%. The project typically costs $1,500–$3,500 and can return 80%–100%+ in resale value by improving home energy ratings — something that appraisers and home inspectors increasingly evaluate.

Solar Panels

Solar panels are a higher-cost investment — averaging $20,000–$30,000 before incentives — and their ROI varies dramatically by region. Studies from Zillow Research indicate that solar-equipped homes sell for approximately 4.1% more on average, but this figure skews heavily toward sun-belt states with strong net metering policies.

Federal Tax Credits: The Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides significant tax credits for qualifying energy-efficient upgrades:

• 30% tax credit for solar panels, battery storage, and geothermal heat pumps (through 2032)
• Up to $3,200 annually in credits for heat pumps, insulation, electrical panel upgrades, and Energy Star windows/doors
• Up to $2,000 specifically for qualifying heat pump installations

These credits directly offset project costs, improving the effective ROI of every energy-efficient upgrade listed above. Factor them into your renovation budget before comparing projects.

Related: do solar panels increase home value.

Home office conversions: do they still increase home value?

Home offices became a category-defining feature during the early 2020s remote-work wave. The data is now more mixed: remote and hybrid work have settled into a smaller share of jobs than the early 2020s peak most recent remote-work share, but buyer demand for a dedicated workspace remains higher than it was pre-2020. The ROI question depends heavily on how you create the office.

The three home-office paths and what each typically returns:

1. Converting an existing bedroom into an office (cosmetic). Usually a wash on value. Some buyers see a 4-bedroom-converted-to-3-bedrooms-plus-office as a net positive; others discount the home for the lost bedroom count. Listings should call out "3 bedrooms + office" rather than re-counting bedrooms.
2. Finishing an existing space (basement nook, bonus room, loft) into an office. Typically returns 40-50% ROI home office conversion ROI range and improves resale appeal in remote-friendly metros. Best when the finished space includes power, a quiet location, and a real door.
3. Building a detached office (ADU/shed-office). Variable: a permitted, code-compliant ADU adds square footage and can return 50-80% ROI if it's also rentable; an unpermitted shed-office usually returns close to zero at resale because it doesn't appear on official square-footage records.

What helps the office translate to higher value:

• Hard-wired Ethernet in addition to wifi. Buyers in tech and remote-leaning roles look for this.
• A door that closes, both for video-call audio and for buyers who can imagine the space.
• Built-in storage that signals "office" rather than "random spare room."
• Adequate lighting and at least one window. Required to count as livable space in most jurisdictions.

If you're not sure whether to convert a bedroom or finish a different space, the safer financial bet is adding office space (finishing or building) rather than converting bedrooms, because bedrooms count directly in the comparative market analysis. For the broader renovation-financing landscape, see eight ways to finance your home renovation project.

Home Improvements That Are NOT Worth It

Not every renovation adds value, and some actively hurt your ROI by over-improving the home relative to the neighborhood. If you want to know which home improvements are worth it, you also need to know which ones aren't.

Swimming Pool Addition

An in-ground pool costs $50,000–$100,000+ and, in most markets, recoups only 30%–50% at resale. In cooler climates, pools can actually reduce your buyer pool (no pun intended) — many families view them as safety hazards and maintenance burdens. Unless you're in a market where pools are the norm, this is a lifestyle purchase, not a value play.

High-End Home Office Conversion

The pandemic-era home office boom has cooled. Converting a bedroom into a dedicated, built-out office with custom cabinetry and built-in tech costs $15,000–$30,000 and rarely recovers more than 40%–50%. Worse, you've eliminated a bedroom from your listing — and bedroom count is one of the strongest drivers of comparable home value.

Overly Personalized Finishes

Bold wallpaper, highly specific tile patterns, themed rooms, and ultra-modern design choices appeal to niche taste. They make your home harder to sell, not easier. Buyers mentally calculate the cost of undoing your choices, and that deduction comes straight off their offer price.

