8 Home Upgrades That Don’t Add Value When Selling

Some upgrades are not really upgrades when it comes to selling a home. The type of upgrades a home has can play a big role in how it sells, but what counts as an upgrade is often subjective. A seller may spend a lot of money on something they consider an upgrade, like granite countertops, and still find it adds little to no value at resale.

Whether an upgrade actually pays off depends on the property, the local market, comparable sales, the quality and condition of the work, and what buyers in that price range are already paying for. A real estate appraisal(opens in new tab) weighs all of those factors together, so it’s rarely as simple as “I spent money, therefore my home is worth more.”

In fact, some home buyers may walk in and feel an “upgraded” feature needs to be replaced immediately, simply because they don’t like the material, color, or finish. So what are the 8 upgrades that are not necessarily upgrades?

An Upgrade Can Improve a Home’s Appeal Without Increasing Its Value

This is the distinction that trips up a lot of sellers. Something can make a house look better, feel more updated, and attract more buyers to a showing, all without increasing the appraised or market value by anywhere close to what was spent on it.

Buyers don’t reimburse sellers dollar for dollar for improvements. In many cases an upgrade simply brings a home up to the standard buyers already expect at that price point, rather than pushing the home above it. A $70,000 kitchen renovation can absolutely help a home sell faster and show better, without the home actually being worth $70,000 more.

1. Granite Counters

There are countless countertop materials to choose from these days, and quartz and other engineered surfaces have become just as common as granite, if not more so. Some buyers want granite or corian while others prefer quartz or concrete. What’s “in” and what’s “out” is constantly changing.

Granite still carries a hefty price tag compared to an inferior countertop like Formica, but it’s unlikely a buyer will pay more for a home simply because it has granite. In some cases a buyer will want to replace it immediately, and in others it’s simply expected at that price point rather than seen as an upgrade at all.

2. Stainless Steel Appliances

Stainless steel appliances used to be the feature every buyer wanted. Today they’re common enough that they’re expected rather than impressive. Once something becomes standard, it stops functioning as an upgrade. Most buyers now care more about the brand, finish, and energy efficiency of an appliance than the fact that it’s stainless.

3. Custom Window Treatments

Window treatments can be costly, and if they’re custom the price tag can easily double. Some homeowners assume plantation shutters, custom blinds, or custom drapery will add value to their home, but that’s often not the case.

Custom window treatments of any kind can be extremely taste specific. Unless a buyer shares the exact same taste, these “custom upgrades” may end up in the garbage. When that happens, they won’t add any value to the home or be considered an upgrade.

4. Designer Wallpaper

Wallpaper has come a long way since the 1970s and 1980s, but wallpaper is still not an upgrade, even if it’s “designer wallpaper.” Like faux paintings, stencils, or murals, wallpaper is very taste specific.

Unlike paint, wallpaper isn’t easy to remove unless it’s peel and stick. Even then it can still cause damage to a wall, and if it’s been glued down it will be costly to remove.

5. Crown Molding

Crown molding and molding of any kind can be extremely costly, especially once a homeowner starts trimming out walls and ceilings. While some buyers see it as an upgrade, others don’t care for it at all, and it can actually decrease a home’s appeal to that buyer.

Removing molding from a wall or ceiling can cause real damage to those areas, which then need to be repaired, and the entire space usually needs to be repainted as well.

6. Wood Floors

Most buyers agree real hardwood floors are beautiful, and they’re often costly to install. Depending on where the home is located, hardwood floors may or may not be considered an upgrade. Some buyers expect hardwood at certain price points, while others prefer tile, engineered wood, or another flooring type entirely due to climate or personal taste.

Installation method varies by product. Some hardwood floors are nailed or stapled down, others are glued, and some are floated over the subfloor. Regardless of how they’re installed, flooring preferences vary widely by buyer and market, and an expensive flooring project doesn’t necessarily return its full cost when the home is sold. Refinishing and staining is usually a more budget-friendly path than a full replacement.

7. Shiplap and Barn Doors

Shiplap and barn doors are trend specific design choices, and how they’re received often comes down to timing and personal taste. While these features are pretty neutral overall, it’s unlikely they’ll deduct value from a home, but they aren’t seen as an upgrade either. Done tastefully, they can add overall appeal to a home and offer a subtle advantage during showings, but sellers shouldn’t expect to recoup more money for their home simply because they installed shiplap or a barn door.

8. Smart Homes

Smart home features have become far more mainstream since this list was first written, and many builders now include them standard rather than as an upsell. Smart thermostats, doorbell cameras, and smart locks can genuinely appeal to buyers, especially for the security and energy savings they offer.

That said, not every buyer wants more technology in their home. Some aren’t interested in learning new systems, and others simply prefer the simplicity of traditional fixtures. Because smart features are increasingly expected rather than exceptional, it’s unlikely a buyer will pay more for a home purely because it’s “smart,” even though the features themselves are appreciated.

