Homeowners remodel the exteriors of their homes for their own enjoyment or to improve "curb appeal" when preparing to sell a home. Exterior remodels can have a great return upon resale. The Gallup organization estimates that high-quality landscaping alone can boost a home's value by 7 percent to 15 percent. "Money" magazine claims that homeowners receive a 100 percent to 200 percent recovery rate on landscaping investments when they sell their homes.

Landscapes and Hardscapes

Zillow.com has a popular feature where website visitors vote on the exterior "curb appeal" of various homes. Some universally popular features are:

• mature trees
• curving entrance pathways
• well-kept shrubs and plants
• dramatic lighting, including spotlights on trees and appealing lighting emanating from front windows.

If you are just moving into your new home, an idea that pays off in the long run is to plant trees as soon as you can. If you can afford it, spring for more mature trees that provide shade and beauty. However, even an immature tree will soon spring up. The Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers estimates that a mature tree can add an amazing $1,000 to $10,000 in appraised value to a home. So start your tree "investment" early.

Porch Treatments

If your home has a large, empty porch area, consider adding architectural interest by installing gables and stone columns. Boost the cheerful atmosphere with some containers of bright and welcoming flowers. Tasteful, outdoor porch furniture can make your home the gathering place of the neighborhood.

Exterior Paint

One impactful idea is simply to update and refresh a home with new exterior paint. But, deciding on a color scheme can be daunting. There are effective high-tech solutions to this problem. Many vendors, such as Loews and Benjamin Moore, offer free or low-cost software that allows homeowners to upload digital photos of their homes and change colors digitally. Users can change home colors with a click of a mouse-no more backbreaking labor or creaky ladders to test colors. Even some general photo editing programs can work for this purpose.

Depending upon the house's architecture, a color scheme might include from three to as many as seven colors (for example, an ornate Victorian). For most homes, three colors make up a scheme.

First, divide your home into three zones.

• Shingles/siding: the house's "body"
• Trim: the edging around windows and doors
• Sash: moving parts, such as shutters and doors

Second, choose the house body color, making sure it blends well with the roof of the home.

Third, pick the trim color, and

Fourth, decide on the sash color.

Once again, a software program can help you put the color pieces together. Once you have a couple of "finalist" color schemes, it is time to get out the paintbrush, buy a few quart samples, and try a few out on the actual exterior of your home.

Improving the exterior of your home gives you a fresh feeling of "home sweet home" every time you approach your front door.