I’m a Real Estate Agent: These 5 Features Can Bump Your Home’s Value by at Least $10K
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Selling a home can feel like being on one of those reality dating shows. You do everything you can to put your house’s best look forward, creating a space that feels sleek or cozy enough to impress even the most discerning buyer. To win the sale — or the real estate equivalent of getting the rose — you’ll need the advice of a skilled real estate agent.
Think of your real estate agent as your wingman — they know the features and upgrades that will help your home sell, and for a higher price than you might expect. If you take the right steps to boost your home’s value, you could get an extra $10,000 or more on your sale.
Updated Kitchen
As a licensed agent, real estate investor and owner of We Buy Houses in Des Moines, Jacob Naig knows how to get the best value for a property. He said that even a mid-level kitchen face-lift can net you anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000 in extra value.
He doesn’t want you to worry that you’ve got to gut your kitchen to get it market ready. Instead, focus on tweaks like painting old cabinets, changing hardware, switching out laminate counters for butcher block or quarters, or even adding a tile backsplash to give your space a new vibe. To create a designer aesthetic without paying for a full renovation, he also advised adding under cabinet lighting and a new faucet.
“I previously advised a client to spend $4,200 on the same updates –we priced the home $15,000 higher than what the nearby comps had closed for, and I sold it in four days,” he said. “Today’s buyers view kitchens as mood setters, not just food prep stations.”
A Fresh Exterior
Despite childhood lessons about not judging a book by its cover, many buyers very much judge a home by its exterior. Naig said that good curb appeal establishes the emotional tenor of a buyer’s relationship with a house.
“When the house itself looks tired, buyers have already started the mental anonymous subtraction before they’ve walked in the door,” he said. “We’ve watched a Des Moines house that languished go in contract with a $2,000 exterior paint job and a contemporary front door.”
That’s right, even repairs as simple as painting or power washing your exterior, getting a new door and ensuring that your front yard is tidy can make buyers more interested in your property.
“As recently as last year, a home on the south side received a $1,300 paint refresh, new hardware and a brightly colored steel door with glass panels,” he added. “Result: $13,000 appraisal increase after upgrade and 20+ showings in the first weekend.”
Lovely Outdoor Space
Don’t stress if you don’t have a massive property that’s been graced by a professional landscaper. According to Naig, all you need to add value to your house is “a distinctly outdoor space.”
If you give buyers a backyard where they can picture themselves relaxing and entertaining friends, you’re golden. Adjustments that are as simple as mulch beds with edging, new sod patches, a few native shrubs, and that all-important seating area (preferably with pavers or gravel) can benefit you.
“I had a seller whose yard was spot-ridden with no defined spaces. We put in a small pea gravel firepit area, sodded bare spots and cleaned up the back fence line,” he said. “Total cost? Around $1,700. Perceived value? The ‘backyard sealed the deal,’ the buyer wrote. They closed $11,000 over list.”
Modern Bathroom
People spend more time in their bathrooms than they might suspect, so a modern bathroom with upgraded features can contribute to your home’s value. Naig recommended swapping out builder-grade lights, faucets and mirrors — adding that a statement vanity or tile accent wall could convince buyers that you’ve completely renovated the space.
Going for small changes — like black fixtures, LED lighting and textured title in the shower — that photograph well can help justify a price bump.
“We did this in a west side flip last fall — spent just under $4,000 and increased appraised value by just over $12,000,” he added.
Home Office or Flex Space
Got an extra bedroom? An oversized landing? That large corner in your basement? Naig suggested you stage it so that it functions like a dedicated office or remote work nook to expand your home’s appeal.
“This is lifestyle positioning, not a foot-per-square-foot calculation,” Naig said.
Performing this kind of “lifestyle positioning” by putting a glass desk and some bookshelves in a finished attic space helped him increase the sale price for one client’s home.
“The home valued at $11,000 over the original estimate largely due to the perceived usability,” he said.
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