If you are preparing your home for sale try driving up to it, pausing to examine its ‘curb appeal’ from the street to see how well it presents itself. How it looks can make an important difference to how quickly it sells and for how much. In fact the initial impact can make the all important difference between a successful sale and no sale at all.

Some properties already have curb appeal in spades. Other need a bit of a makeover to make them attractive and the work this entails can often be done with relative ease.

One does not need to be a TV show renovation expert to spruce-up a home prior to sale. There are many simple ideas and things to do that can be done at low cost using only moderate effort.

If a lack of personal energy is an issue why not ask a gardener to clean and tidy the front garden, pruning and trimming as necessary. A neat and tidy yard can add heaps of curb appeal, as will a scrub down of the outside with perhaps a lick of paint, adding a fresh face as a lady might add make-up to highlight her natural good looks.

In many instances good taste can be the most important element an owner can contribute. And remember, an inviting exterior encourages an internal inspection.

If work is needed on the inside, trial and error over many years has shown that painting is the quickest and most inexpensive makeover technique. Neutral colours are best because these shades create a blank canvas that potential buyers find easy to accept and adapt as their own.

When it comes to which room should deserve the most attention, the kitchen rates highly. The kitchen is the room that buyers use consistently to judge just how well a home has been maintained. If it is clean, well presented and in a reasonable state of repair, most observers will see this as a signal the rest of the home is pretty good too.

It can also pay to think back, back to why you, as the current owner was first attracted to the property. Was it the position, the way the sun shines through into the family room? If you loved some particular aspect perhaps others might too. It can pay to talk through these strong points with your agent. The reason you purchased the property in the first instance could be exactly the reason the next person will want it also. And perhaps your eye for what made this home good value when you bought it is, after all, merely a reflection of your original good taste.