By Kathy Henne

You might think that the living room or family room is the heart of your home, but in the eyes of potential buyers, there are at least three other rooms that will demand your attention as you prepare to sell your home for top dollar. Avoiding improvements in the following areas may cost you a lot more than the small investment it takes to impress buyers.

For buyers, the kitchen is often the most important area, and while you may not need to replace your cabinets, refacing or just sanding and staining will go a long way towards improving their appearance. If the floor is in poor condition, consider replacing it.

In the bathroom, fresh paint and new flooring are also fine improvements, buy your greatest payoff might come from simply investing a couple hundred dollars in a new mirror and vanity.

The laundry room is often overlooked when it comes to improvements, but buyers will respond positively if you install built-in shelving and storage. If your laundry area isn’t flooded with light, consider upgrading the light fixtures. While you’re at it, that fresh paint and new flooring wouldn’t hurt here, either.

If these three rooms are bright, neat and clean, it conveys to the buyers that you are a responsible seller with pride of ownership and worthy of a great offer.