How's your Curb Appeal?

The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of your house and its surroundings.

What is your first impression of the house and yard area?
What are the best exterior features of the house or property? How can you enhance them?
What are the worst exterior features of the house or property? How can you minimize or improve them?

Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the approach clean and tidy? What could you do to make it more attractive?

Take photos of the home's exterior. If you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, then remove the color and look at it in black and white, because it's easier to see problems when color isn't around to affect our senses.

Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the property more attractive.

Kill all visible mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
Stow away unnecessary garden hoses and tools.
Clean windows and raingutters.
Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof.