Your home is likely one of your biggest assets and as such you want to be smart about home improvements, especially if you plan to move within 5 years.  Do not expect to recoup all of your costs when updating your home.  Major renovations are unlikely to yield enough of a return to justify for sales purposes.  Remodeling magazine says that replacing the front door can be the best, providing nearly a 97% return on your new front door costs.  Minor kitchen updates might return 83% of the remodeling costs.  However, if you plan to stay put and can afford it after you’ve put aside retirement/college savings, a  renovation can make your home more livable and enjoyable for years to come.