Top 5 ROI Home Improvements Before Selling Your Portland Home
Shannon Janssen October 7, 2025
Shannon Janssen October 7, 2025
If you're getting ready to sell your home on Portland’s West Side — in neighborhoods like Cedar Mill, Forest Heights, Bethany, or Multnomah Village — you might be wondering which updates actually pay off.
As a listing specialist who’s helped many homeowners prepare their homes for market, these are the five improvements that consistently deliver the best return on investment (ROI) — backed by local data, national modeling, and what I’ve seen here at home.
As of late 2025, the Cedar Mill housing market shows a rising median price and strong buyer activity. In Forest Heights and surrounding West Side areas, homes often sell faster when they “show move-in ready.”
A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to transform your home before listing. Clean, neutral walls make spaces feel brighter, newer, and well cared for — and they photograph beautifully.
According to the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report and its Key Trends Report, interior painting remains one of the top recouped investments nationwide.
Shannon’s Tip:
Little touch-ups almost never work unless you’ve painted recently. Paint fades over time; patches end up looking like blotches. If you’re doing any patching, repaint the full wall corner-to-corner. Stick with warm neutrals (creamy white, soft greige, pale taupe), and don’t forget trim, doors, and baseboards.
Buyers in these Westside neighborhoods expect flooring that’s cohesive and well maintained. Refinishing hardwood or replacing worn carpet can shift the perceived quality significantly.
The Portland Real Estate ROI Study and Zonda’s Cost vs Value Report both show that consistent flooring choices create higher perceived value and smoother buyer appeal.
Shannon’s Tip:
You should never see more than two types of flooring in a space. Having 3–4 different wood or vinyl tones looks pieced together. The only acceptable mix? Main area wood or LVP, carpet in bedrooms, and tile in bathrooms. Simpler, cleaner, stronger flow.
You don’t get a second chance at a first impression. Updates like power washing, fresh mulch, pruning, and a clean, freshly painted front door go far in setting the tone for how your home is perceived both online and in person.
Exterior renovations consistently rank among the highest ROI projects. The Cost vs Value Key Trends analysis highlights that exterior upgrades outperform interior ones for cost recovery.
Shannon’s Tip:
I am passionate about that first impression when someone walks up to your home. If your front door needs paint — repaint it. But even more importantly, get rid of the cobwebs, dust, and dirt. I probably have half of my sellers repaint their front doors, and I’m happy to help choose the color and coordinate the painter. That entry moment sets the tone for everything else that follows.
A spotless home communicates care. Deep cleaning includes grout lines, cabinet faces, baseboards, vents, appliances, and especially windows.
According to HomeLight’s Seller Insights Report, a professional deep clean can add up to $2,000 in perceived home value and help homes sell faster.
Shannon’s Tip:
This is so critical I include my own cleaning team in my listing package — and I work with a window washing crew I recommend to all my sellers (and anyone in the neighborhood who wants their windows to sparkle).
You don’t need a full remodel to make a difference. Cosmetic upgrades — hardware, fresh cabinet paint, lighting, and faucets — can transform a dated room into a move-in-ready space buyers love.
According to Royer Realty’s 2025 Upgrades Guide and the 2025 Cost vs Value Report, minor kitchen or bath updates can recoup 70–80% of their cost on resale — especially when done with cohesive finishes and good lighting.
Shannon’s Tip:
Clean grout, caulked corners, and no signs of water intrusion or mold — non-negotiables. Minor fixes make or break buyer confidence. Full remodels rarely recoup right before selling — they’re an all-or-nothing gamble.
Constant small improvements outpace frantic pre-listing pushes. Over time, your home builds a visible reputation of care and quality, which helps reduce buyer objections and strengthens negotiation leverage.
Spend your money where buyers can see it. Fresh paint, great floors, light, and curb appeal always pay you back. The goal is to make buyers feel like they don’t have to fix a thing.
As your Portland Westside listing expert, I help sellers plan every detail — from vendor coordination and paint colors to trusted crews for cleaning, landscaping, and windows. My goal is to make sure every dollar you spend shows up in your final sale price. Not sure how to pay for updates? Ask about my pre-listing renovation options that let you upgrade now and pay at closing.
📞 Schedule a Pre-Listing Consultation
💻 Request a Custom Home Valuation
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