Trying to sell your home in a buyer's market can be difficult, at best. This is particularly true if it's lacking in  curb appeal. If your home is in pristine condition, increasing the curb appeal can be as simple as updating the landscaping or painting the fence. However, if your home is in less-than-pristine condition, increasing the curb appeal can take on a bigger meaning. If your home isn't selling, or you're trying to increase the value before you put it on the market, here are four steps you can take to increase your homes curb appeal.

Repair the Roof

Take a look at the roof. That's one of the first things that people see when they pull up to your home. If your roof has visible damage, or you've recently repaired damage with mismatched shingles, you'll want to take care of those problems before you start showing your home. A damaged roof can send the wrong message to prospective buyers. It can warn them to look in other areas for damage, or mismatched repairs. Increase your chances of selling your home by replacing missing, damaged, or mismatched shingles.

Give it a Fresh Coat of Paint

If it's been a while since you gave your home a fresh coat of paint, now would be a good time to take care of that. This is particularly true if the exterior color is outdated, or shows visible signs of cracking. To increase your homes curb appeal, have a residential exterior painting contractor come out and give your home a new look. Be sure to have them repair the cracks and blemishes in the stucco, as well.

Replace the Front Door

When people walk up to your home, the first thing they see is your front door. If it's weather-beaten or showing signs of age – cracks, chips, etc. – it will give prospective buyer's a bad impression. If your front door is severely damaged, consider replacing it before you put your home on the market. If it just needs a fresh coat of paint, talk to your painters about taking care of that when they paint your home.

Restore the Driveway

Weather and age can wreak havoc on your driveway – whether it's concrete or asphalt. If your driveway has visible cracks, chips and potholes, you'll need to repair those before you start showing your home. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired with either concrete or asphalt caulking.

If you're trying to sell your home in a buyer's market, make sure you consider curb appeal. The tips provided here will help you give your home a leg up on the competition.