Staged to Sell: Part 3 of 4

A four part series on staging your home to sell faster, by your Boulder Colorado Real Estate Expert.

Lighten and Brighten

Make improvements that pay. When spending money on improvements, concentrate on return on investment or ROI. Painting to lighten and brighten is a good value. Some experts suggest white for interiors, although some experts disagree, preferring neutral colored – like a soft, buttery tan – to make the house feel warm and welcoming, rather then cold and stark. A bold accent colored could be used sparingly to draw attention to a unique feature.

According to a survey of 2,000 real estate agents by HomeGain, an Internet-based firm, lightening and brightening a house in any way is the most cost effective improvement. That might mean replacing heavy draperies with sheers and pruning shrubs away from windows, as well as putting lighter paint on the walls. It might cost about $100, if you do the painting yourself, but it will raise the selling price of a $200,000 house by nearly $1,000, an ROI of 1,000 percent.

Other valued improvements, according to the survey include manicuring the landscape and trim (266 percent return), fixing plumbing and electrical (196 percent), and some kitchen and bath upgrades (138 percent).

Stay away from these upgrades with low POI: painting interior walls any odd color (63 percent return), repairing flooring (50 percent), replacing carpeting (39 percent), and painting exterior walls (34 percent).