Sunroom Addition (in Cold Climates)

A sunroom or four-season room addition costs $30,000–$80,000 and returns only about 30%–40% in most northern markets, per the Cost vs. Value Report. In southern states with year-round usability, the calculus improves somewhat — but even there, a sunroom rarely breaks even.

Luxury Bathroom Upgrades Beyond the Neighborhood Standard

Steam showers, heated flooring, and spa-style soaking tubs in a neighborhood of starter homes don't translate to higher offers. Buyers in those neighborhoods aren't willing to pay a premium for luxury finishes they didn't expect. The rule of thumb: never be the most expensive home on the block.

Related: does a pool add value to your home.

Home Staging ROI

Staging isn't technically a renovation, but it directly impacts how buyers perceive your home's value — and it's one of the most efficient pre-sale investments you can make.

According to the National Association of Realtors' 2023 Profile of Home Staging, 81% of buyers' agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize a property as their future home. Staged homes sell 5–25% faster than unstaged homes and often attract offers at or above asking price.

Professional staging typically costs $2,000–$5,000 for a 90-day period, depending on your market and home size. The investment is small relative to the sale price, and real estate agents consistently rank staging among the highest-ROI pre-sale activities.

DIY staging on a budget:

• Declutter and depersonalize every room
• Deep clean (especially kitchens and bathrooms)
• Add fresh towels, neutral throws, and simple table settings
• Maximize natural light — open blinds, trim exterior vegetation near windows
• Remove excess furniture to make rooms feel larger

If you're working through a complete pre-sale checklist, our guide on how to sell your house walks through the full process from prep to closing.

Related: how to prepare your house for sale.

How to budget for home improvements before selling

The most expensive mistake in pre-sale renovations is over-investing — spending $50,000 on upgrades that return $25,000 at sale. The math is simple, but the discipline is harder. A budget framework keeps you from drifting into projects that don't pay back.

A two-step budgeting framework:

Step 1: Cap total renovation spend at a percentage of home value.

• Under 5% of home value: Cosmetic-only (paint, landscaping, light fixtures, minor repairs). Usually returns 60-100% at sale.
• 5-10% of home value: Small-system fixes plus targeted cosmetic upgrades (HVAC service, fresh paint, minor kitchen/bath updates). Returns vary by project; the ceiling for most sellers is 10% of home value.
• Above 10% of home value: Over-improving. Usually requires the home to be the best in its neighborhood to recover, which is rare.

Step 2: Allocate inside that cap by ROI rather than by room.

• Highest ROI (90-100%+): Garage door replacement (194% ROI), steel entry door (188%), manufactured stone veneer (153%), HVAC electrification (103%). These are usually under-$20K projects with outsized impact.
• Solid ROI (70-90%): Minor kitchen remodel (96%), wood deck addition (83%), vinyl siding (82%), mid-range bathroom remodel (74%).
• Mid ROI (50-70%): Vinyl window replacement (68%), composite deck (65%), roofing replacement (61%), bathroom addition (53%), mid-range major kitchen (50%).
• Lower ROI (under 50%): Upscale major kitchen (36%), upscale master suite addition (33%). Do these for lifestyle, not resale.

A few practical guardrails when the budget hits limits:

• Get three contractor quotes for any project over $5,000. Bid spreads on identical scopes are routinely 30-50%.
• Don't borrow for cosmetic projects. Financing a $20K kitchen update at 10%+ rates rarely pencils. If you must finance, see eight ways to finance your home renovation project for lower-cost options.
• Skip the upgrade entirely if you're selling in under 12 months. Many high-return projects (HVAC, roof) only pay back if you also enjoy them for a year or two.
• Compare against the cash-offer alternative. A no-obligation cash offer from Opendoor skips the renovation cycle entirely — useful as a benchmark for whether the renovate-then-list path actually nets more.

For more on which specific upgrades increase appraised value, see improvements that increase home value.

