How do I maximize my home's value before selling?
Written and reviewed by Andrew Ragusa, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Broker of Record, REMI Realty LLC — 11+ years of transactions across Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
The short answer
The best way to maximize your home's value is to start with a pre-listing walkthrough. I identify the specific improvements most likely to give you the highest return.
One national HomeLight survey of roughly 1,000 real estate agents estimated that painting a home’s exterior could add more than $7,500 in resale value, equal to a 152% return on the estimated cost. That is a national survey estimate, not a promise. I would not apply that percentage automatically to every house or use it to justify a $20,000 or $30,000 project without looking at the property, the market and whether a smaller repair or touch-up would accomplish the same thing.
Interior painting can also help.
The most effective approach is always a personalized walkthrough where I point out exactly what makes sense for your individual home based on current buyer expectations across the Long Island market.
Two documented examples
30 Columbine Lane, Kings Park
A family-coordinated distressed property where the as-is option was compared with approximately $50,000 in targeted work before the house sold for $795,000.
See the Kings Park case study →Jackson Heights co-op
An apartment that received no showing requests at $350,000. After a targeted renovation, it returned to the market at $257,000 and sold for $267,000.
See the Jackson Heights case study →