What Projects Actually Add Value to Your Home in 2026?

By Darren Ricketts

Darren Ricketts is the Team Leader of the Ricketts Group at eXp Realty, serving clients throughout Eugene, Oregon, and the surrounding areas.

Spring has sprung, and with it comes the number one question I get from clients getting ready to list: where do we spend, and where do we stop?

I had this exact conversation recently with a wonderful couple over on Sweet Brier in Southeast Eugene. Great house, great clients, and a laundry list of things we could do to get the property ready for market. The question was not what could be done. It was what should be done. Because the goal is never to remodel the whole house. The goal is to do the things that net you, as the seller, the most money at the sale.

In their case, we focused on paint, resurfacing their beautiful hardwood floors, cleaning things up, and getting the windows ready. Cost-effective work that made the home appealing to buyers without going over the top. We did not replace countertops. We did not redo the cabinets. There’s a long list of things that do not need to happen on a normal prep, and an equally important list of things that absolutely do.

So let me walk you through how I think about this, with the data to back it up.

What not to do. The biggest mistake I see sellers make is going all in on a high-end kitchen remodel or luxury landscaping. Worse than either of those is starting a project and not finishing it.

The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report shows that an upscale kitchen remodel returns just 36% of what you spend. For every dollar you put in, you get less than 40 cents back. That’s not a good investment, and it’s not a good use of your time. Meanwhile, buyers are looking for homes that are clean, complete, and move-in ready, not a work in progress. If you start a project, you have to finish it.

Going one step deeper: even on the projects that do return value, the goal isn’t just to break even. If you spend $10,000 on a kitchen update and the home sells for $10,000 more, all you have done is shuffle money around and burn time doing it. The work has to actually net you a gain.

Focus on first impressions. This is where your money really counts, and the data backs it up. The number one project for ROI right now is replacing your garage door. The return on investment is approximately 268%. That’s not a typo. Why does it work? Because buyers buy homes based on emotion, and the garage door is one of the first things they see.

A good first impression leaves a strong, lasting emotion in a buyer’s mind. That’s where deals start to move in your direction before the buyer ever walks through the front door.

Inside the home, the secret is mid-range updates done well. A modest kitchen refresh returns about 113%, compared to the 36% you get on a major upscale remodel. That’s a massive gap for what is often a much smaller project. New countertops can work. So can new flooring where the existing one is worn.

My favorite recommendation, though, is new light fixtures. They give the property a real facelift, they make the home feel modern in the buyer’s mind, and they are not expensive to do.

The rest is small but meaningful. Replace worn carpet. Tidy up the yard without going into a full landscaping project. Make sure the paints are neutral, light, and bright. Buyers want to walk in and imagine themselves living there. Anything that gets in the way of that imagination is working against your sale.

Make sure you have the right team. None of this matters if the work is done poorly. The right contractor is everything. Do your due diligence. Ask friends and neighbors for referrals.

After working with hundreds of sellers, I’ve built a terrific team of trusted contractors, including general contractors, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, professional cleaners, and painters.

A solid contractor will help you stay on budget, offer honest suggestions, and get the job done right the first time. Cutting corners may seem like a way to save money, but it almost always ends up costing more in the end.

Get your bids in writing. That alone will save you money as the project moves along.

Let’s plan it together. If you are planning to sell this spring and want to focus on the improvements that will actually add value, not just the expensive ones, I’d love to help. I’ve walked hundreds of clients through this process. I also spent years as a finished carpenter and a house flipper, which means I’ve done this work myself and know what actually moves a sale.

Call me or email me, and we’ll set up a free strategy call. Just make sure to reach out well in advance, especially if you are planning any major updates before listing.

Call or text me at 541-852-2565, email darren@rickettsgroup.net, or visit blog.rickettsgroup.net.