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Ironically, we always seem to get our homes in the best possible shape right before we go ahead and sell them. If you are thinking about selling, improvements can make the deal go down. Here are some low cost options.

Before we get into improvements, remember the golden rule. Do not spend more than you will be able to recover when you sell the property. This is critical. Chant it repeatedly when at Home Depot. Now, head to the landscaping section.

The first step to improving the landscaping is to remove the clutter. Get rid of anything that is trash, toys or non-organic items. Remove all dead plants. Curb appeal is critical, so yank anything that impacts it negatively.

Go around the outside of your house collecting any pieces of garbage, clipping all shrubs, and removing anything that does not belong there. Then, make a point to remove any large vehicle (boat, car) from the front of your yard. Place it in the garage or in storage.

Your view of the home is subjective. You need some objective help. Grab a friend and ask them to walk the home and point out anything they think looks odd. Fix those things. Whatever you do, do not get angry at your friend.

For example, you may notice that the kitchen cabinets are falling off of their hinges. If this is the case, fix the cabinets first. Go around your home with a critical eye, write down all of those things that need to be fixed, and then make an effort to repair them.

There is a gray area between an antique and something old. If you have doubts regarding one of the things in your home, update it. This is particularly true for kitchens and bathrooms. Appliances and fixtures are good places to start.

It can be easy to lose the forest for the trees when working on your home. If this happens to you, step back and consider your home as though you were a buyer. Problems should stick out. Fix them.