We've all heard it before: first impressions are lasting impressions.  If you're planning on selling your Florida home in the near future, one way to increase your home's curb appeal as well as your Florida home's value is through landscaping.  In this article, we'll concentrate on the front yard since that's among the first things a prospective home buyer will notice as they pull up to your home. 

At a minimum, the lawn should be free of weeds, fertilized when appropriate, mowed and watered regularly and any patchy areas should be replaced with new grass or sod.  Any dead or dying plants, shrubs, etc. should be removed or replaced.  While mature trees can be great providers of shade and help reduce home energy costs, they should be pruned back if they touch your home or thinned out if they shade such a large area that grass won't grow under their branches.  Applying a fresh layer of mulch around trees, plants and in flower beds is one of the quickest and least expensive ways to improve your home's curb appeal.  Finally, placing a nice container full of flowering plants next to the front door makes for an inviting entrance.

Articles for further reading:

• Numerous Ways To Spruce Up Your Landscaping Before You Sell
• Grass: Just Say 'Yes!'
• Learning to Mulch