Real estate agents and interior designers who responded to a survey from Zillow's home improvement marketplace, Zillow Digs, said that low-cost projects like landscaping and painting walls in neutral colors offer sellers more bang for their buck than full-blown renovations, whose addition to a home’s value might not outweigh their cost.

Granite Countertop image via Shutterstock.

According to the survey, the five home improvement projects delivering the most bank for the buck are:

• Curb appeal (fresh potted flowers, a fresh coat of paint on the front door).
• Staging (“neutral colors and minimal furniture are best”).
• Small home improvements (updated lighting fixtures, cabinet or door handles, and minor kitchen and bathroom updates).
• Decluttering (“Old appliances and furniture can be overlooked if a space is clean, simple and well-edited.”)
• Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.