quick clicks

grandparents today articles

grandparents today q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Real Appeal

Decorating to Sell Your Home

By Sarah Van Arsdale

And while you're at it, take a good, honest look at the exterior paint of your house, Orth says. "Exterior color should also be considered, and it should not distract from the style of the home and neighborhood," she says.

Likewise, you don't want your decorating style to take over the look of the home to the point where the buyers can't imagine the house decorated in their own style.

"Many people have a hard time seeing past the design and d袯r," Wildowsky says. "Some apartments are so 'done' that it is impossible to disguise the look, and if the design doesn't suit the buyer's tastes, it is often very hard to imagine it different."

Orth also has seen many "over decorated" homes and stresses that the d袯r should complement the style of the home. "It is important that the d袯r reflect the character and style of the home," she says. "Store some art, paint and patch the walls, remove any personal property that does not enhance the style of the home."

If you know you're going to be selling your home in a year or less, you may do better to hire a decorator to re-do the home with an eye to selling than to make it exactly the way you'd like it, even though "beautiful design is a sign of quality and value," Campbell says. "The design should be influenced by the different goal of 'selling the place,' which can be completely different from living there comfortably – so keep it open, minimal and bright."

Other than cleaning up the clutter and perhaps painting the walls a neutral color, the best way to fix up a home for a sale is by the tried-and-true quick fixes, the experts agree, with Campbell emphasizing "staging": the art of moving and re-moving objects and furniture to make the space feel as open and roomy as possible.

Orth stresses the importance of the home's exterior and entryway, and she suggests adding a pot of flowers to the front steps – healthy, well-tended, blooming flowers, that is – replacing the doorknob, washing down the front door and having the windows professionally cleaned.

Want to see more?

• A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place: Tools and Techniques to Attack Home Organization
• The Lost Art of Garden Accessories: Creating Outdoor Spaces That Inspire
• French Country Fabrics: Using Fabrics to Create a French Feel
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!