As credit-card carrying members of the world's most consumer-driven society, Americans know how to make educated purchases. We stroll around shoe stores feeling out pairs of loafers. We test-drive cars, sometimes keeping them overnight. We even sample ice cream flavors before selecting our two scoops.

Yet, the decision to buy a particular home - possibly the biggest purchase we will ever make - so often is made on impulse. We form our impression based on what's available: appearance. It's called curb appeal in the world of real estate, and it's one of the single biggest factors in buying and selling a home.

"Curb appeal is so important," says Lois Sanders, a broker/owner in Hilton Head S.C. "It's one of the first things I consider as a real estate agent." For sellers, knowing how to dress a home for first impressions can be the difference between selling a house immediately and having it languish on the market for months.

Curb appeal is often the quickest, easiest and cheapest selling strategy to achieve. It can be as labor intensive as painting the house or as easy as setting a trio of potted plants on the doorstep. No matter how big or small, every effort will pay back in the form of a quicker sale or bigger sale price - and sometimes both. "There are many times that I find myself telling my clients, 'If you would just spend $50 to $100 on this or that, you could make back $2,000 to $3,000'" says Columbus, Ohio real estate agent Stephen Dial. "It can make that big of a difference."

Summer is a great time to enhance the curb appeal of a house, as the mild weather allows for plenty of outdoor projects. And whether it's in preparation for selling or simply part of a much-needed primping, every homeowner could stand to learn the finer points of curb appeal.

Come Clean
For the most part, when real estate agents speak of curb appeal, they're talking about the overall cleanliness and tidiness of the outside of a home. Windows should be clean, lawns should be trimmed, roofs and driveways should be free of dirt and spots. "Look at the house from a buyer's perspective," Saunders says. "Does it look nice and fresh, or does it need a face-lift?" Saunders recommends having the roof and driveway power washed and the landscaping freshened before putting a house on the market.

A New House Coat
Nothing creates bigger impact for less money than a fresh coat of paint. Many times the biggest impact comes from the smallest touches. "I had one recent client who simply repainted their front door," Dial says. "It wasn't even a different color-just a fresh coat of paint-but it made all the difference in the world." Freshly painted doors, trim and porch railings can make a home pop against its surroundings.

Accessories
Once you have a clean, freshly painted exterior, the rest is just a matter of accessorizing. Think of the local home improvement warehouse as a jewelry store, and its mailboxes, sconces, house numbers, door hinges, and urns as the precious gems.Kara O'Brien makes a living out of such accessorizing. Her Atlanta Ga., company Laughing Sun Renovations specializes in buying, restoring, and reselling old homes. In an area rich with Victorian beauties and Craftsman bungalows, she makes it a point to match the style of the accessories to the era of the house."I'm a big fan of antique touches," O'Brien says. "I love vintage mailboxes. I love hand-hammered copper house numbers, and I use iron plaques."O'Brien finds many of her accessories at antiques shows, but they can just as easily be bought new in the form of reproductions. "A lot of people don't think to do these things," she says. "So when you do take the time to use authentic-looking pieces, it really stands out."

email: paula@laughingsun.com