We all know that when it comes time to sell your house, your Realtor will ask you to clean the house, remove the clutter, and even stage the house. The overarching objective is to get your home to appeal to as many buyers as possible. With this strategy in mind many sellers have intended to make the house as neutral as possible. We go over some of the things you can do to make your house appeal to as many buyers as possible.

White or off white walls: It’s no surprise the most popular colors from Kelly Moore and other paint suppliers are off-white, egg-shell white, etc. These colors are popular interior colors to get houses ready for new tenants or to appeal to new buyers. The whiteness of the walls represents cleanliness and also a blank canvas for the future resident to make any future changes.

Filling up the pool or koi pond: Pools and ponds in the backyard are interpreted differently by different buyers. People see a pool and may perceive the cost of maintenance. Others see it as a summer centerpiece. Families with children perceive it as a risk of drowning to their little ones and now they must fence it. Regardless, sellers sometimes opt to fill a pool with dirt and built over it or fill up a pond to have a more neutral layout of the backyard.

Getting drought tolerant or solar: Any green amenities can level up the value of the house and materially increase the listing price of a home by several percentage points. I have seen solar panels increase value of the house as much as 10%. The appraiser will have to count it. Same goes for drought tolerant plants. They can reduce household maintenance costs and utility bills and attract buyers to bid on your home.