We have all heard the real estate principle Location, Location, Location. But what if your budget didn't afford you the luxury of all the space, bells and whistles you wanted in a perfect location? A busy corner, a noisy road, power lines along the property border... it happens.

If the home you're trying to sell is in a less than perfect location, it will likely take longer to sell than comparable homes that are better situated. There are ways to temper a "bad" location so that your home can appreciate appropriately and tempt buyers in more ways than just being "cheaper".

1. Invest in landscaping so that you're offering a haven, a sanctuary and additional living space. Consider:

• tall, thick trees
• a water feature, like a loud fountain
• fencing

2. Make sure the Home's interior sparkles appealingly.

• up-to-date & neutral - Each room should look neutral in terms of colors, style and decor. The more up-to-date the interior looks, the more maintained your house appears.
• clean - A clean house is a lot more enticing than a filthy one. A dirty house is more depressing, it's an offput and costs you money. People see it as wreck and bid accordingly. (Which is usually not at all!)
• fresh smelling - Fresh and clean spells inviting in most buyer's books.

3. Noise Busters

• music - an outdoor stereo system is not only a nice-to-have feature, it's a great way to temper road noise
• table-top fountains - the same with fountains, both in-ground and on a table top. The soft trickling of water not only soothes the spirit but also blocks out much ambient sound
• wind chimes - the same as above, really.

Bonus Tip

Don't forget the additional square footage of a basement. Is yours finished? If not, open, cleared, cleaned spaces can often be decorate to replicate or at least suggest a rec room, remarkably inexpensively. It's worth consideration and goes a long way to propping up the value of a home.

The real estate principle of location can be tempered by making your home a great value. A place that's fun to live in, with lots of bells and whistles other homes in the price point don't have. Never give up hope, always look to add value.