Time to stand out......

Ride down any street in any town in the nation and you'll notice one thing; more than one "For Sale" sign. If you were a buyer driving through a neighborhood, think about what would set one house apart from another.

With the weather (in this area anyway) being so conducive to outdoor work, I thought it was time to give you a few tips to make your listed property stand out in the crowd.

First, go to the street and look back at your house. Is the yard cluttered with lawn ornaments, toys, bikes? Get rid of them.

-Keep the grass cut.
-Trim bushes and hedges.
-Get rid of weeds.

Now see if there is any splash of color in your yard. Do you have flowers planted or blooming bushes? If not, there are tons of cheap flowering plants you can install today that will make a huge difference in the appearance of your front yard. Do you have mulched areas in your yard? Is that mulch faded or washed away? Replace it with fresh mulch. This gives the look of a well-tended yard.

Now look at the house. Could it stand to be pressure-washed? And while you have the washer out, give the driveway and sidewalks a going over.

Have any torn window screens? Replace them pretty inexpensively.

What is the condition of your front door. Here's a Realtor secret; buyers develop their first feeling for a home by the appearance from the street and the second feeling when getting ready to open the front door. Paint your front door with glossy paint. Replace the hardware with shiny brass and while you're at it, buy a brass "kick plate" for the bottom of the door. It gives a rich appearance and they are easy to install.

In short, there are several inexpensive methods you can use to make your house scream "I'm different - look at me FIRST!". Take the time to see your house through the buyer's eyes and your property will be showing more than the others.