6 Simple Ideas for Beautifying a House(July 3, 2006) -- When potential buyers look at a half-dozen similar homes, chances are the one they will buy is the one they consider the “prettiest one,” says Mark Nash, real estate professional and author of "1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home."Here are a half-dozen tips for making sure that your customer’s home is the prettiest.

• Strip away the window coverings – especially heavy drapes – and replace them with simple shades, then have the windows cleaned by a pro.
  
• Update lighting fixtures. Replace stodgy chandeliers and ceiling fixtures with something contemporary.
  
• Remove all the old wallpaper. Some home buyers won’t consider a property if there is wallpaper on the walls.
• Get rid of ratty furniture and rent new pieces if necessary.
  
• Neutralize kids’ rooms – remove the evidence that the child is a boy or a girl.
  
• Get rid of all of the family pictures.