Return on Home Improvement Investments

(2007 HomeGain Survey of over 2,000 real estate agents nationwide)

Improvement	Typical Cost	Increase in Sales Price	Average Return	Agents Who Recommend
Professional Home Staging	$403 - $584	$1,938 - 2,431	343%	91%
Lighten & Brighten	$233 – 370	$1,178 – 1,566	355%	97%
Clean & De-Clutter	$190 – 318	$1,505 – 1,937	578%	97%
Landscape Front/Back Yards	$378 – 546	$1,718 – 2,158	319%	97%
Fix Plumbing, Electrical	$436 – 621	$1,205 – 1,590	164%	93%
Repair Damaged Flooring	$628 – 878	$1,633 – 2,061	145%	94%
Update Kitchen & Bathrooms	$1,404 – 1,828	$3,216 – 3,934	121%	87%
Replace or Shampoo Carpeting	$562 – 808	$1,532 – 1,950	154%	98%
Paint Exterior Walls	$663 – 938	$1,757 – 2,205	147%	88%
Paint Interior Walls	$651 – 920	$1,741 – 2,179	150%	97%
2007 HomeGain Survey of 2,000 real estate agents nationwide found that moderately priced home improvements, ranging from $80–2,800, made in preparation for sale actually yield the highest returns when a house is sold.