Exterior

- Flowers, Grass and Shrubs: Keep trimmed. Plant seasonal blooming flowers, especially near the front door and in patio area. Consider a fast-greening fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate (inexpensive) for a deep green lawn.

- Pets: If you have a dog, clean up any dog dirt on a daily basis. If you have a cat, change your litter box daily.

- Fences: Make any needed repairs. A neat, well-painted fence gives a positive impression.

- Bird feeders: Hummingbird feeders and birdhouses create a pleasant mood, especially when they are close to any patio area.

- Paint: Front door should be refinished or painted if it shows excessive wear. Check exterior paint. Often only the trim or, depending on sun exposure, only one or two sides of the house need painting. Keep in mind the fact that paint is cheap compared to the extra dollars a home with a clean fresh appearance will bring.

- Roof: if the roof needs to be repaired or replaced, it's best to have the work done. Delaying repairs could end up actually costing you twice as much.

- Housekeeping: Floors, bath fixtures and appliances must be sparkling.

- Paint: if you have leftover paint, you can accomplish a great deal by touching up paint where needed. If the paint is dark, repaint with light colors such as off-white, oyster, light beige or pale yellow. Light colors make rooms appear fresh as well as larger.

- Plumbing: Repair any leaky faucets. Make certain you don't have a gurgling toilet.

- Drapes, Shades and Blinds: If drapes need cleaning, have it done. Replace any torn shades or broken blinds. Vertical blinds should be considered as an alternative to drapes. They are less expensive than all but the cheapest drapes and have a clean, modern appearance.

- Carpets: If you have carpets that are over 15 years old, consider replacing.

- Lighting: If any room appears dark, increase the wattage of your light bulbs. Make certain your light fixtures and windows are clean.

- Too much furniture: Many houses appear crowded, with too many pieces of large furniture as well as knick-knacks. Consider putting excess furniture in storage.

- Garage: Spruce up your work area. Consider a garage sale to get rid of excess items too good to throw away but of no use to you. Put excess items in boxes and stack them neatly in a corner. Consider using a commercial garage floor cleaner on excess oil and grease marks or the garage floor and driveway.