House-selling tip:

    Updating the look of your home is more important when the inventory of homes for sale increases. Buyers become harder to please when they have more listings to choose from. It's a good idea to look at the listings you'll be competing against. This will give you a good insight into how much you need to improve your home to gain an edge on the competition. A home that's dark and dated won't be as popular with buyers as one that has been lightened up with fresh paint, new light fixtures and floor coverings. These are the most cost-effective improvements along with flooring changes. You'll be surprised what a difference it will make to replace light fixtures from the 1970s with new, inexpensive ones. Speaking of lights, plan to keep your lights on and window coverings open while your house is being shown. First impressions are lasting. It's off-putting to most buyers to walk into a house that's dark and gloomy. If your window coverings are old, consider removing them completely. Cover windows that have unappealing outlooks with inexpensive opaque treatments that let light through. A fresh coat of paint almost always pays off.