If you are planning to sell anytime soon, it's time to get off the couch and get to it.

First impressions, no matter what kind of market it is, can make or break a sale.

The professionals call this curb appeal. Research by the National Association of Realtors has shown that almost half of all house sales are decided at the curb.

"The idea is to make the exterior sparkle," said Bari Shor, an agent with Prudential Fox & Roach in Center City, Pa.

Sparkle can be achieved in a variety of ways. The most obvious is by cleaning, painting and landscaping.

Clean the mildew off the porch surfaces and the window frames and paint them if they need it.

Rake leaves and pick up papers. Buy plenty of mulch to give the still-empty flower beds a warm, inviting look.

If you do not have a front porch or front yard, consider window boxes, or put some heavy-duty pots by the entrance and then fill them with flowers.

If the house does not have shutters, and shutters do not clash with the architectural style, buy some. Polish the brass doorknobs, knockers and mail slots until they glow.

Even the window treatments should say, "Take a longer look at me."

If the exterior is lovely, but there are plain white shades in the windows, then it could be time to get something new.

And make sure you wash the windows. By removing years of grime, you can fill the house with natural light.

The trick to getting your house ready for sale is to look at it first through a buyer's eyes.

If you improve the exterior, or "polish the apple," as some real estate agents put it, it could add as much as 10 percent to the sale price of your house.

One thing agents do not tolerate is clutter.

Consultant Lauren Harper Haden calls this the "cut in half" concept, in which the agent tells the seller, diplomatically, of course, to get rid of at least half of the stuff in every room.