Home Upgrades on a Budget

Tip #2: Family photos add personality to your home

While Nate is literally digging through Zigi's garage, he finds a bunch of family photos to make the house feel a little more like a home. "By taking all the photos away, it [makes] the space way too impersonal," Nate says.

Nate had bought some inexpensive frames. He then gave the photos a black and white treatment by simply taking them to a local store and photocopying them! He hangs photos around the house and creates a gallery in the dining room.

The gallery—which only cost $116 to create—helps interested buyers see that the family is proud of their home, Nate says. "I think somebody shopping for a home wants to be able to imagine their own happy times. … I think you need to reinforce that."

To spruce up the dining room a little more, Nate swaps the chandelier with another one in the house and buys some drapes from Lowe's. For a grand total of $164, the dining room is transformed!