These ‘No-Brainer’ Home Improvements Instantly Increase Value and Enjoyment, Whether You Sell or Stay

More than ever, homeowners want to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to remodeling. 

While many folks are staying put with their homes long term, others are looking to take advantage of the great prices a home can go for right now in the market. 

Either way, you may feel like your house needs a bit of sprucing, so consider all your option

Home renovation trends of 2025

If you’re looking to invest in remodeling your home in 2025, some of the newest trends include renovations focused on “creature comforts.”

At least that’s the opinion of Eric Udler, longtime producer of the New Jersey Home & Garden Show. 

“Homeowners are not only interested in finding ways to live comfortably, but also to improve the value of their homes,” he shares. After speaking with attendees and exhibitors over the years, he’s learned that some remodels are “pretty consistent.”

“Fixing up your kitchen? No-brainer. Fixing up your bathroom? Another no-brainer,” he explains—and he’s not far from 100% right.

According to the latest Angi report, 93% of homeowners are planning home improvement projects in 2025, while 46% are looking ahead to large-scale projects over the next five years, such as kitchen remodels (31%) and bathroom upgrades (28%). 

But Udler mentions another residential space that’s getting a lot of attention right now: the backyard. 

“People want to be able to relax outside and have the creature comforts of the inside, outside,” he notes.

In fact, fixing up the outdoor areas of a home—with features like TVs and lounge spaces—is no longer reserved for those who live in warm-climate areas like California or Florida. 

At the show Udler produces, which will be held this year at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison, NJ, from Feb. 28 – March 2, Udler says the outdoor-kitchen exhibitors are doing “more and more business” than ever before. 

“People really want to entertain at home,” he explains, adding that contractors and designers are finding more and more features that can be designed to withstand the elements, like snow and freezing weather. 

And these remodels pay off: According to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling Magazine, investing in a deck addition can have an ROI between 68% to 83%. Tack on fixing it up with bespoke features, and now you have yourself a party!

But to do this safely, you’ll want to hire professionals—like an electrician who can ensure any devices you opt for are hooked up properly. This leads us to the next trend of 2025.

Home electrification is on the rise in 2025

While home electrification can mean replacing features in your home fueled by natural gas, propane, or oil with electric appliances, it also speaks to the new advances in the simple act of powering your home.  

“The one new thing I’ve seen is with so many folks driving electric vehicles [EVs], it’s all about electrification in the home,” Udler adds. “That’s a big thing.”

Now, according to Realtor.com® research, 0.9% of for-sale homes listed in 2023 were described as EV-friendly. While the share was slightly below 1%, it has been growing rapidly as the rate was only 0.1% five years ago.

While EV owners have the option of charging their cars through a standard wall outlet, a dedicated EV charger can charge a vehicle faster and offers the additional benefit of being able to power a home during an outage.

In fact, one of the major selling points of owning a Tesla—arguably the most sought-after EV at the moment—is that it can provide power during an outage with its “Powershare” feature. 

“Power your home during an outage for three days, with zero noise and emission and 11.5kW of continuous capability,” promises the Tesla website, and that’s exactly the hope of homeowners who’ve invested in EVs.

But if you’re looking to install an EV charging station in your home, do not try to DIY. 

“You need to hire a licensed electric contractor,” Udler warns. “They can keep you safe and keep power in your house.”

That will be the focus of Adam Corbin, of Corbin Electrical Services, during a seminar at the New Jersey show: He will detail the benefits of generator backup and how your EV can power your house.

Invest in curb appeal 

Lastly, Udler stresses that a solid first impression with your home can make all the difference. Curb appeal is, again, another no-brainer; but while replacing your door and cleaning your gutters are great options, having your house repainted is also a solid investment. 

In fact, it sounds like more people are looking into the “low-cost” option of painting their homes than ever before. 

“A lot of people are looking at putting a fresh coat of paint on their homes,” Udler explains. “Last year, people seemed more interested in wallpapering, but now they want to improve the look and feel of the inside and outside.”