The $1,000 Sell-It-Fast Makeover

Even with a budget of $1,000 or less, sellers are not priced out of making improvements that can help their home stand out among the competition. In fact, real estate experts say there are many relatively small upgrades that can go a long way toward attracting buyers.

"There are a lot of things that you can do that won't cost a lot of money but will sure make your home look a whole lot more appealing," said Gwyn Thorne, owner of Staged Appeal Homes in Fairfax. Among Thorne's top suggestions for a thousand-dollar budget:

-- Swap out old light fixtures to help modernize the feel of the interior. Flush-mounted fixtures suitable for bedrooms and hallways can go for as little as $20 a pair, Thorne said. "Because a lot of the light fixtures that are in the older houses haven't been changed, they have a very outdated look," she said. "For example, if you had what was really popular 10 years ago, it's not going to be very trendy now."

-- Buy a new bathroom vanity. Vanities start from only about $200. Add a new faucet and relatively inexpensive peel-and-stick tiling, and the bathroom looks like new, Thorne said. "Bathrooms and kitchens are probably the two most important rooms in the house," she said.

Nicci Parrish, co-owner of Impress Me Home Staging in Bowie, said sellers should focus on the exterior. "If it doesn't look good on the outside, buyers are going to have a negative opinion before they get inside," she said. Some of her favorite touches:

-- Add colorful flowers in a planter on the front porch.

-- Buy a new mailbox to replace a shabby old one.