Related: does a new roof increase home value · things to repair before selling a house.

Related: should you make home improvements before listing.

Get an offer with a click of a button!

Sell your home directly to Opendoor, so you can skip all the hassle and months of uncertainty. Simply enter your address – and get our offer with a few simple steps.

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Related: eight ways to finance your home renovation project.

Hidden-value upgrades: what moves an appraisal that buyers don't see

Buyers fall in love with kitchens and curb appeal, but appraisers and inspectors look behind the walls. Some of the highest-leverage upgrades are invisible to a casual showing yet show up directly in the appraised value, the inspection report, or both. These are also the items that, if neglected, lead to renegotiation requests after the inspection.

The hidden-value moves worth budgeting for:

• Roof replacement when the existing roof is at end of life. Typical cost $30,680 with $18,689 in resale value — about 61% ROI per the Cost-vs-Value Report. The real win is that a buyer's inspection won't trigger a $15K-$25K repair credit if the roof is fresh.
• HVAC modernization (electrification or new heat pump). Cost $18,489, resale value $19,033, about 103% ROI. Lower energy bills are an additional buyer-signal.
• Electrical panel upgrade to 200-amp service. Typical cost $2,500-$4,000 200-amp panel upgrade typical cost. Removes a lender-and-inspector red flag and supports modern appliances and EV charging.
• Plumbing repipe (polybutylene or galvanized to PEX). Variable cost, but a known polybutylene or aging galvanized system is a deal-killer for many buyers and a discount-trigger for the rest.
• Insulation and attic air-sealing. Typically returns 15-25% in energy savings and improves comfort. Often invisible on showings but flagged in energy-efficiency reports.
• Foundation repair when warranted. Cosmetic foundation cracks aren't structural, but documented foundation work with engineering reports converts a deal-breaker disclosure into a fixed item.
• Drainage and grading at the perimeter. Inexpensive (often $500-$2,000 of gutter, downspout-extension, and grading work) and prevents water-intrusion findings that drive most renegotiations.
• GFCI outlets, smoke and CO detectors, and code-compliant railings. Each costs under $50 to fix and removes inspection-report items that erode buyer confidence in bulk.

None of these will headline the listing photos. Most won't even raise the asking price. But they protect the price you list at by removing the items a buyer's inspector would cite as renegotiation leverage. The right way to budget for hidden-value upgrades is as risk reduction, not appreciation. For a closer look at the seller-side prep cycle, see things to repair before selling a house.

How to Prioritize Improvements Before Selling

Knowing which projects have the best ROI is only half the equation. You also need a framework for deciding which improvements make sense for your home, in your market, at your budget.

Here's a simple four-step process:

Step 1: Get a Baseline Home Value Estimate

Before spending anything on renovations, know where you stand. Get a current estimate of your home's value through an online valuation tool, a comparative market analysis from an agent, or a pre-listing appraisal. This is your starting number.

Step 2: Identify Your Home's Weakest Comp Factors

Pull up recent sales of comparable homes in your neighborhood. Where does your home fall short? If every comp has updated kitchens and yours is original, a minor kitchen remodel is a priority. If all the comps have two bathrooms and yours has one, an addition could meaningfully close the gap. Understanding what goes into a home appraisal helps you anticipate what an appraiser will flag.

Step 3: Focus on High-ROI Projects First

Allocate your budget starting at the top of the ROI table and working down. Garage door, front door, and manufactured stone veneer collectively cost under $20,000 and can recover $30,000+ in resale value. Prioritize these before investing in larger interior remodels.

Step 4: Set a Renovation Budget at No More Than 10% of Home Value

A common over-improvement trap is spending $60,000 on renovations for a $300,000 home. The general guideline: keep your total pre-sale renovation budget at or below 10% of your home's estimated value. This protects you from spending more than you can recover. If the [cost of selling your house](https://www.opendoor.com/articles

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