Special offer
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573, Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker (MOOERS REALTY)

Spam prevention
Rainmaker
4,571,656
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Actually here the answer is not short and it is certainly diverse.  It is likely hyper-local and possibly more defined than that since people are unique.  Cleanliness is important when establishing a good starting point and a desirable location....next....so many things come to mind....and then...poof... there is one more... 

Nov 30, 2019 08:48 AM
Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I am with Michael Jacobs on this one. Every home is unique.  One size "what works" does not fit in my market.  I just sold a home that was very dated. The only thing the seller did was clean it and landscaped the backyard.  We had multiple offers - home sold for over $1M. 

Nov 30, 2019 10:31 AM
Ambassador
6,392,899
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

A good map

Good boundaries, clearly marked and mapped

Timber and Wildlife habitat assessment

Trails

Food plots

and more.

 

Nov 30, 2019 08:33 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

In my marketplace, most of our listings are in the $500,000 to $650,000 range.... an updated kitchen and bathrooms are fully expected in that price range.....

Nov 30, 2019 09:41 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,171
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

White trim & 6 panel doors with slightly darker walls than before.

Kitchen cabinet upgrades

Laminate is just horrible so hardwood or the ceramic tile that looks like wood in the 6x16" panels.

New windows

Nov 30, 2019 12:35 PM
Rainmaker
1,502,858
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Kitchens and bathrooms bring the most money.  Those are probably the hardest to live through while remodeling (I know, I lived through a whole house remodel this year).  Modern, white shaker cabinets and light counters.  Plus good fixtures are key.

Urban "bedroom commuity" - Ventura County, CA

Nov 30, 2019 10:02 AM
Rainmaker
5,215,698
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Cleanliness tops the emotions list followed by kitchens and bathrooms, but all have their individual ideas and remodeling can be a crap shoot!

Dec 01, 2019 04:03 AM
Rainmaker
343,050
Mott Marvin Kornicki
Waterway Realtors® • Notary Public & Apostille - Sunny Isles, FL
Miami Notary & Apostille 786-229-7999

Almost always the return is found in the kitchen and baths. Naturally sound plumbing, roofing, electrical and structure are vital.

Nov 30, 2019 12:47 PM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Anything that makes the home brighter.

Nov 30, 2019 10:20 AM
Ambassador
2,178,433
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Dollar for dollar ROI... fresh neutral paint and cleaning.  As for specific upgrades, I don't recommend it if they're just going to sell because the dollar for dollar return isn't there. 

Our high-end luxury market here is limited. Not a market I ever specialized in.

Nov 30, 2019 10:12 AM
Rainmaker
2,390,010
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

I retired a year ago Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573 but fresh paint and new flooring always helped sell a home.

Nov 30, 2019 09:59 AM
Rainmaker
617,935
David Gibson CNE, 719-304-4684 ~ Colorado Springs Relocation
Colorado Real Estate Advisers LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Relocation, Luxury & Lifestyle residential

Andrew,

My market includes starter homes, move up and luxury.

I agree with Michael Jacobs who said:

“Actually here the answer is not short and it is certainly diverse.”

But here is where I start with clients who are thinking of listing regardless of the location, age of the house, style, etc.

# 1 We have to have at least a dozen very good pictures for the MLS. Buyers and buyer agents make their first “buying” decision about a house from the pictures in the MLS. While it is wonderful if you have a top of the line kitchen, and master suite I’ve had many houses that didn’t have that yet still got my buyers to ask to see the property.

# 2 I ask sellers, “what are the 3-5 reasons, other than price, someone will buy your property over all the other properties available.” I have previously sent them all of their “competition.”

At first they tend to think too highly of their property (halo effect) but as they settle in they get serious in their assessment of their property. We then embark on two simultaneous approaches.

# A Whatever their best points are, we try to make those even better. Maybe some paint, new light fixtures, etc.

# B Whatever their weak points are we try to move those from weak to at least neutral if not a plus.

Unless it is just an “as is” listing in poor condition, I pay for professional staging and photography for all of my listings. I don’t give the seller a chance to go cheap or wait and maybe do it later. If you want me to list your house staging and photography are included in my commission.

So before I bring in the stager and professional photographer the seller and I talk through which pictures will be taken. I may even have them shoot a draft photo with their phone. They look at that photo and it helps determine if we need to paint or do other work.

The key is to make the most of what you’ve got and to the degree possible, favorably differentiate yourself from the competition.

Nov 30, 2019 09:38 AM
Rainmaker
7,835,260
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Updating the kitchen

Nov 30, 2019 09:16 AM
Rainmaker
536,943
Rose Mary Justice
Synergy Realty Pros - Dandridge, TN
Synergy Realty Pros

Neighborhood, kitchen and baths.

Nov 30, 2019 01:49 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Updated kitchens and bathrooms always sell; screened porches are very popular.  Fresh neutral paint and updated floors also sell. Age of mechanicals is alway a factor. As for all the rest... this is the stuff of entire blog posts which I'm not ready to write here and now.... as it's really hard to generalize.

