Which home improvements actually pay off when you are getting ready to sell?
It is one of the most common questions Bryan and Rene Vance hear from sellers across Hillsboro, Highland County, and Southern Ohio — and it deserves a straight answer.
The honest truth is that not every improvement you make to your home will come back to you at the closing table. In fact, some of the most expensive renovation projects return less than half of what you spend. Knowing the difference before you write a single check could save you thousands of dollars and help you walk away from your sale with significantly more money in your pocket.
Here is what the 2025 national data actually shows.
The Projects With the Highest Return on Investment
According to 2025 national averages compiled by Remodeling Magazine, these are the home improvement projects delivering the strongest returns for sellers:
| Project | Average Cost | Resale Value Added | Cost Recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage Door Replacement | $4,672 | $12,507 | 268% |
| Entry Door Replacement — Steel | $2,435 | $5,270 | 216% |
| Manufactured Stone Veneer | $11,702 | $24,328 | 208% |
| Fiber-Cement Siding Replacement | $21,485 | $24,420 | 114% |
| Minor Kitchen Remodel — Midrange | $28,458 | $32,141 | 113% |
| Vinyl Siding Replacement | $17,950 | $17,313 | 97% |
| Backup Power Generator | $13,534 | $12,902 | 95% |
| Wood Deck Addition | $18,263 | $17,323 | 95% |
What jumps out immediately from this list?
The three highest returning projects — garage door replacement, steel entry door replacement, and manufactured stone veneer — are all exterior improvements. They are relatively affordable, highly visible, and they create immediate curb appeal that influences a buyer’s first impression before they ever step inside your home.
A garage door replacement, averaging $4,672 and adding $12,507 in resale value, is not a renovation — it is one of the smartest financial moves a seller can make.
A new steel entry door at $2,435 that returns $5,270 is in the same category. These are not glamorous projects. But they work.
The Middle Ground — Projects That Return Close to What You Spend
Some projects fall into a break-even range where you recover most but not all of your investment. These can still make sense depending on the condition of your home and what buyers in your local market expect:
| Project | Average Cost | Resale Value Added | Cost Recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite Deck Addition | $25,096 | $22,199 | 89% |
| Fiberglass Grand Entrance | $11,754 | $9,959 | 85% |
| Midrange Bath Remodel | $26,138 | $20,915 | 80% |
| Vinyl Window Replacement | $22,073 | $16,657 | 76% |
| HVAC Electrification Conversion | $19,484 | $14,053 | 72% |
| Basement Remodel | $52,012 | $36,905 | 71% |
| Wood Window Replacement | $26,781 | $18,764 | 70% |
| Asphalt Shingle Roof Replacement | $31,871 | $21,501 | 68% |
A roof replacement returning 68 percent is worth noting. While it does not fully pay for itself in resale value a damaged or aging roof is often a deal killer in negotiations. Sometimes these projects are less about adding value and more about protecting the value you already have.
The Projects Where You Spend More Than You Get Back
This is where sellers need to be most careful. These projects represent significant investments that nationally return less than 60 percent of their cost at resale:
| Project | Average Cost | Resale Value Added | Cost Recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Design Bath Remodel | $42,183 | $25,812 | 61% |
| Midrange Bathroom Addition | $60,645 | $32,347 | 53% |
| Midrange Major Kitchen Remodel | $82,793 | $42,130 | 51% |
| Metal Roof Replacement | $51,865 | $25,972 | 50% |
| Backyard Patio | $51,454 | $23,672 | 46% |
| Upscale Bath Remodel | $81,612 | $34,000 | 42% |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit | $166,406 | $68,656 | 41% |
| Upscale Bathroom Addition | $111,255 | $40,526 | 36% |
| Upscale Major Kitchen Remodel | $164,104 | $58,561 | 36% |
| Midrange Primary Suite Addition | $170,517 | $55,097 | 32% |
| Solar Power Installation | $55,937 | $16,625 | 30% |
| Upscale Primary Suite Addition | $351,613 | $63,136 | 18% |
A $164,000 kitchen remodel that returns $58,561 is a significant loss from a pure resale standpoint. An upscale primary suite addition at $351,613, returning only 18 percent, is a project that makes sense if you plan to enjoy it for years, but not if your primary motivation is increasing your sale price.
Solar installations returning just 30 percent nationally is a figure that surprises many sellers. The perceived value of solar does not yet translate consistently into higher sale prices across most markets.
An Important Note About These Numbers
These figures represent 2025 national averages compiled across a wide range of markets and property types across the United States. Local market conditions, buyer preferences, and regional pricing can cause your actual results to vary — sometimes significantly.
What works in a high-cost coastal market does not always translate directly to Southern Ohio. And what buyers in Hillsboro and Highland County prioritize may be different from national trends.
Before you spend a single dollar on improvements to your home, talk to Bryan and Rene Vance first.
A quick conversation with a local Southern Ohio real estate expert who knows exactly what today’s buyers in this market are responding to could save you thousands of dollars and help you focus your investment where it will actually make a difference at your closing.
The Bottom Line for Southern Ohio Sellers
If you are thinking about selling your home in Hillsboro, Highland County, or anywhere across Southern Ohio, here is the simplified version of everything above:
- Start outside — curb appeal improvements deliver the strongest returns
- Focus on function over luxury — midrange improvements consistently outperform upscale versions in resale ROI
- Avoid over-improving — spending $164,000 on a kitchen in a $216,900 median market is a losing equation
- Talk to a local expert first — national data gives you a framework, but local knowledge gives you the real answer
Bryan and Rene Vance offer a free, no-obligation home assessment for sellers across Southern Ohio. They will walk through your property, tell you exactly what improvements are worth making in this market, and help you avoid spending money where it simply will not pay off.
That conversation is free. The savings it produces are real.
📞 Call or text Bryan Vance: 937-776-3405 📞 Call or text Rene Vance: 937-205-6513 🌐 VanceHomeExperts.com | VanceTeamRealtors.com
Vance Team Realtors — Serving Highland, Clinton, Adams, Brown, Ross, Fayette, and Pike County, Ohio since 2015
Data sourced from Remodeling Magazine 2025 Cost vs. Value Report — national averages. Local results may vary. Contact Vance Team Realtors for a Southern Ohio-specific home assessment.