Thinking of selling your home? Consider upgrading a few elements before a home appraisal–and stay away from a few items. Renovating a few aspects of your house may put you ahead of other homesellers, especially considering how difficult it is to sell at a reasonable price in this current market. Houzz has some great suggestions! Following are a few of the best, but go to Houzz.com to read all of them!

DO:

• An open layout
• Extra perks in the kitchen (wine fridge, instant hot water central vacuum)
• Repaint bathroom tub if necessary
• Add shutters or new plants to freshen up the exterior
• Talk to the appraiser before inspection (read Houzz’s article to find out why)
• Get a second opinion

DON’T:

• Fix outdated counters — just replace!
• Have any room in your home feel dark or have outdated colors
• Try to change your home’s architectural style
• Stage your home — do this when actually listing it, if needed