There’s nothing you can do about the location of your home, but that may be one of the reasons why your home’s value isn’t as high as you wish it were. What you can do is make sure other aspects of your property are desirable. When you’re selling your home, you want to meet as many homebuyer preferences as possible and keep them in mind as you search for your next home.

Noise – Traffic noise, basketball-bouncing teenagers, loud music, and construction are just a few things homebuyers don’t want to hear. Add more insulation in the walls, and replace single pane windows with sound-muffling double pane or storm windows.

Danger – A home built too close to a busy street, homes with scary guard dogs, and bars on the windows make homebuyers wary. Take your with you during showings.

High Maintenance Costs – You love your swimming pool and spa, but your homebuyer may not. Don’t make improvements that won’t resell well unless you really want them and they make sense for your home and area.

Luxury features in a starter home – If you’re selling a starter or mid-range home, luxury appliances and finishes are appealing, but homebuyers won’t pay extra for them.

Tacky neighbors – Yes, your neighbors can bring your home’s value down as well as up. Junk in the yard, peeling paint and obvious deferred maintenance can be off-putting to homebuyers. Get the other neighbors together and offer to help the homeowner, especially seniors on fixed incomes.