By Phaedra Hubbard

Everyone has always heard how important curb appeal is when selling your home.

Within the first 15 seconds of a buyer driving up to your home, they have already formed an opinion of your home, no matter how immaculate it is inside. They may have already decided that they don't like your home based on their first impression. This is why curb appeal is so important.

You can invest a tremendous amount of money on upgrades and new items inside, but the impression that the buyers leave your home with is the first impression, the curb appeal.

What a lot of sellers don't realize is how easy these changes can be. You get used to the exterior of your house, so you don't generally notice the ugly things around the front of your home. You must make sure everything on the exterior of your home, from the street to your doorstep, is looking its best. This is why every seller should at least apply these 10 easy tips.

•  Street and Driveway: The street in front of your home should be free of litter and may need a quick sweep. The driveway should be free of stains by either pressure washing or bleaching. If you park your vehicle in the driveway, make sure it is attractive and well-maintained. If not, park it down the street.

•  Sidewalk and Front Walkway: Make sure the sidewalk and front walkways are swept clean and remove any weeds you see growing in the cracks. You should repair any bad cracks in the front walkway.

•  Fence: Repair any loose or broken boards and give it a fresh coat of paint. This will give your home a crisp newer look.

•  Mailbox and Light Fixtures: Buyers will be paying attention to detail so you should too. Paint or replace a worn looking mailbox. Light fixtures that are old and rusted should definetly be replaced.

•  Landscaping: Make sure the lawn stays freshly mowed and all shrubs are neatly trimmed. Add a little sod to any bare spots in your lawn.

•  Paint: Put a fresh coat of paint on the whole exterior of your home. If you don't have the time to do it yourself or the money to pay someone to do it for you, then just paint the shutters or trim.

•  Windows: Clean those windows until they sparkle. Add shutters to the front windows or install flower boxes below the windows with bright flowers.

•  Roof: If the roof needs to be replaced, do it before you start showing your home to buyers. Replace any broken or missing shingles or tiles where needed. If the eaves and fascia boards look bad, just give them a fresh coat of paint.

•  Gutters and Downspouts: Make sure these areas are neat and trim and consider replacing ones that are in need of serious repair.

•  Doorway: This is the focal point of your home. You can simply repaint the door and replace the hardware to give a new fresh look. If you have house numbers by your door, those can easily be replaced, if needed.

Most of these fixes can be performed by the homeowner, and they can be invaluable during the sale of your home.