Harv Balu's blog

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 8 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

A backyard deck is one of those projects that feels like a sure thing. You picture summer dinners outside, and you tell yourself the deck will pay for itself when you sell. But does a wood deck really put money back in your pocket at closing, or does it mostly buy you a nicer backyard?

Here is the short answer. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a wood deck ranked number 8 of the 20 projects this guide covers. On average, sellers saw about 66 cents back for every dollar they...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 9 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Your front door is the first thing buyers touch. If yours is dented, drafty, or just plain tired, you have probably wondered whether a new steel door is worth the money before you sell. Or would paint do the job?

Here is the short answer. A basic steel entry door is one of the better small projects on the list. It ranked number 9 of the 20 projects this guide covers, the study a real estate training course was built on. On average it brought back about 65 cents for every dollar...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 10 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

A deck is one of those projects you can picture right away: summer dinners outside, kids running in and out, a quiet coffee on a Saturday morning. Then the quotes come in, and the question changes. If you spend real money on a composite deck, will you see any of it again when you sell your home?

The short answer: some of it, but not all of it. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a composite deck ranked number 10 of the 20 projects this guide covers, returning about 63 cents...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 11 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Your front door is the first thing a buyer touches. Before anyone sees the kitchen, they stand at your entry and form an opinion. So it is fair to ask: if you spend real money on a beautiful fiberglass entrance, does any of it come back when you sell?

The short answer: some of it comes back, but on average not all of it. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, this project ranked number 11 of the 20 projects this guide covers. It returned about 61 cents back for every dollar you...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 12 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Your roof does its job quietly until the year it does not. Maybe your insurance company just asked how old it is. Maybe you are thinking about selling and wondering whether a tired roof will scare buyers away, or whether a new one will pay you back. It is one of the biggest checks a homeowner writes, so the question deserves a straight answer.

Here is the short version. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a new asphalt shingle roof returned about 61 cents back for every...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 13 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Your hall bathroom is stuck in another decade, and you are wondering the obvious thing. If you spend real money to redo it, will the sale price of your home pay you back?

The short answer is no, not fully, and that is normal. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a midrange bathroom remodel ranked number 13 of the 20 projects this guide covers. It returned about 60 cents back for every dollar spent. That is the same study a real estate training course was built on. Keep...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 14 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Maybe a parent is moving in. Maybe you want to stay in your home for decades to come. Either way, you are wondering the same thing: if you make your bathroom wheelchair accessible, will you get that money back when you sell?

The short answer is no, not most of it. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, this project brought back about 58 cents for every dollar spent. It ranked number 14 of the 20 projects this guide covers. But resale is only half the story, and for many...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 15 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

You are standing in a kitchen that has seen better days, and you are wondering the same thing most Bay Area homeowners wonder. If you spend real money on a full kitchen remodel, will the house sell for enough more to cover it?

The short answer is no, not on average. A midrange major kitchen remodel ranked number 15 out of the 20 projects this guide covers. Homeowners got back only part of what they spent. That does not make it a bad project. It just means the remodel should be for...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 16 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Your roofer just quoted you a metal roof, and the number made you blink. Now you are asking the same thing most Bay Area homeowners ask: if I spend that much, will I see the money again when I sell?

The short answer is mostly no. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a standing seam metal roof ranked number 16 of the 20 projects this guide covers. It brought back about 56 cents for every dollar spent. This post walks through the numbers so you can decide with clear eyes.

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 17 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

You have seen the pictures: a deep soaking tub, warm tile underfoot, a stone counter with two sinks. If your bathroom feels cramped and dated, a full upscale remodel is tempting. But before you spend serious money, you probably want to know one thing. When you sell your home, how much of that money comes back to you?

The short answer: not much of it. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, an upscale bathroom remodel ranked number 17 out of the 20 projects this guide covers for...