Eirinn: Are you planning on staying in the house for a while? If yes, then these kinds of upgrades definitely make sense. We upgraded the insulation in our attic a few months ago, and since then, I have not had to turn on the AC once despite 90+degree temperatures. Since we were looking at $600 electric bills last summer, I think it was worth every penny.

If you are thinking of making these upgrades to make your home more salable, they are not upgrades that are going to give you a big return on your investment. I would make sure all infrastructure is in good repair and functioning as it should, but then I would spend my money on upgrades to the kitchen, bathrooms, paint, carpet, etc.

If you're selling, hire a professional home inspector to do a pre-inspection to let you know what upgrades & repairs you should make to the structure and infrastructure. Then hire a professional home stager to help you decide what would be the most cost effective cosmetic upgrades to make.

Depending on the age of the house, updating may spoil the character. Granite counter tops do not belong in a Victorian. Double pane windows would be terrible on an Eichler home. This is an interesting article in this month's FineHomeBuilding that discourages "greening" older homes. I love a black and white tile (subway-like) floor in the bathroom. A bright red stove is OMG in the kitchen.

Updated in todays market does help, but in todays market pricing and location will be the key factor in
the sale.

Hello Eirinn- I agree with the other answer. People/ buyers or renters EXPECT the house to have decent insulation, an electrical system that won't short out when you plug in a hairdryer with the toaster on, etc. That kind of stuff doesn't increase value over all the other houses out there. If you do NOT have those items, it will decrease the value significantly and/or will make it so that you cannot sell it at all.
You should walk through some other for sale listings in the same neighborhood to see what kind of condition those places are in and what they are selling for/ listing for. Open Houses are good times and ways to do this with no pressure really.
If I can be of any help, please let me know. Thanks and good luck,

Ken L.

Value is a subjective term. Those updates you mention would definatly make the place more sale-able. It would depend on what your property is being compared to. If what your being compared to has updated electrics, insulated and generally updated then it could be just an expected condition. Just as how stainless steel appliances have become rather commonplace.

In my general opinion buttoning up the exterior, proper insulation, current & modern utilities & systems would be the starting point. Having a state of the art kitchen & bath wouldn't mean much if the roof is leaking, there are cold drafts and not enough electrical service. All of the work should be properly permitted & performed by professionals whenever the work requires. Electrical, plumbing and even insulation need special knowledge & skill, always best to consult with local inspectional services and a licenced contractors.

Hope that helps