Your house has one chance to make a good first impression. Luckily, increasing the selling value and marketability of your home can be as simple as a quick coat of paint. Your REALTOR® can help you decide which improvements will add the most value to your home.

Ways to increase your home's appeal include:

• Painting—inside or out
• Setting potted plants outside
• Arranging fresh flowers inside
• Rearranging furniture
• Cleaning up clutter
• Installing new fixtures
• Updating appliances
• Adding a new room
• Building a new deck or patio

Curb Appeal

Improving your home's exterior appearance is an easy way to win potential buyers from the start. The front door is one of the first things buyers see. A new—or repainted—front door makes a big impact. Power washing your home's siding, deck and driveway will also make your home look well cared for.

Matching those fresh coats of paint with manicured landscaping is another way to improve your home's curb appeal. Make sure your lawn is tidy and trees and shrubs are pruned. A new flower bed adds a homey touch—placing attractively potted flowers by the front door is an inexpensive but effective alternative.

Remodeling

Improving your home's interior can also create strong selling points. In older homes, adding a new bathroom can increase the resale value. In the kitchen, new flooring, cabinets, countertops and updated appliances yield the highest return. Smaller updates such as new hardware and modern fixtures can also increase your home's appeal.

Outdoors, a new deck or patio can create a cozy space that's attractive to buyers. More extensive remodeling, such as adding a family room or master suite, can also pay off—if the new addition puts your home in the same class as others in the neighborhood.