We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover!”

Well, the same goes for a home. I’ve been with buyers who will not even go into a house because of the drab exterior.  Luckily for this home in Fairhope, Alabama the buyers were able to look past the dated exterior and transform this home into a show place.

If you’re trying to sell, or thinking about selling, make sure your home has curb appeal and invites buyers in. Here are a few inexpensive tips to add pizzaz to your home so it will sell quick and get top dollar.

Updating the paint, lighting and landscaping are a few quick and relatively inexpensive ways to bring life back to your home. Changing the color of your home can make a huge difference in updating the look. However, if you are confident that the exterior color matches the style of the home then it may just need freshening up with a good power washing. While you have that power washer out, clean the driveway, sidewalk and fence. It’s amazing what pressured water can do!!! If it’s too expensive to paint the whole home, then you might  consider freshening up the exterior by simply painting shutters, trim around the windows, front door and front porch. Replacing old, outdated porch lights invites people into your home.

Do kids avoid your home during Halloween because of the overgrown bushes and unkept yard? If so, it might be time to “un-scary” your home. There’s nothing like good old sweat equity to add value! Trim those overgrown bushes, edge, lay sod, weed and add a few seasonal flowers for a pop of color. Container plants are a good way to add character and color to your front porch or beds. The best thing about container plants is that you can take them with you when you move. Oh, and don’t forget to clean those windows and make them sparkle.

First impressions are crucial, so make sure your home’s first impression is a good one.