Avoid an Inferior Interior

You may well have been the envy of the neighborhood when the A-Team were household favorites, but that colored glass brick porch fountain and avocado bathroom suite won't have the buyers engaged in much of a bidding war in these enlightened days.

Okay, so most home owners have fallen victim to the lure of 'contemporary' decor at one time or another. But if there's one thing sure to deter a potential sale, it is seriously dated fixtures and outmoded interior design.

A few 'vintage' features might just have enough kitsch appeal for you to get away with but, on the whole, it is widely acknowledged that most people looking for a home will come with their own tastes, and that a property should be able to be viewed almost as a blank canvas.

We've all heard that as far as paintwork is concerned, neutral colors are best - and this is still very much the case. Recently, we have seen a slight shift in this perceived wisdom and are being encouraged to consider adding a little bit of color here and there - just remember to keep it subtle. Strawberries and cream might well be an excellent combination in a dessert bowl but as a living room color scheme? Perhaps not.

Unfortunately, if you're still bathing in the opulence of a mirror-tiled, candy pink en suite, then you have a slightly bigger project on your hands than can be solved with a few cans of paint. The good news is, a modest bathroom upgrade should see a significant amount of the investment returned upon sale of the property. The same applies to tidying up a tired kitchen - just remember to keep it fairly straightforward and you should see a healthy recovery on cost.