Ignore Roger and consider the following fsbo rules before adding a deck to the home you plan to sell:

Rule 1:
If the house is in poor condition, improvements can increase the sales price.

Rule 2:
A thousand dollars spent to improve a home that is in good condition, seldom adds a thousand dollars to its sales price.

Rule 3:
Nothing adds value to a home like improvements to kitchens and bathrooms.

Cost vs. Improvement in Sales Price:

The table below, from a recent magazine survey, confirms our own observations. Typical home improvement projects are listed on the left. On the right, is the dollar amount added to a home's selling price for every $1000 spent on the project.

Reading the table:

• On average, a person who spent $1,000 to add a bathroom, saw a $900 increase in the price of his home.
• The family who spent $1000 to add a deck, saw a $700 increase in the sales price of their home.

Bottom Line:

• Don't spend money to improve a house you plan to sell unless the house is in such poor condition that it cannot be sold without improvements. For example: the house needs a new roof to keep out the rain; or a modern bath with a shower.
• Improvements might make sense if you can do the work yourself. If you can add kitchen cabinets for $500 rather than $1,000, you can still expect the $990 increase in the value of the home. On the other hand, shoddy work on those kitchen cabinets can reduce the value of your home.