There is more to selling a home than simply listing it online – to ensure the property sells in a timely manner while preserving as much value as possible, a seller should first work on the presentation of the home, both inside and out to boost buyer appeal.

Data reflects that strategically staging and updating portions of a home prior to listing it can be a boon for sellers – a May 2025 report from Realtor.com found that agents who staged their clients’ homes received offers increasing by 1% to 10% in value, and nearly half (49%) noted that staging also shortened the time a home spent on the market.

If you are planning to sell your home this fall, heed these five tips for updates, upgrades and staging the property to maximize buyer appeal.

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Depersonalize the Home

The number one purpose of a home tour is for an interested buyer to imagine their furniture, family and lifestyle within a property. This immersive effect of a walk-through can be broken if visual reminders of a seller’s presence still line the walls and surfaces of a home. Before hosting buyers (and ideally before having photos taken within a home), invest in a storage unit and stow away personal belongings like collectibles, framed photos and religious items. Consider neutralizing the home further by removing items indicating political affiliation, hunting or sports teams. The goal is for the home to be as blank of a slate as a furniture setup on a showroom floor.

I recommend investing in a storage unit for the duration of the selling process as stashing personal belongings in closets won’t cut it – spaciousness (or the illusion of it) is important to buyers, who will want to see the property’s storage capacity. A walk-in closet should be as empty as possible, as should other storage spaces like attics and built-in kitchen cupboards. If an amenity is advertised and included in the sale of the property, empty it before a buyer walks through the door.

Update the Entryway

Your home’s ‘curb appeal’ refers to how attractive the property is when viewing it from the front, and can influence an impactful first impression for a buyer. Your front door, entryway and even the front lawn itself should be updated and maintained before and during the selling process. If glass has cracked on the front door, replace it, and update the hardware on the door itself if old and tarnished. Keep the entryway free of organic debris like dust and dead leaves, and add light fixtures that cast warm, inviting light.

Utilize Neutral Colors & Staging Furniture  

Something as simple as colors utilized with a home can make a space feel brighter and cleaner to a buyer. Tear down busy wallpaper and paint over bright accent walls, as cleaning up remnants from a previous occupant can be viewed as a dissuading ‘chore’ or yet another expense for a buyer upon moving in. Neutral-colored walls that are painted soft white, cream or beige allow buyers a chance to add their own personal touches later, and quite literally ‘brighten’ a room to make it feel cheery and hospitable.

Neutral colors shouldn’t be limited to the choice of wall paint – swap out statement rugs and dark-colored curtains for white ones, and display clean, white towels in bathrooms and kitchens. Prioritize neutralizing the home’s entryway/foyer, bathrooms, living room and master bedroom first before moving onto secondary spaces like kid’s rooms or media room.

Re-evaluate Furniture Placement

As stated earlier in this article, the illusion of spaciousness is important, and can be achieved even in smaller homes. Pull furniture away from the walls, and replace bulky, oversized pieces of furniture with smaller ones whenever possible. If bulky furniture must remain in the room, avoid placing two large pieces of furniture together, in front of windows, or in spaces that disrupt the flow of foot traffic, such as near doors. A realtor can help stage the home with modern, yet understated rented furniture, or even virtually stage an emptied room.

Don’t Neglect Outdoor Amenities

The last thing a buyer wants to think about when seeing a pool in a home’s backyard is the cost and time that will be required to clean it up. Remove as much doubt from a buyer’s mind as possible by keeping outdoor amenities like a pool clean and in good shape. Have the pool resurfaced if need-be, remove organic debris and clean out the filters.

Upgrading, updating and staging a home prior to hosting buyers or being photographed can be time consuming, but is a necessary step in the selling process. Working with a realtor, who can provide advice on upgrades and connect clients with staging resources, can take much of the guesswork out of making the property appealing to buyers. To connect with a HomeSmart agent in your area, visit homesmart.com.

Author: Lisa Dixon is a Realtor at HomeSmart.