Top Ten Tips To Create Curb Appeal

1) Picking paint colors doesn't have to be scary anymore. Most major paint companies now have a free color coordinating program on their websites to help determine what house and trim color is best for you.

2) Consider the style of the home, a Cape Cod shines with window boxes, while a Victorian gets it's distinction from gingerbread wood work, and a Federal style home gets it's grandeur from dental molding and decorative crown over the front door.

3) Pressure washing is a great way to quickly clean the façade of your home; always choose a wide stream to prevent damage to paint or siding. This is also good for mold and mildew on the sidewalks, roof and driveway.

4) When gutters get clogged they tend to overflow and cause rust and water stains, clean out the gutters, scrub the rust off with a wire brush and refreshen with a rust proof paint.

5) Sheds and detatched garages should get the same treatment as the rest of the home.

6) Slurry or skim coating the driveway is a great way to refresh this large portion of the front of your home. This waterproof sealcoat will fill in the cracks and restore a deep luster.

7) Under the trees use mulch, wood chips or stones to hold moisture and prevent weed growth. You can play with the color contrast pairing light mulch with dark plants and vice versa.

8) Cut the bushes below the window level to highlight the details of your home.

9) If you have a sparse lawn, simply add new grass seed and water well. Your local nursery can advise on the best seed for your area.

10) Consider the seasons when choosing your plantings, flowering trees in spring and summer, the leaf colors in autumn and interesting tree structures in winter.