Details: Clear away the clutter, polish the hardwoods, clean the counter tops and dust the light fixtures.

Tips:

- Shine a stainless steel sink with thrifty cleaning remedies such as baby oil or club soda, according to DoItYourself.com.

- Restore-A-Finish (about $5 a can) can be used to polish cabinets and even blend out minor scratches and imperfections.

- Make sure the laundry room is fresh, inviting and organized.

Floors: Hardwood floor that are on most buyers wish list can get expensive. To imitate the look for less try vinyl or Bamboo flooring.

Tips:

- Dirty or worn carpet may benefit from professional cleaning.

- Practically any beaten-up hardwood can be salvaged with refinishing

- Another option for lackluster flooring use an area rug, even over carpets.

- If you are adding inexpensive carpeting, consider upgrading the carpet pad making a budget carpet feel luxurious.

Lighting: New light fixtures are a quick way to create ambiance.

Tips:

- Under the cabinet lighting in the kitchen is affordable and makes countertops sparkle.

- Open the blinds and wipe down the windows

- Compact fluorescent bulbs remain the go to choice for energy efficiency

Paint: Paint the interior with neutral colors. Reserve the darker or trendier colors for accent walls.

Tips:

- Flat or matt finish is difficult to clean and shows scuffs whereas semi-gloss - higher on sheen level is easy to clean and gloss accentuates flaws

- Eggshell or satin bounces light off the walls to make spaces seem larger.

- Don't use stark white on baseboards. Also make sure to use primer first.