Unfortunately, many potential buyers can't see past a property's aesthetic flaws; fortunately, such flaws are easily remedied. Below are five aesthetic mistakes you don't want to make during showings of your home.

Lack of light. At most, a dark home is one that buyers can't see their way around, possibly causing injury; at least, a dark home can feel unwelcoming and look smaller than it really is. So let in all the natural light you can, turn on all your light fixtures, and swap dim bulbs for high wattage.

Clutter. Like dark spaces, cluttered spaces feel smaller than they are. Also problematic, clutter signals neglect, distracts buyers' eyes from what they're there to see (the property itself, not all of your stuff), and makes it hard for buyers to picture their own lives and belongings in the space.

Offensive odors. Whether the source is smoking, cooking or pets, few things turn buyers off a home faster than an unpleasant odor. Eliminating odor may be as simple as keeping your trash emptied or as involved as professionally cleaning your carpets, draperies and upholstery.

Outdated decor. While you don't need to be updated on all the latest design trends, your decor should be appealing to the greatest number of prospective buyers possible - and an interior that looks like it's stuck in a time warp doesn't have broad appeal.

Neglected repairs. Drawers without hardware, crooked cabinet doors, missing pieces of molding - like clutter, these little imperfections signal neglect, giving buyers the impression your home hasn't been well maintained. Make sure they're fixed before potential buyers start showing up at your door.