Paige Martin is a broker associate with Keller Williams working in Houston.

Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their Short List, a collection of tips and recommendations on an essential topic in real estate. This week, we spoke with Paige Martin, a broker associate with Keller Williams, who shared her 20 best investments to make before listing a home. 

Before a client lists their homes, as Realtors, we should do our best to make sure the property is ready for sell, meaning we’ve done everything to maximize the home’s value. Here are a 20 of the best home improvements investments, categorized by price range, your clients can do to improve their selling power:

4. Free Projects

• De-clutter and simplify your home. People want space.
• De-personalize. Buyers want their home, not yours.
• Clear storage space.
• Get a consultation from a staging professional. It should lend some insights into what needs to be done.
• Do a deep clean.

3. Projects Under $500

• Fix the obvious problems in a house. Don’t leave it as a nasty surprise for the next owners.
• Update your client’s home by swapping out old fixtures and hardware.
• Elevate the atmosphere by installing improved lighting.
• Focus on improving the home’s curb appeal. After all, that’s what gets people to the door.

2. Projects Under $5,000

• Let a team of professionals lay down fresh coats of paint on both the interior and exterior.
• Replace the tired carpet or scratched up wood flooring with something new and clean.
• Touch up your yard with some landscaping.
• Replace both the garage and entry door. They set the tone for the home’s interior.

1. Projects $5,000-plus

• Install stone veneer accents.
• Renovate the kitchen, arguably the most important room in the house.
• Remodel the attic, giving the home that much more functional living or storage space.
• If the home has siding, consider replacing it with a more updated style.
• Replace the homes windows.

Paige Martin is a Broker Associate with Keller Williams Memorial and the owner of www.HoustonProperties.com. She has been ranked a Top Houston Realtor by the Houston Chronicle, Houston Business Journal, RealTrends, and Texas Monthly.