When you list your home for sale, you likely take care to ensure that the residence and the yard are in top condition for prospective buyers. The last thing you want is to have a neighbor whose yard or home leaves a lot to be desired. Not only will people be distracted by what they see when they pull up to your home before an open house or scheduled showing, but they might also think twice about wanting to live in the home if a neighboring residence doesn't look as nice as it should. You shouldn't feel afraid of addressing some issues with your neighbors in advance of your house going on the market and possibly even asking to help with some of the work. Here are some possible issues.

Uncut Grass

If your lawn meets your neighbor's lawn, it can be an eyesore if you keep your grass nicely cut but your neighbor's lawn is overgrown. There are a couple approaches that you can take in this situation. You can explain that you're concerned about the overgrown nature of the grass and ask that the neighbor mows it in a timely manner. Or, you can simply ask if the neighbor would mind if you mowed his or her lawn. While it might be a bitter pill to swallow for you, the benefit of you tackling this job is that you know the work will be done to your satisfaction in advance of people coming to view your home.

Children's Toys

Some homeowners' front yards are littered with scooters, bicycles, sports equipment, and other children's toys. The result is a yard that looks unkempt. This can be an eyesore for people checking out your home and may make them think that boisterous children would be playing near their home if they opted to buy yours. Ask your neighbor if he or she could take a few minutes to pack up these items and store them in the garage. As an incentive, you might wish to volunteer to help with the job.

Dog Droppings

One of the worst eyesores that a neighbor's yard can present is being littered with dog droppings. Whether these droppings are left by the neighbor's pet or his or her yard is a popular stopping point for dogs out for a walk, the result is not pleasant. While you can ask your neighbor to pick up the mess himself or herself, you could probably just take a few minutes to do the job on your own — and it's likely that your neighbor will thank you.