Home Upgrades That DON'T Give a Great ROI

Hola y'all! A couple of weeks ago I shared the summer projects that actually increase your resale value, and I promised we would talk about the other side too. So here it is, the upgrades people pour real money into "for resale" that quietly do not pay them back.

Let me say this up front, because it matters: if you are upgrading something purely because YOU want it and you plan to enjoy it for years, that is completely different. Do the thing that makes you happy in your home. This post is specifically about the projects people justify with "it will help when we sell," because in a lot of cases, it just will not. As a Realtor and a designer, I have watched this play out over and over, and I would rather save you the money.

1. Over-customized, bold wallpaper everywhere

I love wallpaper. A statement wall or a darling powder room in fun wallpaper? Yes please. But wallpapering every room in big, bold, very specific patterns is a different story. What feels like "personality" to you can feel like "a weekend of removal work" to a buyer. Bold wallpaper is deeply personal, and personal does not travel well at resale.

The fix: keep bold wallpaper to small, easy-to-change spaces like a powder room, an entry, or one accent wall. Save the big commitment for paint, which is cheap and easy for the next owner to change.

2. A luxury pool in the Midwest

This one breaks hearts, but I have to be honest. In our Ohio climate, an in-ground pool that you can realistically use a few months a year rarely returns what it costs. Worse, a meaningful chunk of buyers actively avoid pools because of the maintenance, insurance, and safety concerns with kids. So you can spend fifty to eighty thousand dollars and end up shrinking your buyer pool, not growing it.

If you genuinely want a pool for your own years of summer memories, that is a lifestyle choice and I get it. Just go in knowing it is for you, not for the resale value.

3. Converting a bedroom into something else

Turning a bedroom into a home gym, a giant closet, or a built-in office sounds amazing while you live there. But bedrooms count. A four-bedroom home is worth meaningfully more than a three-bedroom, and the second you remove a closet or wall off a room so it no longer functions as a bedroom, you can drop into a lower category on the search filters buyers use.

The fix: get the function you want without permanently removing the bedroom. Use furniture, freestanding equipment, or a wardrobe instead of ripping out closets. Keep the room able to flip back to a bedroom in an afternoon.

4. Trendy tile that will date you fast

Tile is permanent, expensive to install, and a pain to remove, which is exactly why super trendy tile is risky. That bold geometric floor or the very of-the-moment color that is everywhere right now? In five years it can read as "oh, this was done in 2026." And buyers mentally subtract the cost of redoing it.

The fix: keep your permanent, expensive surfaces timeless, classic tile, neutral counters, simple finishes, and let the trendy stuff live in the things that are easy and cheap to swap, like paint, hardware, textiles, and decor. That is the whole secret to a home that looks current for years instead of months.

5. Super high-end appliances in a mid-range home

A thirty-thousand-dollar appliance package in a modest home does not return thirty thousand dollars. Buyers shopping in that price range usually are not paying a premium for a professional-grade range, and you rarely recoup the difference. Match your finishes to your home's tier and your neighborhood.

6. Hyper-personal built-ins and themed rooms

The custom theater with the fixed seating, the elaborate themed kids' room, the built-in everything tailored exactly to your hobby. These are wonderful to live with and almost never add what they cost, because the next buyer has different hobbies. The more a space is built around one specific use, the fewer buyers see themselves in it.

So what should you do instead?

Spend your money on the things almost every buyer wants: a clean, updated kitchen and bathrooms, fresh and neutral paint, great curb appeal, good lighting, and a home that feels well-maintained. Keep your big permanent surfaces timeless, and let your personality show up in the easy-to-change layers. That is how you get a home you love living in AND one that sells well when the time comes.

The trickiest part is knowing which category your specific project falls into, because it really does depend on your home, your price point, and your neighborhood. That is exactly the conversation I love having with clients before they spend a dollar. If you are weighing a project and wondering "will this actually help me sell," send me a note and let's talk it through before you commit.

"The goal is not the most upgraded house on the block. It is the most broadly lovable one. Those are not always the same thing."