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First impressions are incredibly important, especially when it comes to selling your house. Strangely enough, many people spend so much time readying the inside of their house for sale, they forget to clean the outside, too. You may have heard of curb appeal: it’s the visual impression your house makes to anyone viewing it from the street or curb. The idea behind creating curb appeal is to give your house an inviting look that makes the potential buyer want to stop and see the inside of your house. Spending some time focusing on curb appeal can really help you attract more buyers—and sell your house faster.

Tip #1) Edge the driveway: Installing a border along the driveway gives it a crisp, elegant look. Edging materials such as bricks, pavers, and stone, or a combination of them, bring a boring asphalt slab to life with color, texture, and decorative designs. The edging can be level with the driveway or elevated to prevent people from driving onto your lawn.

Tip #2) Most buyers won't be viewing your home at night but it will look inviting in the photos so install lights that lead to your entryway. Soft exterior lighting also makes your home appear more inviting and friendly, and it can emphasize landscaping and any other features you want to call out to anyone approaching your front door. Plus, the lights improve security by reducing dark spots near your house.

Tips #3) Let's throw in an obvious one: Planting Flowers. Flowers along the sidewalk, in front of the house, inside flower boxes, pouring out of hanging baskets, or even in berms and raised garden beds provide a giant boost to your curb appeal. Planting flowers is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to make a big impact.

Tip #4) Cover Up Dead Spots - The problem with robust trees is that their constant shade, along with their roots hungrily grabbing water and nutrients from the soil, kills the surrounding grass and leaves unsightly dead spots in the lawn. Instead of fighting an unending battle to restore the grass, make life easier on yourself and improve the yard's appearance by planting flowers around the base of the tree that thrive in shade.

Tip #5) Install New Garage Doors: Garage doors don't have to be drab or purely functional. Because they have such a commanding presence, upgrading to a garage door with a vibrant color or engaging design can dramatically improve the way your home looks.