1.  Yes, First Impressions do count and that starts with your curb appeal.  Drive by your home and see what others are seeing.  Are there trees blocking the view of your home?  Could adding color with flowers and plants brighten the look?  Ask a friend or neighbor for their opinion. 

2.  Driveways and Sidewalks:  Check them out for stains and those pesky weeds that pop up in every crack and crevice.  This shrieks neglect to anyone entering your home.  One hour with a pressure cleaner and some Round-Up for the weeds (or any ecologically friendly home remedy) should do the trick.  Before a showing make sure that it's swept and clean.  A forgotten item is also your Front Door Mat.  It could be time to spring for a new one. 

3.  I recommended removing your screens in another newsletter to allow more light into your home.  Once this is done, be sure your windows are sparkling.  Check out the area around your windows for dirty sills and spider webs.  Florida homes have lots of sliding glass doors.  It's a good time to inspect the tracks and make sure they're clean as well. 

4.  Take a good look at your potted and hanging plants. . . those that you might have on the patio and around the pool or deck.  Use this time to edit , repot, re-arrange in some cases, discard them. 

5.  Light fixtures: Check to make sure that there are no burned out bulbs!  Also, clean, polish, and de-spider web them.  If your home is older, consider replacing the fixtures with more contemporary ones. 

Remember, the goal is to present a home or product that will appeal to a broad range of buyers and one that will OUTSHINE the competition.