How to Get Top Dollar for the Sale of Your Home

The Diamants need help selling their house so they can move and open a new business.

More from Designed to Sell
Filed under: Home Staging, Makeover

Judy and Mike Diamant are ready to pack up their active family and move across the country to open a fitness center. But first they need to pump up the bottom line on their out-of-shape home. That's where the Designed to Sell team comes into the picture. They intend to use their $2,000 budget and expertise to get top dollar from the sale.

The first team member on the scene is real estate expert Donna Freeman, who provides a very honest assessment of the house. The front of the house is not bad, but the dirt along the walk needs to be popped up with color, she says. If potential buyers like what they see on the outside, they will want to move on to the inside.

The interior needs a little more work. For example, the first room she enters does not have a clear purpose (it turns out to be a living room), though she notes the great hardwood floors and beautiful fireplace. Other rooms need general sprucing up and rearranging.

The main problem with the kitchen, though it's nice and spacious, is that it is dated.

The master bedroom is crowded with large furniture and uninspiring in general.

The den is just plain drab. Its best feature, the fireplace (to the left of the TV, in the wall), is not highlighted at all.

Designer Lisa LaPorta agrees with Donna's assessment and outlines a design plan to make it happen. She wants to focus on the living room, master bedroom, kitchen and den.

Step 1: Beat the clock! Update or replace old-fashioned elements so the entire house feels current.

Step 2: Reel 'em in. Grab prospective buyers when they first walk in the door to boost their interest and the home's bottom line.

Step 3: Set the stage. Create drama in important areas so potential buyers will want to linger.

Lisa knows she can't do all the work alone, so she pulls together her usual team of contractor Jim Collins and carpenters Brad Haviland and Nick Ralbovsky.

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