Why Some Home Improvements Don’t Add Value

Looking at the eight examples above, a pattern emerges. Most home improvements that fail to add value fall into one of three categories.

• The improvement is already expected at that price point. Buyers pricing homes in a certain range often assume certain features come with the territory, whether that’s stainless appliances, updated flooring, or a renovated kitchen. Meeting that expectation helps a home compete, but it doesn’t push the value above it.
• The improvement is too personal or taste specific. Wallpaper, custom window treatments, and bold design choices can be beautiful to the seller and unappealing to the very next buyer who walks through the door. The more personal a choice is, the more likely it is to be removed rather than valued.
• The seller spent more than the local market supports. Even a well done, tasteful renovation has a ceiling. A kitchen or bathroom that costs far more than what similar homes in the neighborhood are selling for won’t be recouped dollar for dollar, no matter how nice it looks.

What counts as an upgrade also depends heavily on price point. A feature that helps a $400,000 home stand out may be considered standard in a $1 million home, and Wellington and the surrounding Palm Beach County market are no exception to that pattern.

What Should You Upgrade Before Selling?

Once you know where not to overspend, it’s worth redirecting that budget toward inexpensive upgrades that actually add home value. Sellers generally get more return from prioritizing:

• Deferred maintenance and any obvious cosmetic defects
• Neutral paint throughout the home
• A deep clean of every room
• Decluttering and depersonalizing the space
• Updated lighting fixtures
• Improved landscaping and curb appeal
• Dated fixtures and hardware, like faucets and cabinet pulls
• Improvements that are already expected in the home’s price range

If you’re not sure where to start, a room by room walkthrough focused on preparing your house for sale is a good place to begin, and pairing it with curb appeal improvements covers both the inside and the first impression buyers get before they walk through the door. If staging feels overwhelming, avoiding common staging mistakes can matter just as much as what you add to the home.

Popular Home Selling Questions

What home improvements don’t add value when selling? Improvements that are highly personal or taste specific, like custom wallpaper, custom window treatments, and elaborate molding, often don’t add value because the next buyer may not share the same taste. Features that have simply become expected at a given price point, like stainless steel appliances or granite counters, also tend not to add value since buyers already assume they’ll be there.

What upgrades should you avoid before selling a house? Avoid highly personalized or trend-driven upgrades that only appeal to a narrow set of buyers, especially ones that would be expensive to remove or reverse, like glued down wallpaper or extensive custom molding. It’s also worth avoiding any upgrade that would push your home’s price well above what similar homes in the area are selling for.

What upgrades add the most value when selling a home? Improvements that can contribute meaningful value or help protect a home’s value include an updated kitchen or bathroom and additional square footage, like an extra bedroom or bathroom. A new roof or new windows tend to matter more for maintaining value and preventing buyers from discounting the home than for creating a large premium. Curb appeal improvements and deferred maintenance also tend to offer a strong return relative to their cost.

Should you renovate your house before selling? It depends on the renovation and your local market. Smaller, broadly appealing updates like fresh paint, updated lighting, and fixing deferred maintenance usually make sense for most sellers. Larger renovations, like a full kitchen remodel, should be weighed carefully against what similar homes in your neighborhood are actually selling for, since it’s easy to overspend and not recoup the cost.

Do home improvements increase appraisal value? Some do, but not automatically or dollar for dollar. An appraiser considers the property’s condition, comparable sales, the quality of the work, and what buyers are paying for similar features in that market. An improvement that brings a home up to the standard of its neighborhood is more likely to be reflected in the appraisal than one that’s purely personal taste.

Final Thoughts

The real takeaway here isn’t a list of eight specific features, it’s a mindset. Don’t confuse expensive with valuable. Instead of asking how much you spent on an upgrade, ask whether buyers in your market will actually pay more for it.

Some of the upgrades covered here might make a home more appealing to a buyer, and appeal absolutely helps a home sell. But appeal and value aren’t the same thing, and some of these upgrades are simply expected at a given price point rather than upgrades at all.

Items that tend to add real value are usually big-ticket features, such as a renovated kitchen or bathroom, additional square footage, or a private swimming pool, while a new roof or new windows do more to protect value and prevent buyers from discounting the home. Even the value-adding items have a ceiling: spending $70,000 on a private pool doesn’t mean a home will be worth $70,000 more, because that outcome is highly unlikely.

So when pricing a home for sale, it’s worth taking a hard look at which “upgrades” are genuinely adding value, and which ones are expected,

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About the Author

Top Wellington Realtor, Michelle Gibson, wrote: “8 Home Upgrades That Don’t Add Value When Selling”

Michelle has been specializing in residential real estate since 2001 throughout Wellington Florida and the surrounding area. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or rent she will guide you through the entire real estate transaction. If you’re ready to put Michelle’s knowledge and expertise to work for you call or e-mail her today.

Areas of service include Wellington, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Greenacres, and more.