If the number one realtor mantra is location, location, location, mantra number two is condition, condition, condition.

When sellers prepare to put their home on the market, an area that is often overlooked is curb appeal.  That means that your chance to wow the buyer with a good first impression starts before they ever even get to the front door.

A helpful exercise in analyzing your home's curb appeal is to step across the street and take a critical look at the front of your property. What do you see?

Analzying curb appeal will do more than make your home HGTV ready, says local arborist David Swim, of Sav A Tree—it offers a high return-on-investment. Some industry reports cite as high as a 300-400 percent return, dollar for dollar.

Proper shaping of trees and shrubs will dramatically change the overall balance in the landscape, he said. It's best to shape them to guide their natural growth, and save the animal shapes for Disney World.

Consider these other ideas that offer a great ROI and add value, increasing your home's curb appeal:

• At a minimum, make sure the grass is cut, edge and trim around the beds, add mulch, remove weeds, and keep the flowers watered.  During the winter make sure the driveway is plowed and the path to the front door shoveled.
• Take a good look at your mailbox.  If it is old, get a new one.  Then make it as attractive as possible by accenting it with flowers and plants at the base.  Make sure the house number is clear and visible.
• Add some character and style to porches and decks by continuing the garden design with portable plants and flowers in pots, deck planters and some garden art to draw the buyers in.
• Bright flowers and a water feature in the front yard will really add a wow factor to your home's curb appeal.
• Spruce up the outside landscaping with decorative grasses and accent them with rocks or boulders.  Make sure there is a focal to the overall appearance of your yard.
• Extend the living area by creating outdoor rooms such as patios, decks, and gazebos.  Then make sure the windows have an unobstructed view to the outdoors from the inside, which will draw the eye out and brings the outdoors in.
• Incorporating the use low voltage lighting to create to mood lighting; outdoor decorating is always appealing.
•  Make sure all windows and gutters are clean.
• Pressure-wash any dirty siding, decks, patios and paths.
• Make sure the front door is freshly painted and attractive.  Install new hardware and locks.

Think of your home as a product for sale. A curb appeal makeover should begin well in advance of putting the home on the market and then be maintained.   Remember, you never get a second chance to make a good impression, and the first impression is also the last impression.