This month's tips and ideas!

Low cost tips to sell your home:

To sell your home quickly and appeal to the largest possible buying segment, keep colors in mind when painting or replacing carpeting. These improvements can net big benefits in a raised sale price.

• Expose hardwood floors. The popularity of hardwood floors is undeniable and can drastically raise your asking price.
• Install beige carpets if you do have to replace them. This investment can make a home seem fresher.

• Avoid non-mainstream colors on your walls. If you have a vibrant hue, consider painting over it in a neutral shade.
• Choose colors that are soft and easy on the eye.
  White walls are not acceptable in today's market. Tan is the new neutral that most homeowners prefer and it can make a space seem newer, larger, and more expensive looking.
• Take down wallpaper or borders.
  They are like pieces of art; it might not be to everyone's taste!

"When buying a home, people will overlook a lot,"
says Sharon Hanby-Robie, an interior designer and realtor based in Lancaster, PA, and author of
My Name Isn't Martha But I Can Renovate My Home.
"But an old or run-down kitchen
will really hurt your resale value."

• So go ahead and spend a little extra, particularly if you expect to sell your home within a few years.
  As a guideline, Hanby-Robie suggests spending 20 percent to 25 percent of your home's value on the kitchen. That may sound like a lot (and indeed it is), but according to Remodeling magazine's annual "Cost vs. Value" study, homeowners will recoup an average of 80 percent to 87 percent of what they spend on a kitchen remodeling project when they sell their home.