These days, with so many houses on the market, to get your house sold, there are two things you MUST do:  1) price it right, after carefully analyzing comparable houses for sale; and 2) make sure it shows better than the other houses in its price range. What that means is that it should look cleaner, lighter, brighter, more spacious, more up to date and in better condition than its competition. If you don’t think you can outshine the other homes in your price range, you should probably think about lowering your price.

The tough part is figuring out which of all the possible improvements you can do will be the mot cost-effective. Where should you spend your time and money to get the most bang for the buck? There’s a fair chance, if you bought your home in the last 3-5 years, that its current market value is less than what you paid. So the last thing you want to do is make expensive renovations that won’t pay out. Putting in a new kitchen or bath usually falls into this category. But there are lots of small changes and improvements you can make that will add up to big buyer appeal. Here are my top ten:

1. The exterior is the first thing a prospective buyer will see, so make sure it looks great. Remember, if buyers are turned off by the outside of your house, chances are they’ll never bother to look at the inside. So make sure the yard is cleaned up, all tools and toys are put away, leaves are raked, beds are freshly mulched and bushes pruned. Add seasonal plantings to pots by the front door for added color and charm.
2. Make your entry way sparkle. It sets the tone for the rest of the buyer’s tour. Give your front door and surrounding trim a fresh coat of paint. Polish or replace the doorknocker and door handle. Remove cobwebs and dead insects from corners and light fixtures.
3. Replace dated house numbers, porch light fixtures, mailbox and doorbell, selecting a style that is consistent with the style of the house.
4. If your kitchen looks worn or outdated, don’t put big money into replacing or refacing cabinets. Often just a coat of paint in a light, neutral color, plus new cabinet hardware and drawer pulls, can make a kitchen look like new for less than $200.
5. Paint the interior walls. Nothing will give you more bang for your decorating buck than a fresh coat of paint. Keep it neutral but don’t go with plain white, which can be stark and institutional-looking. Instead choose a warm beige or taupe. Benjamin Moore has some great options in its Historical Colors collection. I’ve had success with Powell Buff (HC-35), Philadelphia Cream (HC-30) and Putnam Ivory (HC-39).  Another trick with paint is to keep all connecting rooms in the same color family, as this helps the interior spaces flow better and seem more spacious.
6. Replace outdated light fixtures, especially in bathrooms and kitchen. Ditch those “Hollywood” style lights and old fluorescent fixtures. Look at the Pottery Barn catalog for inspiration, but buy the fixtures at a home center. You can get simple and classic styles very inexpensively.
7. If you have hardwood floors underneath carpet, you should remove the carpet and refinish the wood floors if they need it. Often though, the floors have been protected by the carpet and won’t need refinishing. Where there is no hardwood underneath, replace the carpet if it is dark or dated looking. Have it professionally cleaned if it’s neutral but just dirty.
8. Hire a handyman to come in for a couple hours and take care of all those small repairs you have been meaning to get to (leaky faucets, creaky doors, etc). The inspector will point these out even if the buyer doesn’t notice, so you will end up fixing it anyway. You don’t want to give the buyer the impression that the place hasn’t been maintained or that there may be other bigger problems awaiting them.
9. Have the windows professionally cleaned, inside and out. You will be amazed how much lighter and brighter your rooms look.
10. De-clutter and rearrange. Most of us have too much stuff and all that stuff makes a house feel small and cramped. You can make your rooms (and closets) appear larger just by emptying them of 50% of their contents. Pack away collections, papers and memorabilia and donate clothes and other items you no longer use. Then edit your furniture and make sure there is nothing blocking the traffic flow between and through rooms.

If you do a combination of these things you can make your home more appealing to buyers and improve you chances of a quick sale. You can read more about the return on investment of various home improvement projects here.

Anne West
Redesign Doctor
www.NorthShoreViews.com