Curb appeal should be on of your highest priorities when getting ready to sell a house. Let's face it, if the yard does not look appealing, home buyers will not get out of their car. Even on a tight budget there are things you CAN and SHOULD do to maximize the way the house looks from the street.

Buyers make automatic judgments by looking at the way you care for the lawn and house. If they see that the yard is not mowed or there are items left unplaced, they will wonder if you are careless with the upkeep of other aspects of the property.

TIPS:

• You should kill the mold and mildew on the house, sidewalk, roof, or driveway.
• There should be no unnecessary garden tools, toys, bikes, or other objects left in the open.
• Mow the lawn, get rid of weeds, and rake and dispose of the leaves.
• If applicable, scrape and repaint fences, benches and porch swings if they show wear or peeling paint.
• Try to add inexpensive and affordable landscaping elements to your front yard, such as bushes and flowers. Also, note that sometimes you have to remove landscaping to help the curb appeal of the property (i.e. dead bushes/trees, very overgrown bushes, ugly landscaping).
• For nighttime try to add solar lighting to the driveway or sidewalk. Is is typically inexpensive and comes in a variety of styles. Be sure all outside lighting is in proper working order.
• Replace all old hardware. The door knob, lock-set and overhead light fixture all add elements of style to your house. Make sure they are all uniform in style and are not mix-and-match pieces.