Affordable Home Renovations with the Highest ROI in 2025

Home Renovations worth your money.

Preparing you home for sale is often an investment of both time and money. It can also be very difficult to accept that areas of your home need to be updated in order to meet the high standards of todays buyers, and also to compete with other homes on the market. Luckily, there are lots of small changes you can make that will have a big impact in the perceived value of your home. Its important to keep in mind that buyers determine the market value of a home, so we definitely want to cater to them and present our home in its best light. Below we will discuss the top affordable renovations to consider in 2025 to attract todays buyers and sell for top dollar.

Paint

The best ROI on this list goes to a new paint job. It can make your home look new and fresh, not to mention the right paint colours will make your home appear larger and truly shine online. My top paint recommendation is Benjamin Moore's White Dove. It is a perfectly neutral shade and it photographs beautifully. Your first showing with todays buyers is online so you definitely want to invest in this home improvement.

*Pro Tip: Ensure you use good quality paint and that the work is well done. Buyers will not be impressed by drippy paint marks and patchy walls. Don't forget to touch up trim and ceilings too!

Kitchen Refresh

Buyers ALWAYS remember a kitchen, so its no surprise this is the area where I would recommend you spend some money to update. Top recommendations here: Spray cabinets a fresh light colour, install new hardware and a new faucet, and add a backsplash. Another great update that is fairly budget friendly is installing a new countertop. I love a beautiful butcher block countertop, and the good news is this type of counter can be installed yourself. **Make sure you avoid T Bar Pulls, they are everyone's least favourite style, and I have personally lost many sweaters to these annoying handles.

I love a butcherblock countertop like this.

Main takeaway: Unless your doing an entire kitchen gut, there's no point in spending a ton of money on anything else in this space. If your kitchen area is small, buying new cabinets and appliances does not solve the space issue, so just freshen the space up and use lighter colours to make it appear larger and more open.

*Pro Tip: I don't actually recommend you replace appliances that are in good working order. You will never get a ROI on appliances because buyers expect to have a working dishwasher in every home they look at. Same goes for your washing machine and dryer. While its always nice to have these appliances new and shiny, buyers wont pay more for something that is already expected in the first place. Replacing appliances is generally considered to be maintenance, so don't replace them unless they are no longer functioning properly.

Bathroom Facelift

The two bathrooms I recommend updating are the main floor washroom, and the primary ensuite. Installing a new bathroom cabinet, light fixture, mirror, and faucet are great ways to instantly update and refresh these spaces and impress buyers. No one wants to see a bathroom that hasn't been touched in 20 years. Luckily bathrooms are relatively small spaces, so updating them is a relatively small and affordable project that will definitely pay off.

*Pro Tip: Whatever you do, just make sure you don't remove all the bathtubs in your home, this will immediately turn off all young families and severely limit your buyer pool.

Lighting

If you have any track lighting or yellow toned dome lights, you need to replace these fixtures. They draw the eye in a negative way and make a space immediately look older. They also make hallways seem smaller, so it makes a big difference when you replace them with modern portlights or modern kitchen chandeliers. I've linked my top chandelier pick from Home Depot, its under 200$! Aim for matte black finishes or white, avoid gold tones which can look cheap if its not the right finish.

Popcorn Ceiling

This light and ceiling combination has got to go!

Of all my recommendations, this one is by far everyone's least favourite item to tackle. I know its a messy job, but it dates your home by about 20 years, and it is making your hallways and rooms appear smaller. It makes such a difference, wait until you see how yellow it actually is when you start removing it!

Continuous Flooring

There's nothing worse than walking into a home and spotting three different types of flooring throughout the space. If your home has old carpet, tile, or mismatched hardwood floors you may want to consider investing in one type of continuous flooring. Not only does it make the home appear larger, it provides a cohesive look that gives a home a beautiful flow.

Mixed flooring like this is making your home appear small and dated.

Top Flooring Recommendations:

Engineered Hardwood: Buyers love it, its long lasting, cheaper than hardwood, and is not susceptible to temperature fluctuations like solid hardwood.

Avoid: Carpet

Every single Buyer hates to see this flooring. What they see is a job, and you don't want them to be thinking about how they will have to rip up unhygienic flooring in your home, instead of planning where their furniture would go.

Best Space to Add:

Finished Basement

Even though below grade square footage isn't added into your homes total square footage on your MLS listing, every young family loves to see this space finished. Its always such a nice bonus when they see the extra potential to entertain in a home and gain a flexible play area. Having a finished basement can make your home stand out on the market, and serve to attract more buyers, just keep the floor plan open and be sure to add a small bathroom to maximize the value of this space.

***I want to make sure you understand that these are cosmetic changes that will make your home more sellable to todays buyers. However, most real estate deals fall apart in the inspection stage. It is imperative that you do not attempt any of these renovations if you have any mechanical or structural issue that need to be addressed. Think, a roof that needs to be replaced, or a HVAC system that has seen better days.

A home can have 'good bones' and not be updated, as long as its clean and well maintained. many buyers like the idea of a clean slate, and a home they can customize.

Seller Renovation Guide

The more you can make your home appear move-in ready, the better perceived value your home will have in todays competitive market. Maintaining your home is the best investment you can make, and when your ready to hit the market be sure to focus on these areas, and you will be sure to attract all the active buyers and secure a great offer.

If your unsure where to begin, check out my sellers handbook for a guide to home renovations and updates based on your homes true condition.

Home renovations for the win!