Make it welcoming. You can’t underestimate the importance of curb appeal. Repaint where needed, but make sure the entry waves hello from the street. Clean, weed and stage your home from the sidewalk to the shrubs to the front door. Buy pots of flowers and a fresh new welcome mat. Make sure that’s not so much as a stray leaf or toy on the front yard.

Make it cool. The new neutrals are a far cry from the yellows and beiges of the Mediterranean era, ‘90s jewel tones, ‘80s pastels, and ‘70s earth tones. Instead, repaint with cooler tones, like gray or icy Scandinavian whites and sky blues.

Make it low-maintenance. Replace worn carpet with a high-grade laminate floor that looks like wood, tile or granite. Replace countertops with easy-clean quartz. Upgrade your heating and cooling with a programmable thermostat. Change out yellowish light bulbs with long-wearing daylight LED bulbs.

Make it show-ready. If you have popcorn ceilings, have them removed. Replace old appliances and dated fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen with new stainless or brushed nickel finish. One of the new touch faucets, an induction range, and an apron sink also add the wow factors you need to impress buyers.