What are the Most Valuable Home Renovations?

While Benzinga mostly covers actionable trading ideas and news stories, we've decided to delve a bit deeper into personal finance. The team at Benzinga would like to assist readers with not just their investing endeavors, but their financial lives as a whole. And today, we continue this effort with the most valuable home renovations.According to Trulia (NYSE: TRLA), July is the second-most popular month for online real estate searches. Search activity peaks in 15 states during the month. And of course, most of those buyers are looking for move-in ready homes, meaning you'll need to make some home renovations if your house isn't up to par. Where will you get the most bang for your buck?BathroomIf your house is a total wreck and you have enough money to upgrade just two rooms, just about every realtor on Earth would advise choosing your bathroom as one of them. This may be why, according to CNBC, the bathroom is the top choice for a remodel. Expect a ballpark return on investment (ROI) of about 85 percent based on CNBC's story. That 85 percent ROI may not sound like a good deal, given you'll spend more than you make. However, home renovations rarely recover their full expense. And, if an upgrade is necessary to sell your home, that for sale sign will be on your lawn forever unless you renovate. With this in mind, Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) Homes offers two options: a major or minor renovation. For a major renovation, you'd replace the sink, toilet, bathtub – everything outside the walls. For a minor upgrade, you'd want to replace the tile, faucets and other fairly inexpensive items. Related: When to Find the Best Deals on HousingKitchenThe second room your realtor would tell you to upgrade would be the kitchen. After all, in terms of functionality, the bathroom and kitchen are easily the two most important rooms in the average home. Kitchen remodels are often very expensive and can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. But, as Yahoo! Homes notes, “A house with an out-of-date or obsolete kitchen is very hard to sell, so a price compromise usually takes place.” If you can't afford a total teardown, Yahoo! Homes recommends affordable moves such as upgrading appliances and painting cupboards. WindowsAccording to Money Crashers, you'll recoup 60 to 90 percent of the costs when installing energy efficient windows. And, you may qualify for a 10 percent green energy tax credit in the process. Energy efficient windows will naturally appeal to buyers who are eco-conscious or otherwise interested in reducing energy consumption. Also, as with any window upgrade, they'll add curb appeal – a major factor in luring prospective buyers. The Bottom LineThe bathroom, kitchen and windows are three core areas to focus on when renovating your home. You'll get a high ROI on each and increase the likelihood of a sale. Better yet, you'll have a nicer home to live in until you hand over the keys.