The Front Yard

Try to at least keep up with your neighbors. It is not necessary to make your home stand out, but you don't want it to be below average. As usual, avoid spending too much money. Some nice bushes and mature flowers will do the trick. Mature trees will cost you a fortune and new trees don't have any character yet, so try to keep it simple.

Lawns should be evenly mowed and free of brown spots. If there are any problems with your lawn, take care of them before working on the inside of your home. If you need to re-sod it could take a while for the sod to grow in, so leave as much time as possible. And always keep it clean by raking away loose leaves and grass cuttings.