When selling, it would be great to update your home, and make it more desirable to buyers. But, in reality, most sellers have no budget or a very small one to work with. The good news is that there is still hope.

There are many things homeowners can do to prepare their home for the market and improve the chances for a successful sale:

1. Cleaning your home is probably the most important task you can take on for no money. Dirt, dust and bad odors are the biggest turnoffs for buyers. So, roll up your sleeves and make your home sparkle!
2. Move or remove! Two very important words, which will help make your home look more spacious. Move furniture away from walls. Placing furniture around the perimeters of a room make it appear smaller. The ability to see more walls will actually create more visual space. Remove all furniture which does not add function or beauty. It is not necessary for every space to be filled.
3. De-personalize and de-clutter! It’s very important for buyers to see your home, not your stuff.
4. Painting is a very low-cost way of brightening up your home, making it appear more clean and modern. Even if you only do an accent wall, it will create drama, and perhaps draw the eyes of buyers away from dated flooring. A freshly painted front door will really add to the curb appeal.
5. Get creative! Appliances can be painted, tubs and showers re-glazed, at a much lower cost than replacement. New lampshades can modernize old lamps for a fraction of the cost of a new lamp. Bring old wood back to life with a treatment of wood oil. Brass fireplace doors can easily be painted with heat-resistant paint. Bathroom mirrors can be updated by framing them with molding you have painted or stained. Heavy drapes can be replaced with inexpensive sheer panels. The options are endless. Home improvement magazines or TV shows are a great source for other low-cost ideas.

So, don’t get discouraged when you realize there is little or no money for fixing up your home. Maybe, your home won’t be the best on the market, but with a little hard work and imagination, you can make your home the best it can be!