When putting money toward your home, what would you prioritize?

Insights

Half of respondents chose paying down the mortgage, twice as many as renovating or upgrading the home. Building a reserve for major repairs received 17%, while only 8% preferred to wait and invest when preparing to sell. The results suggest that homeowners may see strengthening their financial position in the property as a higher priority than making additional improvements to it.

That choice can also be financially sensible. Paying down a mortgage directly increases the homeowner’s equity, while improvements may make a home more enjoyable or desirable without necessarily adding an equivalent amount to its resale value. Investing in a home does not always mean changing the property itself; sometimes it means increasing how much of it you own.

What major home upgrade would you choose?

Insights

The kitchen led with 39% of the vote, followed by outdoor living space at 28%. A write-in bathroom upgrade was significant enough to include at 17%. Together, kitchens and bathrooms accounted for more than half of responses, while adding an extra room and creating a better gathering space attracted considerably less interest.

Kitchens and bathrooms are among the most functional spaces in a home, and renovating them can also involve some of the most complex and costly work, including plumbing and electrical systems. What is more revealing is what competed with them: outdoor living. Nearly three in ten respondents chose improving their outdoor space, while only 6% chose creating a better gathering space indoors. In South Florida, outdoor space is not simply an amenity; for many homeowners, it functions as part of the living and entertaining space itself.

Header image courtesy of Jordan Lederman. 160 Marina Bay #PH3, 160 Isle Of Venice Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL. View property here.

^{Poll conducted across Fortune Christie’s social media platforms in 2026. Responses include buyers, sellers, and agents.}