(A big “thank you” to our friends at American Home Shield for sponsoring this post.)

If you have bought or sold a home recently, you’ve likely stumbled across the term “curb appeal”.

Suffice to say, this is that special something that makes homes sell. And even if you don’t plan to put your home on the market great curb appeal can make your home the pride of the neighborhood.

Thankfully, it’s also often simpler—and less expensive—than big changes and repairs that are sometimes needed for long-term maintenance, or carried out courtesy of home warranty coverage.

Instead, you can focus on small changes that will have an out-sized impact.

Make Your Front Door Welcoming

One thing that you will notice with curb appeal is that you can go as far as you want in a bid to perfect it. In the case of this first suggestion, you can go all-out and buy a completely new door, or you can just add a fresh coat of paint to your existing one.

Both are going to make a monumental difference to your curb appeal, for the simple reason that this is the first thing that people look at. Don’t be a afraid to get a little adventurous with the color either—often an eye-catching color will draw attention for all the right reasons.

Transform Your Night-Time Curb Appeal with Lighting

If you have any sort of yard, don’t hesitate to install lighting. Of course, you shouldn’t be going overboard at this point. Going with big lights will likely spoil the effect.

The trick with outdoor lighting is to be as subtle as possible. This might mean adding some tiny lights alongside the path to the front door, or even concealing a light in a tree just to enhance the effect.

Refresh Your Walls

Again, this really is one of those cases where you can go as far as your enthusiasm and budget allows. If you aren’t limited by home owner’s association restrictions, consider the best options for your home’s exterior. Adding stucco, applying a render, painting, sandblasting, or simply power washing can make a huge difference.

Considering the fact that this is the element which is the largest in relation to curb appeal, getting this right should be one of your top priorities.

Spruce Up Your Windows

Something else that is going to take up a large portion of space is your windows. Make sure window coverings look as attractive from the outside of the home as they do from the inside. Premium shutters or quality blinds can provide an immediate boost to curb appeal.