NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Home sellers don't want to spend an arm and a leg getting their places ready for listing. The good news is: it's actually possible to put a property's best foot forward on the cheap. "There are certain cosmetic changes you can do where putting in a little over $1,000 will probably get you $5,000 back in terms of a higher sales price," says Mia Simon of real-estate brokerage Redfin, which recently analyzed how budget-conscious sellers can best prepare their homes. Simon, a sales agent in California's hot Silicon Valley market, says $3,000 is often enough to make a residence show nicely and maximize offers. "A question I often get from sellers is: 'Why should I do anything?...this is such a hot market that the house will sell itself,'" she says.