An attractive exterior can make or break the sale of your home. In fact, improving your curb appeal can add to your home’s value. In real estate, curb appeal is known as frosting. Homes with high curb appeal typically take less time to sell while commanding higher prices.

Curb appeal refers to your property’s overall appearance from the street. Buyers form their first impression of a home while standing in the street, sitting in their car and viewing pictures of your property online.

In fact, potential buyers make decisions about whether to even view a home based on listing photographs. You have less than eight seconds to capture their attention and draw them into look at more information about your property. The bottom line is that curb appeal can entice buyers to make an appointment to view your home.

A 2013 National Association Realtors Survey found that curb appeal is important to 71 percent of homebuyers when choosing where their want to live. If prospective buyers don’t like the look of the landscaping and front of the house they often won’t go inside to view the rest.

Whether you realize it or not, the way your home looks from the street reflects the type of people that live there. Potential buyers look for any signs that indicate how well the home has been taken care of by the current owners.

You would never do a job interview in sweatpants and a holey t-shirt would you? Just like interviewing for a job, you want to make the best impression so you wear a suit and put your best foot forward.

So what are some quick things you can do to ensure your home feels inviting from the outside?

  • Sweep walkways, driveways and patios.
  • Place flowers on your front porch.
  • Plant colorful flowerbeds.
  • Put down a new layer of mulch.
  • Keep the lawn mowed and get rid of any weeds.
  • Maintain all parts of your yard—front, back, and sides.
  • Clean windows and gutters.
  • Throw away any outside clutter.
  • Pressure wash siding and decks.
  • Paint your front door with a eye-popping color.
  • Replace the hardware on the door or install a new door, if needed.
  • Put shiny, new house numbers on your house and mailbox.
  • Buy a cheerful welcome mat.
  • Add a fresh new porch light fixture.

If you want to stand out from the rest, be sure to focus on the importance of making a good first impression. Curb appeal plays a critical role in ensuring that a potential buyer is drawn into see the rest of your home. And remember to make sure that the interior of your house is well maintained just like the outside.