7 Ways to Get More Than Your Home Is Worth

A free CMA tells you what your home is worth today. It doesn't tell you how to beat that number. Here are 7 proven strategies sellers use to walk away with more than their home's baseline value, plus a full prep checklist to get your home ready before it hits the market.

01Price It Right on Day One

The #1 mistake sellers make — and it costs them.

Homes priced accurately from the start attract more showings and stronger offers in the first two weeks, when buyer interest peaks. Homes that need a price cut typically net less than if they'd been priced correctly from day one. Overpricing to "leave room to negotiate" almost always backfires.

Source: National Association of Realtors, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

02Stage It to Sell, Not to Live In

Staged homes sell for up to 17% more, and 87% faster.

Nearly a quarter of sellers who staged their home received an offer 1–5% over asking price. Staging isn't about spending more — it's about depersonalizing, decluttering, and helping buyers picture themselves in the space. Pair this with the curb appeal tips below for the biggest first impression.

Source: National Association of Realtors, Profile of Home Staging

03Fix Curb Appeal Before Anything Else

Curb appeal alone can add 7–14% to your sale price.

Buyers decide how they feel about a home before they park the car. Power washing, fresh mulch, a new front door color, and clean landscaping deliver the highest return of any pre-listing project — far more than most interior renovations. Full details are in the Curb Appeal section of the prep checklist.

Source: University of Alabama / University of Texas at Arlington curb appeal study

04Get a Pre-Listing Inspection & Handle Repairs Early

Surprises during the buyer's inspection cost sellers leverage — and money.

Listing without addressing known issues invites lowball offers and re-negotiation after you're already under contract. A pre-listing inspection lets you fix problems on your terms, price with confidence, and hand buyers a clean report that builds trust.

Source: American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)

05Prioritize Exterior Upgrades — Garage & Entry Doors Pay Off Most

Garage door replacement returns 268% at resale — the highest ROI of any home improvement project, three years running.

Exterior projects consistently outperform interior remodels at resale, and nothing beats a new garage door. A typical replacement costs around $4,300 and adds roughly $8,350 or more in resale value — over double your money back — and the project takes a day, not weeks. A new steel entry door is the next best move, returning 186–216% of its cost for a fraction of the price. Both instantly reset a buyer's first impression before they ever step inside.

Source: 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, Zonda Media / Remodeling Magazine

06Refresh, Don't Gut, the Kitchen & Bath

A minor kitchen refresh returns 113% at resale — a full remodel returns far less.

The data is consistent year after year: modest updates beat gut renovations on return. A minor kitchen refresh — new cabinet fronts and hardware, updated counters, appliances, and a fresh backsplash, typically in the $28,000–$30,000 range — returns about 113% of cost, up from 96% just a year earlier. Bathrooms follow the same pattern: a mid-range remodel returns roughly 80%, while smaller updates like a new vanity, fixtures, and re-grouting return 70–85%. Save the full gut renovation for after you move in — not for the sale.

Source: 2025–2026 Cost vs. Value Report, Zonda Media / Remodeling Magazine

07Small Fixes With Outsized Returns

Fresh paint and refinished floors can return 100–147% of their cost.

Not every high-return project needs a contractor crew. Interior repainting in neutral, warm-toned colors routinely returns 100% or more of its cost and remains the single most common pre-listing project sellers make. Refinishing existing hardwood floors returns roughly 147% — the highest ROI of any single project nationally — and can add close to $12,000 in value. Smart thermostats and energy-efficient upgrades are increasingly expected, too: more than a third of buyers now rate them as a highly important factor in their decision.

Source: National Association of Realtors Remodeling Impact Report; 2025–2026 Cost vs. Value Report

Your Pre-Listing Prep Checklist

Before any of the 7 strategies above can work, your home has to show well. Top agents estimate decluttering alone can add over $11,000 to a sale price (HomeLight Top Agent Insights Survey). Start this checklist 2–4 weeks before you list: