Popular 2021 home upgrades â and how to pay for them Many homeowners paid for their upgrades with savings last year, according to NerdWalletâs 2020 Home Improvement Report. (Source: NerdWallet) By Annie Millerbernd, NerdWallet | February 17, 2021 at 11:31 AM EST - Updated February 17 at 11:31 AM (NerdWallet) - Staying at home during the pandemic has changed the way homeowners renovate, but not always in ways you might expect. You could assume, for example, that homeowners are desperate for privacy and therefore adding more walls. But interior designer Max Humphrey says rumors of the open floor planâs death, which bubble up every year, are exaggerated.