Bound for Town

The Joyce family has a rancher they're desperate to get rid of to be closer to Chris's job, but they're having a hard time selling it. The three-bedroom, one-bath house has been on the market for six months, and not one potential buyer has shown interest. The Designed to Sell team signs on to help them turn this market loser into real-estate gold.

Real estate expert Brandie Malay takes a look to see if she can figure out where improvements can be made. She says the view of the park in front of their house is gorgeous and will help get people inside, but that alone won't sell the house. Inside, she notes a good amount of deferred maintenance in the kitchen and an outdated bathroom and guest bedroom. What's more, that bedroom is not showcasing the window that looks out over the park. That could be costing the sellers big bucks.

Designer Monica Pedersen weighs in next. She thinks that one of the reasons this place hasn't yet sold is because there are too many rooms that need work. Most house shoppers want to be able to settle in right away. The thought of making a lot of repairs could scare them off. Here's how she plans to change that:

Step 1: Update the kitchen. Homebuyers love newly renovated kitchens.

Step 2: Breathe new life into the only bathroom in the house to turn this space from deal breaker to deal maker.

Step 3: Play up the view outside the guest bedroom window. Create a clear traffic pattern with the furniture arrangement to draw eyes toward the window.

Carpenters Chad Lopez and Robert North are on hand to help get things started.