14 Sneaky Mistakes that Can Decrease Your Home's Value

Thinking of selling your home...even one day? Real estate experts weigh in on the unexpected little details that could cost you big time in the long run.

1. Choosing a crazy exterior color
"Curb appeal is huge, don't pick a paint color that isn't common in your neighborhood or doesn't fit the style of your home." -Pam Baldwin Foarde of Al Filippone Associates/William Raveis

2. Landscaping without a plan
"Planting trees too close to the house or driveway - without considering how big they're going to get - creates major problems later. Roots can cause breaks in the pavement that might raise your homeowners insurance or make it hard for you get a policy until the problem is fixed. Before you plant anything, think about how it will look in twenty years." -Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group

3. Ignoring your entryway
"Having a front door lock that doesn't work properly or hardware that looks old and pitted makes buyers uneasy and puts them on high alert for what else has been let go in the house." -Donna Marie Baldwin
of Coldwell Banker

More: 10 Problems Only the Interior Design-Obsessed Understand

4. Assuming you'll recoup every investment
"People spend a lot of money putting in a pool and want to recoup the value when they go to sell their home. Unfortunately, putting in a pool never gets you back the value or cost of the pool." -Chris Winn of Kellar Williams/Advantage Group

5. Fussing with the fireplace
"Be cautious if you're thinking about updating the fireplace, especially if you want to paint over exposed brick. Depending on what the trend is at the time it could lower the value. People tend to like the aesthetic of exposed brick"" -Chris Winn

6. Skimping on an AC system
"Always pay for the next system up for your home's size. Paying more initially will bring down your power bill while you live there and will up the value when you sell." -Chris Winn

7. Getting too complicated with paint
"It might be trendy to paint the trim a contrasting color, but it distracts the eye. Keep it the same color as the wall to maximize the space." -Davida Hogan, home stager at Edited Style

More: 10 Commandments for Outdoor Decorating

8. Keeping old appliances
"Pay attention to the brand and quality of your major kitchen appliances. If something is classic and well maintained that's always a positive. But if you can't get something clean it needs to be replaced. People don't want to move in and have to replace all of the appliances." -Pam Baldwin Foarde

9. Neglecting the small stuff
"Buyers have their eye on details you might forget. Keep up with cleaning and maintaining windows, making sure light switches work, or making sure the garbage disposal runs properly - it all shows that the house has been cared for." -Davida Hogan

10. Not doing a deep clean
"Even the tiniest details matter when it comes to cleaning. The tracks of windows, sinks, grout, ovens, and appliances are all looked at by buyers." -Donna Marie Baldwin

More: The 9 Essentials for Your First Home

11. Being too trend obsessed
"Buyers aren't attracted to trendy - they are looking for kitchens or bathrooms in classic, neutral colors. If you want to add color and personality to your home use bright accessories (that are easy to change) to bring in fun details." -Pam Baldwin Foarde

12. Choosing hard to clean surfaces
"Make sure you spend money on the correct cleaners for your countertops. Permanent stains on kitchen and bathroom counters mean that the whole piece will need to be replaced." -Pam Baldwin Foarde

13. Thinking too small in small spaces
"Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. That being said, you always want to make a small space feel as big as possible. Don't re-tile a small bathroom with small tiles; they only make the space feel smaller. Use bigger tiles; they'll open the space up." -Davida Hogan

14. Neglecting your wood floors
"I recently refinished the floors in my own home and found out that you shouldn't clean them with water and vinegar because it dulls them over time. Also, instead of a complete overhaul you can have your floors buffed every few years." -Pam Baldwin Foarde

More from House Beautiful: