Here it is: Do unto your neighbor as you would have him do unto you.

When your neighbor is trying to sell his or her home, buyers look not only at the home for sale; they also glance in your direction. And if your home, from the street, is a mess...it could prevent most buyers from paying serious attention to your neighbors' house.

Truly, a homebuyer purchases a whole neighborhood, including the local schools, the local grocery store, the library...and the appearance of other homes. If other homes are beautiful, the buyer knows that people in this neighborhood have and display pride of ownership and that this is likely to be a pleasant place to live.

There is an eventual poetic justice here. If the appearance of your neighbor's home is throwing a wet blanket over the sale of yours, the time will come when that neighbor wonders why the entire neighborhood is on a downward slide and it's become so difficult to sell his own home. All of which can be easily avoided, of course. Do unto others as you would wish them to do unto you. For help with real estate call Beth at (425) 450-5208 and visit her website at www.bethbillington.com.

Beth Billington is a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Bain in Bellevue, WA.