Which upgrades will get you the most at resale?

Personally, I think one of the most important upgrades you can choose is the lot. Whether it's trees, creek, a greenbelt, water view, park view...anything other than just the typical interior subdivision lot, the better you look at resale compared to the competition. Of course, there are some views that can be perceived as negative like power lines, busy roads or highways or commercial developments.

The next upgrade choices are inside. Flooring is a good place to put money with wood, then tile, then higher grade/thicker carpet pad being the order I would choose. Kitchens these days need to have granite. I listed a property in Autumn Ridge where all the houses were built in the mid 1990's. The seller had completely redone the kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, fresher cabinets, etc and there were multiple offers the first 2 days on market. It sold above asking price in a so-so market largely due the smart kitchen upgrade she had done. Fixtures including plumbing, lighting and hardware should definitely be on the list too. And, if you have mid-1990's "gold" plated door handles and ceiling fans....they aren't ever coming back- get rid of them!

Other options to consider are specific rooms like a study, gameroom and media room. As many of these as possible as appropriate for your square footage are popular with buyers.

These opinions apply to mid-priced homes. Entry level properties follow the same rules but on a smaller scale. You can call/email me for thoughts on luxury homes.