Home sales are hitting record highs in many markets this year, and for sellers, that raises one big question: which upgrades are actually worth the money before you list? NBC's Today Show recently dug into that exact question, and the answer might surprise you. It's not the big-ticket kitchen and bathroom overhauls that buyers respond to most. It's a handful of simpler, less expensive fixes that offer some of the biggest returns.
Ace Handyman Services, the home repair and improvement service affiliated with Ace Hardware, was featured in the segment to help break down the data and put it into action for a New Jersey homeowner preparing to sell.
Watch the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie6Uda4pVdk
The Renovations With the Biggest Return
Homeowners often assume a full kitchen or bathroom remodel is what it takes to sell a house, sometimes budgeting $75,000 to $100,000 for that kind of work. The data tells a different story.
The segment drew on Ace Handyman Services' own home improvement ROI study, which ranked 25 common projects by resale value added against average job cost. A new garage door topped the list, delivering roughly a 268% return on investment. A $6,000 garage door replacement can add $14,000 to $15,000 in resale value, largely because of the impact it has on curb appeal.
Refinished front and back doors ranked next, offering about a 216% return. In the featured home, the existing doors were sanded down to bare wood, re-primed, and repainted to match the home's shutters, at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Cosmetic Fixes Beat Full Remodels
The bigger takeaway from the segment: buyers respond to a home that looks cared for, not necessarily a home with brand-new everything.
Instead of replacing kitchen cabinets, an outdoor deck, and a fireplace facade, the homeowners in the segment simply patched and painted them. The result looked updated and current for a cost of just a few hundred dollars, with nothing sent to the landfill in the process.
Other low-cost upgrades called out as high-return moves include:
- Basic lawn care to boost curb appeal
- Refinishing existing hardwood floors instead of replacing them
- A deep clean of the entire home before listing
On that last point, the segment was direct about what turns buyers off fastest: lingering odors, especially anything pet-related. A clean, neutral-smelling home consistently outperforms a home that smells lived-in, no matter how updated it is.
All told, the homeowners featured in the segment spent about $3,000 on these fixes. Ace Handyman Services estimates the return could be up to five times that amount when the home sells. For the complete breakdown of all 25 ranked projects, along with average cost and resale value added for each, see the full ROI study.
What Not To Fix If You're Selling Soon
Just as important as knowing what to fix is knowing what to skip. If a sale is on the horizon, the segment recommended holding off on:
- Closet remodels
- New outdoor decks, patios, or fire features
- Sprinkler system installations
These upgrades tend to bring a far lower return than what they cost to install, largely because buyers prefer to customize outdoor spaces and storage to their own taste rather than pay a premium for someone else's choices.
The exception: if you plan to stay in your home for several more years, these are still worthwhile investments for your own enjoyment. The calculation only changes when a sale is the near-term goal.
The Bottom Line
You don't need a six-figure renovation budget to make a strong impression on buyers. A clean, well-maintained home with a few smart, targeted fixes, like a new garage door, refinished doors, fresh paint, and a deep clean, can deliver a return that far outpaces the cost.
As one of the Today Show anchors put it once the segment wrapped: “We all want that Ace Handyman in our lives.”
If you're planning to sell and want an expert opinion on which projects are worth your time and budget, Ace Handyman Services can help you prioritize the right fixes before your home hits the market.
Ready to get your home sale-ready? Schedule a project with your local Ace Handyman Services team today.