4 Wellness Upgrades That Show a Return When You Sell

Deciding which home upgrades to take on may feel like a delicate balance between pursuing what you want and making sure you’ll get back what you invest when you sell. Lucky for the wellness seeking and fiscally-conscious homeowner, upgrades that accomplish both not only provide them wellness benefits but are aligned with market trends as well. 

In fact, according to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy, which includes physical health, preventative medicine, fitness and even real estate, was estimated to be a $4.2 trillion industry in 2017. This trend has been steadily rising, and in 2020, it became even more important to add health and wellness resources to homes. In coming years, it’s likely homeowners and buyers will continue seeking certain self-care home features.

For a home renovation that serves your goals now and into the future, consider the following wellness renovations.

Harness steam for a space-saving wellness upgrade.

Steam showers may provide not only potential respiratory benefits, better skin, and overall increased physical well-being, but, as designers and realtors are also realizing, the benefits extend to market value as well.

Denise McGaha of Dallas-based Denise McGaha Interiors is an expert interior designer who frequently helps her clients blend wellness seamlessly into their designs. She regularly recommends MrSteam Steam Showers  to her clients and says her own MrSteam has transformed her at-home wellness routine. 

“Steam relaxes you, but there are other benefits as well including detox, better sleep, skin health and stress reduction,” McGaha said. “Plus, I can often go into the shower with a face mask, and the steam moistens and washes it off. It’s unbelievable how amazing your skin feels.”

In line with industry trends promoting health and wellness, McGaha also touts the numerous benefits a spa-like experience in your own home can have.

Hope Faust, a Rodeo Realty realtor, adds that homes with a MrSteam shower have shown to sell quicker and at a higher price point. 

“As a full-service real estate agent preparing properties for sale and move-in, I’m often called upon to create added value for a home,” Faust said in an interview. “If a home that I’m selling has a MrSteam, I know it will sell faster and at a higher price.”

Invest in flexible spaces such as a home gym.

While the general trend of physical and mental wellness has been steadily gaining traction for years, the importance of at-home fitness has become an even greater focus. Making space for doing more at home, from working to exercising, has a variety of benefits now as well as creating enticing features for future homeowners.

Depending on the room, the project can be relatively simple to complete. First, choose a space, whether a bonus room or part of the basement, that you can keep clear of clutter and storage items, so you have room to move and place equipment. A cluttered room runs two primary risks: 1. Injury and 2. Undesirability. For a home gym that works for you now, it has to be a safe, inviting room that you look forward to spending time in.

Once you have a dedicated space, consider your flooring options. An unfinished floor may not provide the cushion or support you need while working out and carpet may be difficult to clean. Replacing flooring with luxury vinyl tile or hardwood adds a little more shock absorption than a concrete slab and offers easier clean up from sweat or spilled drinks. For additional shock absorption, consider placing rubber tiles over the floor finish. Keeping a traditional floor finish in the room gives you the flexibility to both use or later stage the room as an office or guest bedroom as well as a fitness center. 

Last but not least, don’t forget the walls. Much like a commercial gym, you may benefit from installing a full-size mirror to check your form and, if the room is on the smaller side, a large mirror may make it feel bigger, which is can be especially beneficial if this room also doubles as your home office. To bring energy and inspiration into the room, consider light, bright colors paired with art for the walls.

An added bonus of your home oasis? Having both a gym and a steam shower makes an attractive pair for future health-conscious buyers.

Increase natural lighting.

Natural light has the power to completely transform rooms—even serving as that final missing piece that can take a room from just okay to just right. Increasing natural light can enhance health and elevate interior design, making for a better lived-in experience and increasing resale value in the future.

More natural light helps balance circadian rhythm, provides a natural mood boost and allows homeowners to make bolder color choices that can feel overpowering or flat under dimmer electric light sources. Additionally, introducing natural light into a room through skylights may allow for increased storage and cabinet space on the walls if space is a challenge.

If renovating an older home, installing new windows and skylights may even help your home be more energy-efficient, relying less on electrical lighting and insulating the interior against the elements. With a variety of solar-powered window and skylight blinds options available on the market, homeowners gain control over the exact amount of light they want without relying on electricity.

Install sustainable, energy-efficient appliances.

When we talk about a wellness lifestyle, we have to include the health of the environment and our effect on it. Homeowners are increasingly interested in products that will promote greener, more energy-efficient living, and installing sustainable appliances is a smart way to promote a healthy home. 

Look to more energy-efficient HVAC systems that capitalize on smaller amounts of energy to effectively heat and cool your home. Plus, options like digital faucets and water-saving toilets can help cut down on water bills, while more sustainable stove and refrigerator options will cut down on electrical bills. 

If recouping costs in resale value is your goal, replacing the appliances with energy-efficient models is likely to pay off. For the biggest payoff, real-estate giant Coldwell Banker advises keeping kitchen remodels relatively modest, but includes energy-efficient appliances on their list of what to include.

Choose upgrades for now and the future.

Your home may not be a forever home, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t serve your health and wellness goals while you’re there. Especially as we spend more time in private than public, designing for wellness at home can offer immediate returns for your physical and mental health. As the trend continues to take hold in our society and elevates home buyer expectations, the upgrades that benefit you now may also show a financial benefit to you in the future.