Spend a Little, Get a Lot

 

• Improve safety by ensuring that windows and doors can't slam shut; fixing loose handrail on porches, decks, and stairways; and removing dangerous tools, sharp objects, and hazardous materials from the garage.
  
• Rent a bank safe deposit box to store cash and small valuables as your house is being shown.
  
• Consider replacing hinges and springs on the garage door.  They are relatively inexpensive and improve safety.
  
• If you're three or four months away from marketing your house, consider reseeding the lawn instead of laying sod.  Reseeding takes longer, but is much less expensive than sod.
  
• Replacing a cracked and broken walkway with cement stepping stones purchase from a home improvement store is an inexpensive, but attractive way to create a new path to the front door.