Many factors contribute to how much your home is worth. In addition to its location and its condition, factors such as your school district, the number of similar houses on the market and the number of buyers looking for new homes can greatly influence your home's value at a given moment.

If your house is designed to suit a large portion of the population, your prospects for selling quickly and easily are better than if your home is highly customized. The more people looking for your type of house, the more likely you are to find a buyer.

It may be hard to believe, but when your neighbor paints his house a sickening shade of puce, it could affect the value of your home. A prospective buyer may shy away from buying a home on a block where there are unattractive homes or noisy businesses.

Prospective buyers are usually impressed by a well-cared-for lawn. If you've buried the family pet in your backyard, it probably makes sense not to mention it.

Plants that require a lot of maintenance, plants that make a mess on the neighbor's property and plants that can damage your home's structural elements may all detract from the value of your home.

Neutral colors like beige and cream are considered the most likely to appeal to a wide group of people. If you really want to be sure, consider hiring a color consultant to help you choose.

As in the case of your home's exterior, stick to simple paint choices for the interior when trying to attract potential buyers. Textured finishes seem to annoy some people, especially when they think about the hassle of the de-texturing process.

Before you decide to renovate any part of your home in the hope of increasing its value, ask a professional for guidance. You can get suggestions from realtors and designers on what works with potential buyers.

It's always tricky to undertake a major remodeling job for the sole purpose of increasing the value of your home. It may not suit a potential buyer's tastes or needs and they may not be willing to compensate you for your investment.

It's a good idea to invest in new flooring for your home in order to increase its value before putting it on the market, but choose carefully. It's usually best to stick with classics like hardwood or tile.