Curb appeal is attractiveness of the exterior of a residential or commercial property. The term was extensively used in the United States during the housing boom and continues to be used as an indicator of the initial appeal of a property to prospective buyers.

If you’re selling a home, one of the first things you should do is improve its curb appeal. Creating curb appeal in today’s tough real estate market is essential in getting your home sold fast. If your home’s curb appeal makes a great first impression, everyone — including potential homebuyers — will want to see what’s inside.

Use these curb appeal tips to attract potential home buyers and to help you look at your home with a fresh eye.

1. Cut the grass

2. Plant grass seed if needed and keep it watered

3. Trim along the sidewalk and driveway

4. Trim and form hedges and shrubs

5. Paint or replace your mailbox

6. Give me one great, amazing, in your face pocket of emotion they can see from the curb-this can be a wonderful bench, birdbath, wall accessory, door hanging…obviously this depends upon the property and the look and feel of the neighborhood.

7. Easy to see house numbers - can be very impactful if painted the same color as the front door or can even hold their own as a POC if you did it right

8. Add Great lighting if it is dark outside or even at the entry with a heavy overhang. It should also go with the property theme and look, be clean and free of bugs and webs.

9. Everyone needs a good welcome mat too. It should not be over the top, no matter the type of property.

10. Paint color on the house is so important. Make sure it works with the rest of the neighborhood and the paint itself is in good condition. You must decide based on the condition of the home. The best paint colors fit in nicely with the surroundings.

11. Don’t stop with just a good looking and well painted front door, you must also have an appropriate front door handle as well. This does not mean the front door handle has to be brand new, but rather, it must be interesting and work with the house. Some homes have wonderful front door handles-better than front doors, but again, you must make a judgment call.

12. Don’t forget about trim. Often, a house needs to have the trim power washed and painted vs. having to paint the entire house. The trim should always work with the paint color. If you are not sure, don’t choose a crazy color.

13. Make certain that the look on the inside, from the outside, is appealing, balanced and making sense.

14. Bookend the front door, driveway, and walkway when appropriate. You should have the same or similar things on each side to accent the entry and give the home some dimension.

15. Always accent a view. If you have not taken the time to do something like this, you are missing out. People will often look for a property based on a view alone, so if you have one, even the potential of one, make the most of it. Give them someplace to sit and enjoy the view, highlight it in your marketing and advertising and create a clean line of sight if needed.