If you’ve spent any amount of time watching home renovation or reality television (Hello, Sheffield Real Estate!), you’ve likely seen countless ways to upgrade your home. You can add bowling alleys, indoor basketball courts, or not one, not two but three gift-wrapping rooms.

But when it comes time to sell your home – SPOILER ALERT – not everyone will value your champagne grotto as much as you did.

So if you’re planning to put your house on the market, you need to maximize what those in the know call the ‘Buyer Hot Spots’ – the must-have, non-negotiable, make-it-or-break-it focal selling points of your home.

And if a 1,500-square-foot arcade isn’t exactly in your budget right now, consider focusing on these rooms first.

Buyer Hot Spots

To get the most bang for your buck and to make the biggest – and best – impression on prospective buyers, these are the sweet spots to focus on.

1. Kitchen. This one’s a biggie. Like the living room, this is a congregation-heavy room and is often the heart of a home. Buyers want room for cooking and entertaining with all the necessary – and cosmetic – updates. Consider painting cabinets, updating hardware, purchasing new appliances, changing out the countertops and flooring, and decluttering.

2. Bathroom. This is second only to the kitchen as a biggie. These spaces need to be clean, updated, feel like a spa and boast plenty of storage. Keep colors neutral, surfaces and hardware updated and clean, and put away all personal effects, such as toiletries, products and even toilets for toddlers or seniors, and magazine racks.

3. Living Room. This room is buyer-critical because it’s where everyone congregates, so buyers want to know they’ll have enough room to relax and entertain. Give it a little TLC, maybe even enlisting the help of an honest friend to a gain new perspective on how the room shows. Touch up paint, steam clean carpets and furniture, and declutter.

4. Dining Room. If a kitchen and living room had a baby, it’d be the dining room. It’s where socializing and food intersect. So it should be comfortable and sophisticated – and free of clutter (Are you noticing the clutterless pattern here?) Pay special attention to floor and walls, adding a coat of paint or replacing flooring as needed and maybe add a new light fixture or update the one you have.

5. Master Bedroom. This is the homeowners’ sanctuary so it needs to appeal to their need to escape and relax. A good rule of thumb is to make it feel like a fancy hotel room – thoughtful, uncluttered, inviting and comfortable above all. Soothing colors, thoughtful art and a fluffy, well-appointed bed all scream, ‘Welcome home! Come unwind.’

6. Curb Appeal. In real estate, potential buyers will judge your book by its cover, so make sure your house has obvious curb appeal. Just as it’s said that you eat with your eyes first, your home’s curb appeal is its only chance to make a strong first impression. All your efforts inside are for naught if the outside isn’t inviting enough to get them to walk through the front door.

At DeLeon Sheffield Company, we understand how overwhelming selling your home can be – but it doesn’t have to be. We promise! With a little forethought, small-but-strategic updates and sweat-equity, your house can be show-ready in no time! Let our experienced professionals walk you through the process, every step of the way, until your home is good-as-sold!

Because at DeLeon Sheffield Company, ‘We’re More Than Realty; We’re Family.’