A vacation home takes you away from your usual life, somewhere you can focus on relaxing and doing what you want. You might also rent this space out to others to make a little money back from your renovations. Assuming you'll be renting out your vacation home, you need to start with the upgrades that will give you the greatest return on your investment so you can continue making them in the future.

1. Curb Appeal

If you ever want to sell your rental property, one of the first things a potential buyer will look at is its curb appeal. Does this home look like every other house on the street, or does it have something unique that makes it stand out and feel more like a perfect place to live?

A great thing you can do for your home is to lean into Florida-friendly landscaping. Planting native flora and optimizing your energy efficiency creates a lawn that uses less water.

Even if you plan to rent the house out forever, curb appeal is still important. You want eyes on your property and sometimes, bright, high-quality photos are the best way to ensure people look at your listing. You want to catch their interest — and a unique landscape will get you more views than a boring lawn.

2. Outdoor Spaces

No matter what time of year someone rents out your home, they'll want to enjoy the Florida sunshine. You should renovate your back patio or deck, including bringing in new furniture or refinishing any wood. Ensure you have amenities available, like a grill and all its tools, in case people want to spend more time outside.

Solar power is another excellent option to consider. Though the upfront cost might be difficult to swallow, you'll save so much money on your energy bills. You can also receive tax credits until 2032 for installing panels on your home. This movement to clean energy will tell potential guests what you support and will also be a worthwhile investment — one that could pay off if you ever want to sell the home.

3. Roof

The roof is one of the first things your guests will see and is a necessity houses can't go without. Your roof prevents rainwater from getting in and can shelter you from freezing or blazing temperatures outside. It needs to work correctly if you want people staying at your property. Understandably, faulty roofs that leak or sag make people feel unsafe and less likely to stay or recommend the home to anyone else.

In addition to biannual roof inspections, you should check on your roof after every major storm to ensure there’s no lasting damage. While it might feel like a hassle to continuously check on your home, it's worth it — a faulty roof can lead to other issues you don't want to deal with.

4. Bedrooms

Vacations should prioritize comfort above all else, so managing your bedroom space efficiently is the best way to ensure guests have the time of their lives. Consider putting bunk beds in one room to delight kids who sleep over. You can squeeze two smaller beds into a larger bedroom so more people can stay. Ensure beds and couches are comfortable — you might even want to test them for a night before declaring them good to go.

If your bathroom is woefully outdated, renovating it with a few decent upgrades might attract more guests. You should prioritize bathrooms connected to your renovated bedrooms so guests get the total package. You might get more eyes on your listing if you add something relaxing, like a jetted tub.

5. Theme and Color Palette

Look around your home. Have you noticed it has a particular color palette it adheres to, accidentally or deliberately? One cohesive theme throughout the house can pull it together and prevent each room from looking disjointed. Floridian homes can lean into the soothing colors of the beach or something invigorating as a theme.

For example, depending on your vacation home's location, you can choose several options to make the house more appealing. Places closer to Orlando might benefit from a Disney theme, in which each room is based on a different movie — like “Cinderella” or “Cars.” Over 12 million people visited Magic Kingdom in 2021, making it the busiest theme park in the world. Including some Disney magic in your rental home might be a good idea.

Upgrades With Little Return on Investment

Remember, your vacation home is not your primary residence. You may want to tailor it even less to yourself if you rent it out to people or plan to sell it one day. These upgrades might be nice in your own residence but are not unnecessary in your vacation home. Renovate wisely, especially if you're working with a budget.

1. Gym

A home gym isn't necessary, especially when your guests probably aren't staying more than a few days. Whether it's you or strangers staying there, your thoughts will likely be on what you'll do next to relax, not following a specific routine.

People want to relax on their vacation. They may see relaxation as exploring the area, which can help them stay active and keep them entertained more than a session in a home gym. Turn any home gym space into one that prioritizes relaxation, like a game room or additional bedroom. Your guests will be happy for the extra space if it means including more loved ones.

2. Kitchen

While an upgraded kitchen might be the cherry on top of an amazing listing, it typically isn't the main go-to for visitors — especially if they're coming in from out of state. Guests new to the area will likely prioritize eating at local restaurants over making their own food.

Also, some people may think of it as a waste to spend time cooking when they could be relaxing, so they may only use the basics, like a countertop to assemble a sandwich with ingredients they stored in the fridge. You're better off focusing your renovations somewhere else before prioritizing the kitchen.

3. Flexible Space

While flexible space to partake in your hobbies might sound like a good idea in a primary house, it's just wasted space in a vacation home. The point of a vacation is to relax, but no one will drag their hobbies to a rental property — at least, not enough to fill up a whole room! You're better off turning a vacant space into a bedroom for additional guests or a relaxing lounge, like a library or a playroom for children.

Choose Your Renovations Wisely

You won't be at your vacation home all the time. You’ll stay there even less if you rent it out to guests. Learn how to maximize comfort while finding the features that will give you the best return on your investment. You want people to relax, so prioritize comfort above all else.

If given the opportunity, you should also take new, high-quality photos whenever you update anything on your property. Many people might turn away if they don't like the pictures — likely because they can't envision themselves there. Upgrades will make your house a pleasant vacation home anyone would be lucky to stay in.