We all know updating your home can pay off in big ways—increasing resale value, making it more energy efficient and making it a better place to live. Here are 10 ways to instantly add value to your home and make it a buyer’s first choice.

Give your Kitchen Some Love

Kitchens are a big seller in every home and will continue to be.  Potential home buyers always make visiting the kitchen first a priority, so make sure when it comes time to sell yours is ready to go! A few hundred dollars can pay off big. So if you don’t have a huge budget focus first on updating your kitchen faucet, adding some new cabinet door handles and adding new lighting fixtures.

If you have more than a few hundred dollars? Focus on giving your cabinets a makeover. If you don’t have a huge budget, you can still redo your cabinets by hiring a refacing company or you can even re-paint them yourself. A fresh coat of paint can make an entire kitchen look brand new.

Another easy fix is replacing your backsplash. This can really update the entire look of a kitchen and you don’t have to always invest in tile either. You could use wooden beadboard, wallpaper, stainless steel sheets or chalkboard paint.

Update Your Appliances

This can be a little more expensive, but it doesn’t always have to be, making sure all your appliances match really goes a long way when selling your home. Often times some appliances like dishwashers or microwaves can have replacement panels ordered, which will save a lot. Also look for deals at your local appliance store, oftentimes they have a scratch and dent section. You will be able to get appliances for half the price of normal appliances.

Give Your Frontdoor a Facelift

First impressions matter, so make sure when those perspective buyers walkthrough your front door they want to buy the house. Invest in a new front door or paint your old one, it can dramatically change the look of your home and instantly enhance curb appeal. Adding potted plants, new exterior lights, new house numbers and a rug can instantly add charm to an otherwise uninspiring entrance.

Modernize Your Bathroom

Second to kitchens, bathrooms sell homes and fortunately improvements can be made without spending a lot of cash.  Simple and affordable fixes, like changing the toilet seat or adding a pedestal sink are easy for the most unhandy homeowner to tackle. Painting the bathroom can do wonders as well, often times this is one of the easiest rooms to paint because of its size.

If you like to DIY, and have a plain, frame-less mirror, try updating it with a frame or learn how to tile. Adding this architectural element will impress every buyer.

Give Your Light Fixtures a New Look

This is another easy update for the most novice homeowner to pull off! New kitchen and dining room lighting can instantly take at least a decade off a room and make it look larger. Also adding a dinner switch to your current lighting, will help set the mood for those open houses.

Don’t Forget Floors

Make sure to look down! Carpeting is another detail that can either date a home or bring it into this century. Getting your carpets professionally cleaned is an inexpensive investment and can make a huge difference, especially if your carpets aren’t too bad in the first place.

If your carpet has some serious wear and tear or is from the 1970’s, consider adding an area rug.

Keep Your Curb Appear High

Make sure that your lawn and garden is looking like it belongs in Home and Garden Magazine. This isn’t an expensive investment and can really impress homebuyers. Making sure your lawn is mowed and there aren’t any patches of missing grass is a great place to start. Re-mulching garden beds is another easy investment that doesn’t take a green thumb and can make the house look brand new. What buyers see when they first drive buy, really does make a difference. Put away all garbage cans, plant some season flowers and trim any branches. If you have a patio set on a deck, buy new pillows to give it a fresh update.