To attract buyers, sellers must convince them that their property offers what many want most – top value for dollar expended! Here are some quick solutions:

Buff up curb appeal: You’ve heard it before, but it’s critical to get buyers to want to look on the inside. Be objective. View listings from the street. Check the condition of the landscaping, paint, roof, shutters, front door, knocker, windows, house number, and even how window treatments look from the outside. Add something special – such as big flower pots or an antique bench – to help viewers remember house A from B.

Enrich with color: Paint is inexpensive. However, forget the adage that it must be white or neutral. Just don’t get too carried away with jarring pinks, oranges, and purples. Soft colors that say “welcome,” lead the eye from room to room. Think soft yellows and pale greens. Tint ceilings a lighter shade.

Upgrade the kitchen and bathroom: These make-or-break rooms can spur a sale. But besides making each squeaky clean and clutter-free, update the cabinet door and drawer handles, sinks, and faucets. In a kitchen, add one cool appliance, such as an espresso maker.

Add crown molding: Install crown molding at least six to nine inches in depth, proportional to the room’s size, and architecturally compatible. For ceilings nine feet high or higher, add dentil detailing (small tooth-shaped blocks used as a repeating ornament).

Screen hardwood floors: Buyers favor wood over carpet, but refinishing them is costly and time-consuming. Screening cuts dust, time, and expense. What it entails: a light sanding, not a full stripping of color or polyurethane, then a coat of finish.

Clean out and organize closets: Organize your piles into “don’t need,” “haven’t worn,” and “keep.” Closets must be only half-full, so buyers can visualize fitting their things in it.

Update window treatments: Buyers want light and views, not dated and fancy drapes that darken rooms. To diffuse light and add privacy, consider energy-efficient shades and blinds.

Hire a home inspector: Do a preemptive strike, since busy home owners seek maintenance-free living. Fix any problems before you list the home and keep your receipts to show to buyers what was done.