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2012-13 Cost vs. Value: Make the First Impression Count
Updating the outside of a home pays off, according to this year’s Cost vs. Value Report. Real estate professionals ranked exterior improvement projects as winning the buyers’ eye and providing sellers with the most return on investment.
If your clients are wondering what home improvement projects will give them the best return on the sale of their home, tell them to think “curb appeal.”
When buyers are shopping for a home, the exterior can make (or break) the first impression. According to the 2013 Cost vs. Value Report, exterior replacement projects are among the most valuable home improvements that sellers can currently invest in, starting with the front door.
A steel entry door topped this year’s survey with an estimated 85.6 percent of the costs recouped at resale. The steel door replacement is also the least expensive of the 35 midrange and upscale remodeling projects included in the survey, costing $1,137 on average.
This is the 15th year that Remodeling magazine — in cooperation with REALTOR® Magazine — has released the Cost vs. Value Report. This year’s survey included more than 3,900 appraisers, sales agents, and brokers across the country who provided their opinions and estimates.
Exterior projects dominated the list with six of the top 10 most cost-effective midrange projects and eight of the top 10 upscale projects.
Top 10 Midrange Projects1. Entry Door Replacement (steel) Job Cost: $1,137 Resale Value: $974 Cost Recouped: 85.6 percent 2. Deck Addition (wood)Job Cost: $9,327 Resale Value: $7,213 Cost Recouped: 77.3 percent 3. Garage Door Replacement Job Cost: $1,496 Resale Value: $1,132 Cost Recouped: 75.7 percent 4. Minor Kitchen Remodel Job Cost: $18,527 Resale Value: $13,977 Cost Recouped: 75.4 percent 5. Window Replacement (wood) Job Cost: $10,708 Resale Value: $7,852 Cost Recouped: 73.3 percent (tie) 6. Attic Bedroom Addition Job Cost: $47,919 Resale Value: $34,916 Cost Recouped: 72.9 percent (tie) 6. Siding Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $11,192 Resale Value: $8,154 Cost Recouped: 72.9 percent 7. Window Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $9,770 Resale Value: $6,961 Cost Recouped: 71.2 percent 8. Basement Remodel Job Cost: $61,303 Resale Value: $43,095 Cost Recouped: 70.3 percent 9. Major Kitchen Remodel Job Cost: $53,931 Resale Value: $37,139 Cost Recouped: 68.9 percent 10. Deck Addition (composite) Job Cost: $15,084 Resale Value: $10,184 Cost Recouped: 67.5 percent | Top 10 Upscale Projects1. Siding Replacement (fiber-cement) Job Cost: $13,083 Resale Value: $10,379 Cost Recouped: 79.3 percent 2. Garage Door Replacement Job Cost: $2,720 Resale Value: $2,046 Cost Recouped: 75.2 percent 3. Siding Replacement (foam-backed vinyl) Job Cost: $13,818 Resale Value: $9,926 Cost Recouped: 71.8 percent 4. Window Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $13,055 Resale Value: $9,295 Cost Recouped: 71.2 percent 5. Window Replacement (wood) Job Cost: $16,361 Resale Value: $11,194 Cost Recouped: 68.4 percent 6. Grand Entrance (fiberglass) Job Cost: $7,088 Resale Value: $4,528 Cost Recouped: 63.9 percent 7. Deck Addition (composite) Job Cost: $34,403 Resale Value: $20,532 Cost Recouped: 59.7 percent 8. Major Kitchen Remodel Job Cost: $107,406 Resale Value: $64,113 Cost Recouped: 59.7 percent 9. Bathroom Remodel Job Cost: $50,007 Resale Value: $29,162 Cost Recouped: 58.3 percent 10. Roofing Replacement Job Cost: $33,880 Resale Value: $19,194 Cost Recouped: 56.7 percent |
Ending a six-year cost-value ratio decline, this year’s Cost vs. Value Report is good news for remodeling industry with a rise in the ratio by three percentage points to 60.6 percent. According to the report, lower construction costs and stabilizing house prices were the principal factors for the upturn.
2012-13 Cost vs. Value: Make the First Impression Count