Nov 30, 2019 12:49 PM
Rainmaker
629,608
Tom Bailey
Margaret Rudd & Associates Inc. - Oak Island, NC

Bathrooms and kitchens Are what matters 

Nov 30, 2019 11:05 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

I am in agreement with Michael Jacobs 

Nov 30, 2019 10:45 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,013
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Function rules the day along with being in good condition around here

Nov 30, 2019 10:07 AM
Ambassador
5,048,718
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Updating the kitchen and master bath is likely to bring the most, but it will depend on the house and the area...tract homes versus not, neighborhood. Adding a bath where there is only 1 could make a big difference as another example.

Nov 30, 2019 05:06 PM
Rainer
509,449
Susie Kay
Ultra Real Estate Dallas Fort Worth - Plano, TX
North Dallas Specialist

To sell the home, nice kitchen and master bed/bath.  This is regardless of the price range. In the upper price range such as $500k and above, even with updated kitchen and master the home may stay longer on the market.  That's because there are not that many people who qualify financially, plus there are more competition.  Also we have many people from different backgrounds and cultures.  Eventhough they qualify they are not willing to pay.   I have sold many homes in the $300k range while the buyers actually qualify in the $500k and $600k range. 

Dec 01, 2019 10:49 AM
Rainmaker
901,187
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

In our area, it really depends on price point and town. We have urban, suburban, and rural areas. Overall, the kitchen and floors are important. It really depends on the area as to what updates are expected. Granite or quartz is put in about every new kitchen so re-sales are expected to have granite or quartz in most areas. Cabinets are scrutinized more. It is so easy to paint cabinets these days. Most people seem to love white. Flooring can be wood or LVP for main areas. In rural areas people seem to be OK with laminate. It seems you find handy people in rural areas and they aren't as concerned about little things. They know how to fix and upgrade. That is a generalization that seems to hold true for now. Bathrooms would be next on the list. In higher end homes, people expect the nice upgraded kitchens, baths, and floors. They love screen porches and nice outdoor entertaining areas although those don't always seem to bring higher values, just faster sales.

Dec 01, 2019 06:24 AM
Rainmaker
4,882,349
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Paint, carpet, and front landscaping.

Dec 01, 2019 06:19 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Here in Southern NH we have 3 types of markets. Starter homes 150k-230k, mid level 250k to 350k and luxury $500,000 plus. Most common update and renovations buyer want are new roof, new windows, new kitchen, new baths, new furnace, new flooring

Dec 01, 2019 06:12 AM
Ambassador
3,383,334
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

In middle income suburbs of DC, well outside the beltway, neural paint, luxury vinyl plank flooring and granite counters are crowd pleasers.

Dec 01, 2019 11:46 AM
Rainmaker
2,182,502
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

Kitchen and baths, flooring and some Landscaping

Dec 01, 2019 08:04 AM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

No, no top $$ in return. 

Most of the buyers in our area buying second home ans want to update themselves.

Dec 02, 2019 11:21 AM
Ambassador
5,229,290
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Top Updates in the Charlotte Market:

  • Kitchens (full renos - cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring [if necessary])
  • Baths
  • Outdoor hardscaping (porches, patios, fireplaces, grill/kitchen areas, etc.)
  • flooring
  • lighting
  • neutral paint

All of those and making sure maintenance is up-to-date are a recipe for great ROI, high list-to-sales price and a quick sale. However, that's here - I'm not sure what your market supports.

Dec 01, 2019 08:08 PM
Rainer
337,754
Adam Feinberg
Elegran - Manhattan, NY
NYC Condo, Co-op, and Townhouse Advisor

98% of sales are condo and co-op apartments (2% are townhouses/brownstones). Speaking to the majority of the market- apartment sales, since sellers can't control the exterior, lobbies or other common area spaces- renovations are purely geared toward interior spaces. Entry level renovations start at $350/sq ft including carrying costs for the duration of the project is standard, though luxury starts at $500/sq ft and goes up from there. Gut renovation is expected in apartments not updated in more than a few decades. Most Pre-war apartments require replacement of plumbing branch lines even if you are doing minor updates in the kitchen and baths (which is among the reasons why renovation costs tend to be so high) - so it makes sense to do total gut renovations in many cases. Updated electrical is also expected.  Standard finishes are stainless steel high end appliances, stone counters, semi-custom mill work with kitchens opened if possible. Higher end renos include waterfall kitchen islands, full custom mill work, central A/C added, W/D added if permitted, etc. 

Dec 30, 2019 06:03 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,372
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Kitchens and master bath are the two items buyers in Denver are looking for.

Dec 06, 2019 08:28 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,896
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

We all know renovated kitchens and baths score high. Beyond those two items, it is up to the wants of each prospective buyer

Dec 03, 2019 08:34 AM
Rainmaker
2,071,025
Evelina Tsigelnitskaya
SIB Realty - Sunny Isles Beach, FL

I am going to read your post, thank you. 

 

Dec 02, 2019 09:39 PM