Technically, barring deed restrictions, you can paint your house whatever color suits your fancy – chartreuse, plum, neon yellow … but not if you want to sell it. It sounds crazy, but most buyers cannot and I mean can NOT see beyond paint color as well as a host of other personal choices. Many a buyer has been turned off by a pink house or a purple wall. Don’t get me wrong, no one wants to see an empty white box either. So what is a seller to do?

Let’s start with curb appeal. You want your house to look like it belongs in the neighborhood with a few stand-out features. Make sure the paint looks fresh. That can be as simple and inexpensive as touching up trim work or as costly and extensive as repainting the entire exterior. There are some neighborhoods like the Heights in Houston where wilder colors actually work. You must know your neighborhood, its period, and its deed restrictions. Keep in mind that while changes and updates are usually necessary to get the house to sell for the top of the market value, you cannot just pass on those costs to the buyer. It doesn’t work that way. Improvements done to sell will help you sell faster and for the best possible price, but you still cannot list higher than the market will bear, or your house will sit and you will likely sell for less than if you priced it right. Keep that in mind when you invest in improvements to sell.

Other areas to consider are things that show pride of ownership and good maintenance. Clean your windows and your gutters. Spruce up flower beds and re-sod where needed. Replace any missing fence boards or if necessary, replace the fence. Caulk around windows to be certain that everything looks fresh. However, avoid filling gaps between the brick and the window frames before consulting with your realtor. This can be a simple issue of settling or an indication of foundation issues. In the interest of full disclosure, it may be best to leave that alone.

Front doors and entryways are great opportunities to make first and lasting impressions. Clear up bushes and get rid of clutter and debris. Power wash walkways, put in fresh mulch and flowers and add a few potted plants if room allows. Front porches should look clean and new. Spruce them up with fresh paint and add a few rockers or new pillows if possible. Here is where you can add pops of color. If your neighborhood is eclectic, you can even paint your front door a bright color. In more conservative neighborhoods, think wood refinishing or black. A nice new entry light is another inexpensive way to make that entry feel warm, updated, and inviting.

Once inside your home, try and imagine your house as a blank canvas and learn to embrace the neutral. Paint your walls in a range of beige.  No purple or red.  While red can be stunning when it is used correctly and designers love it, it actually carries an emotional punch. Buyers either love it or hate it. Any strong color can actually translate into work for a potential buyer. The singular exception may be childrens' rooms. Buyers tend to be more tolerant here, but there’s no guarantee. Unless it is cost prohibitive, repaint. In addition, get rid of the wall paper and the faux paint – it will date your house. And take down wall to wall mirrors if possible or add wood trim to update it and make it a feature rather than a distraction.

As painful as it can be sometimes it is absolutely essential that you remove all the family pictures, even if you are currently using them as art – it is very hard for a buyer to envision themselves in your home with little Sarah smiling at them from your living room. Another exception to this rule is a single family or wedding photo in the master bedroom. It evokes warmth and a sense of family in the most nurturing of rooms.

The biggest offender inside the house is perhaps the clutter of chachkies and collections. We all have them and most of us are resistant to letting them go. As a seller, you need to remove those things and seriously consider how important they are to making the move. I recommend getting a storage unit away from your home. Pack and clear out. There has been an alarming trend of sellers renting storage units that they just plop in their driveway. Nothing says “this house is too small” like a storage unit in the front yard. Just make some hard, honest decisions and decide to donate, sell, or box-up.

Selling a home you have loved or even one you are ready to run away from is never easy. It takes preparation and a lot of realistic goal setting. A good realtor will help you with both. In the end, if you put in the effort, the reward will be well worth the trouble.