What will my return on investment be?

Least we forget the all important, Are you over improving for the home or neighborhood?  In which case you will recoup little to no return on your investment.  Most xcellent post there Tom!  I hope you don't mind if I come back later to re-blog it?  :)

Tom, great points! I think people should always improve their home so they van enjoy it! But as a Stager, I know there are things homeowners can do to improve the sale ability of their home too!

Hi Tom,  Yes the point is making the home sell faster.  I have to say if I have two homes with the same floor plan, the one that had some projects done will sell faster.

Hi Tom - Some improvements may be necessary to get a home to sell - an updated kitchen may push a home from blah to outstanding. But we think that enjoying the improvements is critical. When Mary and I built our home before this current one, we set a record for upgrades and extras - but we also sold the home for a neighborhood record high price, and got to enjoy everything for 5 years in the process.

Yes, that 70% # for major home improvements jives with what I've seen and read.  This is one of the many reasons it makes sense to do these types of renovations while you plan to spend more time in the house so you can enjoy them and improve the value rather than just do right before you sell.

It also seems like some of the smaller renovations (e.g. paint, add hardwood floors) have much better return than larger ones (like kitchen remodel, additions).