Here's a tip for selling your house in Barre, Montpelier, or Northfield:

I'm perfectly comfortable with my morality, and sense of propriety, and I also borrow any good ideas I come up with.  Usually I give credit...

In this month's Realtor magazine (which I actually enjoy reading), they publish their annual breakdown of "which renovations return the most to sellers at sale".  A few years ago, it seemed that every renovation made money for homeowners.

Ah, but the worm has turned, hasn't it? 

Here's the nut:  Skip the luxury kitchen and bathroom renovations.  The projects that gave the biggest return (nationwide, but likely for houses for sale in Montpelier, Barre, and Northfield as well) are:

  • adding a deck
  • adding an attic bedroom/living space
  • new front door
  • new exterior siding

Some of these are more expensive than others (duh).  The only one of those projects that increased sale price by MORE than the price of the renovation was....guesses?

The new front door.  That really kills two birds with one stone.  You get the bump in sale price, but you also can grab some major curb appeal, meaning you're likely to get more traffic, more showings, more offers, and better offers. 

So don't worry about knocking out walls to make a master suite.  For the most bang for the least buck, put in a new, stylish, efficient front door.  You have your assignment...now go.