Rating Your Home's Curb Appeal

In today's tough real estate market, you simply must maximize the curb appeal of your house. Here's a quick gauge of your property's appeal to prospective buyers.

With a starting score of 100, subtract the following:
10 points for each hole in the roof or exterior walls
15 points for every wild animal living on the premises
20 points for abandoned autos on the front lawn
50 points if someone emerges from the front door with his shotgun aimed at the house hunters 
75 points if wind blows the house down while prospective buyers are looking at it 

Scoring:
75-100 points  Your house is market-ready
25-74 points  Add touch-up paint and potted geraniums to distract from the flaws
0-24 points  Hire a carpenter to build a false front, like a movie set
Negative score   Bulldoze the place