Most buyers form their first impressions of your property at the front gate, so making sure that they like what they see as they walk up the path is essential.
There are plenty of easy and cheap things you can do to quickly improve the image of your home, such as mowing the lawn and de-cluttering it of bikes, children's toys and other items. Giving bushes and trees that have got out of control a quick trim and throwing out any pot plants that have died also makes the approach to the house more attractive.
It might be an idea to look at the front of the house yourself and ask whether it needs painting, whether the brickwork needs re-pointing or whether the gutters need to be cleaned or replaced. If so, get on with these cheaper jobs before looking at anything more expensive, as this these add a disproportionately greater amount of value to the selling price.
Windows will always present homeowners with the possibility of major cost, especially if they have been neglected for a long time. This is the point where you really need to calculate how much you can invest and ask what that will add to the property price when you come to sell up.
If you have single glazed wooden-framed windows, the chances are that a major investment in your property is in order. Adding double glazing will make the house more energy efficient and therefore more attractive. If you are not in a position to spend this kind of money, at least replace any crumbling wooden frames and give everything a fresh lick of paint.
Examine the driveway and any walls or masonry at the front of the property. If you have a brick or a concrete drive, you might find that simply weeding and jet washing it will make it more attractive. Similarly, using a high pressure power washer on the garden wall at the front of your property might well make it look brand new, though a quick bit of re-pointing might also be in order.
Rebuilding walls and replacing drives is costly stuff, so price the job realistically if it really needs doing and make sure it will add more value than the amount you are willing to spend.