13 Home Upgrades for Under $2K That Actually Pay Off (Insider Tips From a Realtor)

Whether you plan to list your home on the market or you simply want to make your house stylish, there are big improvements you can make while keeping money in your pocket.

Lauren Madaline, a Delaware Realtor with Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate/Luxury Portfolio International, shared her best tips for projects that will give your home a fresh new look and show it off in its best light for buyers. 

The best part? Each will run you less than $2,000, and the payoff could far exceed the investment.

“Give your home a bath!” says Madaline. You don’t realize how dirty your home is until you take a power washer to it.

You can rent a power washer if you don’t have one on hand, or if you have a slightly higher budget, you can hire someone to tackle the job. Madaline recommends that you “include siding of the home, patio, walkways, sidewalks, and decks.”

Fresh new landscaping doesn’t have to mean hiring a crew to totally redo your yard. Simple changes can make your yard look neat and tidy.

“Clean up shrubs, weeds, mulch, edge, and always put out fresh flowers at the front door,” advises Madaline.

Clean your windows, and you’ll be shocked by how much additional light makes its way into your home.

Dirt, dust, and pollution can create a film that isn’t immediately visible to the naked eye, but it makes a huge difference when you compare the before and after.

The average cost for a professional window cleaner is $10 to $15 per window.

“Have up-to-date service contracts,” recommends Madaline, and make sure you take advantage of them.

Get the mechanical parts of your home — HVAC, water heater — and roof serviced seasonally or annually, and make sure to have your pest service come once every quarter.

These are the things you can’t see, but they make a big difference in the state of your home and will help you keep more money in your wallet over time.

No matter how clean your house is, if your storage areas are filled to the brim, the entire house feels cluttered.

“Declutter to show off your space, including your storage spaces, like basements and garages,” says Madaline.

“Paint your rooms neutral colors — and the same color throughout,” recommends Madaline.

Pick an easygoing neutral, like a warm white, then use it throughout the hallways, common spaces, and any area that’s part of an open floor plan. For buyers, this creates a blank canvas.

“Old carpet? Either replace or, better yet, remove it. If you have hardwoods hiding underneath, let them show,” says Madaline.

Replacing wall-to-wall carpet will run between $2 and $9 per square foot when it’s professionally installed, so most rooms will come in under $2,000.

If you don’t have the budget for a full bathroom renovation, you can still spruce up the space to look shiny and new for buyers. “Add new and fresh hand towels, rugs, shower curtains, and bathmats,” recommends Madaline.

Skip the expensive kitchen renovation and, instead, make a few strategic upgrades that won’t break the bank.

“Replace dated kitchen countertops with quartz or granite and update the hardware on the cabinets,” says Madaline. You can even DIY the hardware installation to save more money.

If you’re putting your house up for sale, Madaline advises, “Hire a stager! They can help rearrange your existing furniture to maximize your space and entice buyers. They can also choose paint colors and tell you what needs to go — like personal photos.”

As long as the stager isn’t bringing in an entire house of rented furniture, you shouldn’t pay more than a few hundred dollars for consulting and editing.

Most people don’t give a second thought to lightbulbs — unless they notice they’re out. And that’s exactly what you don’t want.

“Make sure every lightbulb is working and the same voltage and ‘color,’” says Madaline. Choose daylight or soft white, and stick to it.

You only get one chance at a first impression, so make sure the front door is eye-catching. Paint it a vibrant color so buyers will immediately notice your house from the street. Try red or royal blue for a color that’s both classic and bold.

Ceiling light fixtures are one of the first items that can date a house, but luckily they’re easy and inexpensive to replace on your own.

Try hanging a new dining room chandelier or installing new hall lights. You can make a huge impact with an afternoon of work and a few hundred dollars.

There’s no telling what the real estate market will do in the coming months and years, so the best thing you can do is make sure your house is poised to look its best. Consider opening a new bank account so you can stash away money for home upgrades, and you’ll be ready when the time is right.

Taking on a full renovation before selling isn’t always a good idea, both because of budget and because you don’t know the future buyer’s taste. But making these small upgrades may be the difference between a home that looks dated and tired and one that has buyers lining up for the open house.