HGTV's Tarek El Moussa's Design Tip For Making Your Listing Stand Out To Buyers

Planning the sale of a home is many things: exciting, full of possibility, and — of course — daunting. Before listing your property for sale, you'll likely track down a list of action items that will give you a leg up on the market, such as updating your home's old systems and making minor repairs of whatever might be broken or non-operational. While all of these basic pre-listing rules shouldn't be overlooked, if you're seeking a design tip to make your listing really stand out to buyers, just look to HGTV star Tarek El Moussa's expert advice on how to make your home more luxurious and, therefore, more attractive to buyers.

El Moussa may be best known for his house-flipping advice, but his recommendations can easily be employed if you're doing a traditional sale of your home. In order to help your home make an impact on buyers, El Moussa's best tips include incorporating elements that prioritize both form and function in your home. Some of the specific elements that he recommends upgrading include installing under-the-cabinet lighting, new and stunning hardware, pot fillers, and other changes that won't break the bank. Other upgrades that El Moussa recommends include a new tankless water heater or an accent wall — truly anything that will turn the heads of prospective buyers.

The options for improving your home to sell are practically endless, so it's best to work with your space, ensuring that you choose attractive elements to give you the biggest bang for your buck when your property is purchased. Here's what you need to know.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by where to begin with incorporating elements into your home, one easy way to sift through the possibilities is to look around your home with a buyer's eye. Imagine that you are considering purchasing your home and look for design elements that are a bit lackluster or outdated. Old scratched handles and doorknobs could be upgraded for newer and trendier ones, like the matte black ones from Kwikset (available at Home Depot for $24.58). If your kitchen faucet is unimpressive, now could be a good time to upgrade it so as to wow potential buyers.

While you don't have to choose the most expensive hardware and equipment on the market, opting for elements that prioritize performance and appearance will give you the best value for your investment. Additional kitchen element upgrades include swapping out your old drawer pulls for new ones that tie your space together and installing a new lighting fixture that makes your space look more modern and unique.

Looking at other areas of the house, continue to fantasize about what elements you'd like to see if you were buying a home. In your master bathroom, for example, you could easily install a new brushed metal shower head that is free from any mineral buildup and presents a fresh and contemporary appeal to the space (but avoid the trendy shower feature that El Moussa can't stand). Consider updating bathroom hardware with new handles and drawer pulls and installing soft-close hinges in the cabinetry, which are both practical and cost-effective. Another valuable design element could be a thoughtfully selected accent wall in your home's living space.

El Moussa's tip to incorporate accents and design elements throughout the home is one way to entice buyers; he also has countless other valuable tips that could make selling your home a faster process. One easy and practical tip for sellers is to select a color palette that will resonate with a wide group of potential buyers. While a small number of individuals might not mind an especially brightly painted room, others might be repelled at the thought of purchasing a home that needs to be repainted. Selecting a neutral color palette is the best way to guarantee that you won't scare off serious buyers — remember to choose a color that works well with your home's decor for the best effect.

Updating and upgrading certain elements around the home is a great idea if you're looking to sell fast, but El Moussa recommends being strategic with these changes. It's best to be thoughtful about the changes that you are making, selecting improvements that are affordable for you so that you can keep the selling price reasonable for buyers. At the end of the day, opting for those changes and improvements that not only improve the appearance of your space but also bring objective value to the property will be more likely to entice buyers. After implementing El Moussa's tips and before you list your home, remember to employ tried-and-true staging tricks to help your home sell faster.