1. Improve the exterior

Curb appeal — how your home looks from the street — is your first chance to make a good impression. The exterior should make a prospective buyer want to walk through the front door.

At bare minimum, maintain the landscaping. A bedraggled yard will turn off buyers and make them suspect the house isn't well tended. If your yard looks dull compared to others on the block, undertake some simple do-it-yourself projects, such as adding beds and borders or planting hardy ground cover and easy-to-grow flowers.

Then take an objective look at the outside of the structure itself. Replacing old features, such as doors and siding, can make a home look a lot better, and exterior replacement projects tend to give better returns on investment than many interior remodeling projects, according to Zonda Media's Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report. For example, the report says that replacing a garage door yields about a 194% return, on average, nationally.

2. Spruce up the interior

Updating the kitchen and bathrooms can boost value, but you don't have to spring for designer fixtures and custom cabinets. Modest projects to make these rooms more workable tend to yield better returns than luxury overhauls.

A minor kitchen remodel recoups 96% of its cost in added value on average, versus 38% for a major upscale kitchen remodel with stone countertops, custom cabinets and commercial-grade appliances, according to the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report.

The same is true for bathrooms. A midrange remodel, including new flooring and updated fixtures, delivers a 74% return on investment, while an upscale bathroom remodel — including heated flooring, custom cabinets and designer fixtures — sees 45% on average.

3. Make it low-maintenance

Replacing a major component before putting your home up for sale — like the furnace, water heater or even the roof — may reassure prospective buyers and help fetch a higher price.

Improvements that make things easy to clean and maintain may also increase home value. Consider replacing easily stained carpet with hardwood floors or high-maintenance wood siding with vinyl siding.