{"id":27859,"date":"2026-06-08T15:15:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T22:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roryc.ca\/blog\/?p=27859"},"modified":"2026-06-08T08:28:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T15:28:07","slug":"home-improvement-priorities-in-2026-for-the-best-returns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roryc.ca\/blog\/2026\/06\/home-improvement-priorities-in-2026-for-the-best-returns\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Improvement Priorities in 2026 for The Best Returns"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With all investing, there&#8217;s hope that what you spend money on now will pay off big in the future, and investing in your home is no different.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When you spend money on your home and make upgrades, you might ask yourself: Will this project add value to my home for a future sale? Will this reno make it easier to age in place? Will this detail make me happier or add conveniece day-to-day? Will this upgrade protect my home from harsh weather coming my region&#8217;s way?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To help you decide what to prioritize when it comes to home projects, we talked to industry experts about the six upgrades you should make in your home in 2026 for a big payoff years from now.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Fresh Exterior Paint<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you&#8217;ve been dreaming of painting your home&#8217;s exterior, Chris Garrett, President of the Tennessee Association of Realtors, says go for it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8220;More than just a beautification measure, new paint can protect the exterior of the home against rot, termites, and general weathering,&#8221; Garrett says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>New Garage Doors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Upgrading your outdated garage door with a modern, insulated option can instantly enhance your home\u2019s exterior appearance while improving its energy efficiency, Garrett adds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When you&#8217;re picking a paint color for your garage door, steer away from pastel, jet-black, and red, designers advise.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>New Windows<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">David Druey, Florida Regional President at Centennial Bank, calls new windows a home upgrade that &#8220;really moves the needle,&#8221; especially because older windows are often a source of energy loss.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is especially true for homes with aging windows, like single-pane windows, which can raise a red flag for potential buyers who see them as a liability and a future expense, according to the Central Arizona Association of REALTORS.1<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If replacing your windows isn&#8217;t feasible, Druey suggests strategic window treatments, such as blackout curtains and darker blinds, that can still improve efficiency and lower cooling costs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>New Front Door<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similarly, Druey advocates upgrading your home&#8217;s front door, which can improve energy efficiency while maximizing curb appeal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the National Association of Realtors 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, you can recoup 100% of the costs of a new steel front door.1<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Central AC Upgrades<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Druey calls central AC upgrades a &#8220;smart move,&#8221; adding that getting the best ROI is about striking the right balance between upfront costs and ongoing performance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He suggests looking at the SEER rating (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), which measures the unit&#8217;s efficiency.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8220;Higher SEER units cost more upfront, but they\u2019re more efficient and can lead to long-term savings,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Replacing an older unit with a high-efficiency system can also improve your home\u2019s comfort level and reduce utility costs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Solar Panels<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Solar panels can improve your home&#8217;s energy efficiency and attract buyers seeking efficient homes. However, Druey says they don&#8217;t make sense for every home.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cWith federal tax credits sunsetting earlier in 2026, the bigger question today is whether solar panels make financial sense on their own based on your home\u2019s sun exposure and how much of your utility bill they can realistically offset,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">His rule of thumb for determining whether a solar panel installation could really pay off is whether the system is appropriately sized and can significantly reduce your overall energy usage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Blaz Korosec, Realtor and founder and CFO of Investorade, calls solar panels a &#8220;no-brainer,&#8221; adds that the ROI timeline can be lengthy, but says he has seen homeowners save between $1,500 and $2,500 on electricity each year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>How to Choose The Highest ROI Home Improvements?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the home improvement options presented above have a proven track record for attracting buyers and offering potentially high returns, they may not be right for your home.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Consider homebuying trends based on where you live, how long you plan to live there, and even what the weather is like in your area.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When choosing the highest-ROI home improvements for your home, start by assessing its specific needs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Focusing on improving your home&#8217;s curb appeal, energy efficiency, and long-term durability will nearly always guide you toward upgrades that buyers are looking for.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/investments-for-your-home-in-2026-11930271\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 Investments You Should Make in Your Home in 2026 for A Big Payoff Years from Now<\/a> by Kamron Sanders | The Spruce<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With all investing, there&#8217;s hope that what you spend money on now will pay off big in the future, and investing in your home is no different. When you spend &hellip; [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.roryc.ca\/blog\/2026\/06\/home-improvement-priorities-in-2026-for-the-best-returns\/\">read more<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-home-lifestyle","category-real-estate"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Home Improvement Priorities in 2026 for The Best Returns &#8226; Rory C Real Estate | Oakwyn Realty<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.roryc.ca\/blog\/2026\/06\/home-improvement-priorities-in-2026-for-the-best-returns\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Home Improvement Priorities in 2026 for The Best Returns &#8226; Rory C Real Estate | Oakwyn Realty\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"With all investing, there&#8217;s hope that what you spend money on now will pay off big in the future, and investing in your home is no different. 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