Pump Up Your Appraisal

These small projects are likely to give you a dollar-for-dollar return on your investment and make the home more salable.

Spruce up landscaping

Cost: less than $5,000

Fill in spots in the lawn, add shrubbery, tidy borders, and mulch.

Buy Stainless Steel Appliances

Cost: less than $7,000

Make sure you get brands similar to your neighbors

Refinish existing wood floors

Cost: less than $3,000

Sand, stain, and apply polyurethane to an existing wood floor.

Create a walk-in closet

Cost: less than $2,000

Spend less if you aren’t moving interior partition walls.