Making your home more appealing is often thought to be a rather costly task, but there are quite a few things a homeowner can do to make their home feel just a little bit more like home, or stage it well for when potential buyers visit or drive through the neighborhood, if they're selling.

Trimming the bushes can be a tedious task, but it's one thing you can do to add more curb appeal, plus, possibly greater value to your home. You can also do things like buy a new doormat, place a pot of brightly colored flowers on your porch, install new doorknobs on the doors, and more. Here are just a few things I recommend to my seller-clients, as well as those few aforementioned things, when they're trying to sell their home fast and for top-dollar:

(1) Put a fresh coat of paint on your driveway.

(2) Edge the grass around walkways, sidewalks, patios and trees.

(3) Hide your garden tools and other tools from eye-view.

(4) Ask your youngsters to put their toys out of site.

(5) Buy a new mailbox for that added appeal to curb appeal.

(6) Upgrade your outside lighting and turn it on during showings (if you're not there, I'll turn them on, so buyers know just how beautiful your home really is in the best light).

(7) Use warm, incandescent bulbs inside for more of a homey feel.

(8) Polish or replace your house numbers (if you have them).

(9) Clean out your gutters.

(10) Buy new pillows for the sofa.

(11) Buy a flowering plant and place it in a window that is passed by frequently.

(12) Make a centerpiece for your table that includes fruit and/or artificial flowers.

(13) Replace curtains with sheers that let in more light, so potential buyers can see your home in the best light.

(14) Buy new towels if potential buyers can see the towels you use.

(15) Put a seasonal wreath on your front door for that great first impression you want your home to make.

Well-kept homes sell faster than those that aren't well-kept, except in the case of selling "AS IS", which automatically puts your home in a different category. "AS IS" is wonderful for homes where the seller could face potential liability after the sale (say, if something's wrong with the house, or may go wrong in the future), or where a seller simply wants to sell for investment purposes ("AS IS" is common with investors who "flip", or buy and resell homes for profit).

Adding a home warranty also helps your home sell faster, and can protect the seller from potential liabilities down the road, after the sale. A warranty gives the buyer a feeling of security when buying a new home.

While selling your home "AS IS" and even with a warranty can make your home sell faster, in most cases, a nicely staged home that's spruced up and lit well will likely sell just as fast, although a home warranty will likely make it more desirable to a buyer, improving its chances of selling fast.

For those considering buying a new home or selling their current one, more helpful information can be found at www.HomeInTampaBay.com.

-John Mudd