Paint Your Way to Profits

Painting your home before you put it on the market is one of the cheapest ways to get the highest possible price for your property. "Paint with soft muted colors," recommends Lynn Anderson, Realtor® with ZipRealty, East Bay, Calif. "Add white baseboards for additional style. Too often, sellers think it’s best to paint a house all the same color, but there’s no pizzazz with white walls. Colors such as pale green or muted beige can still be neutral while greatly improving the look and feel of each room

Find a Higher Price Underfoot

If you’ve got hardwood under old carpet, uncover a higher sales price by ripping up the carpet and refinishing the floors. Sanding hardwoods is physically demanding. Make a mistake and you ruin the floor. Hire a pro to sand for $1 to $1.50 a foot and then do your own staining and sealing to save money. When carpet is your only option, buy the best padding. Mid-price carpeting will look and feel fine if the padding below it is thick.

Tweak the Front Yard

Trim your shrubs, cut your grass and place potted flowers at the entryway. Paint the front door and invest in new doorknobs, a mailbox and house numbers. "First impressions make a huge difference, says Lynn Anderson, Realtor® with ZipRealty, East Bay, Calif. "Perspective buyers tend to make up their mind before they even walk into the house. If they don’t like the outside, they’re not going to like the inside."

Light the Way to a Higher Sale Price

Update old light fixtures in the kitchen, bath and hallways so buyers will see why your home is worth more. "Replacing dated light fixtures instantly updates the house," says Susan Huerta, a sales associate with Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Clarksville, Md. "When buyers see florescent lights in the kitchen, they think 1970s. When they see brass, they think 1980s. When they see brushed nickel, stainless steel, or blown-glass style light fixtures they think purchase offer. Recessed lighting is also a huge selling point because it brightens up the room and creates a natural-looking light."