spending money on floors. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. For an estimated average investment of $600 to $900, brokers report that the return in value comes in at up to $2,000. You can spend even less than that — some well-placed nails can eliminate distracting squeaks. Other small projects with a big impact include repairing broken tile, patching damaged floor boards, and tossing out the wall-to-wall carpeting. • Bath upgrades offer the best ROI. Almost all real estate agents and brokers say updating the kitchen and bath is the best bet for adding to a home’s value. It may not be economical to do a major renovation if you are trying to spend as little as possible before putting a house up for sale. However, some upgrades are cheap, easy, and fast, especially in the bathroom. Replace frosted glass in favor of clear glass, clean the grout, remove rust stains, apply fresh caulk, update doorknobs and cabinet pulls, replace faucets, and install a low-flush toilet. Even buying a new toilet seat can make a difference. • Use neutral wall colors. If you’re getting ready to put a house on the market, don’t allow walls with chipped or cracked paint to go unmaintained. If you need to do more than a touch up, choose neutral colors. Sellers are well- advised to get out of their personal taste. Buyers want to be able to project their own ideas onto a space, and sellers can help with neutral wall colors. • Remove the “question marks” from your house. Some real estate agents call this the “what’s that?” factor, and whatever it is (1950s wallpaper, a broken front step or cracked threshold, green-and-blue vinyl flooring), fix it or remove it.
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