Cleanup Helps Most in Selling Home

A general cleanup is the home improvement that will help the most when selling your house according to a poll of real estate brokers.

More than one-quarter of the brokers-27 percent-recommended redecorating or hanging new wallpaper, followed by 21 percent who said replacing or adding carpeting would help sell the house for the highest possible price.

About 400 franchise and independent real estate brokers took part in the study conducted for ERA Real Estate, Kansas City, by Strategic Research of St. Louis.

Asked what major improvements provided the best long-term return on investment when it comes time to sell, brokers listed bathroom improvements (38 percent), kitchen remodeling (33 percent), room additions (27 percent), heating and plumbing updating (14 percent), energy conservation measures (11 percent), new roofing (11 percent) and new carpeting (10 percent).