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(Article By Linda Merrill)

Have you ever bought a bottle of wine just because you liked the label? Corporations spend millions of dollars creating the right packaging for a new product launch. Publishers spend top dollar creating provocative book jackets to help their titles stand out on the shelf. This is marketing at its most fundamental level, and the same principles apply when selling a home.

The first step in obtaining the best price on your home is to stop thinking about it as. . . your home. Instead, try to think about it as a product in a competitive market. You want your home to stand apart from the crowd. There are several very simple steps that can be taken to improve the prospects of selling your home see the same flowers that can be seen for free almost anywhere from May into September.

While it may be too soon to start spring planting, it's not too early to welcome the brighter days by lightening up your environment. One of the quickest ways to accomplish this is by exchanging heavy winter drapes for light, airy sheers or lace panels. Simple, white cotton curtains conjure those lovely days when the windows are open to a breeze carrying the scent of newly mowed grass or the salt air. The last thing we want on days such as these is to block the sunshine! Lightly colored curtains allow diffused light to filter into a space, making the most of available sunshine. Even the daylight from an early spring snowstorm will filter through white curtains in an attractive manner. You can also brighten up your day quickly by choosing throw pillows, slipcovers or light blankets in colors such as cheery yellow, grass green or robin's egg blue. A pretty vase filled with daffodils, or a bucket with a spray of forsythia blooms, will lighten moods all around. Best of all, many of these suggestions cost very little or nothing. Remember, when you're selling your home, you're selling a fantasy.

Cleanliness sells! Be sure all major appliances, cupboards, heating units, air-conditioning vents and the like sparkle the entire time your house is on the market. All beds should be made every day. Replace shower curtains and liners and say goodbye to all that mildew. Have all windows professionally cleaned, inside and out, and don't forget any skylights. Everyday odors -- from pets, tobacco smoke and strong cooking -- can turn off potential buyers. Drapery and carpeting should be cleaned in every room where smoking occurs; once this is done, smoking should not take place anywhere inside the home while it is on the market. Remove, clean and store all ashtrays. Be sure to run the fan while cooking in the kitchen; if necessary, open the windows for a while, regardless of season, to clear out strong cooking odors. Have all wall-to-wall carpeting shampooed by a professional. If the carpeting is very old, consider replacing it with something in a neutral color. This is not an inexpensive step, but it will greatly improve your home's appeal to house shoppers.

Lighten up - prospective buyers will be attracted to a bright and cheery home. Start by removing heavy drapes to admit as much sunlight as possible. If the view from your home is beautiful, take full advantage of what Mother Nature offers; if it's less than ideal, consider adding sheers or blinds that admit light but partially obscure the view. Pay attention to how artificial lighting adds, or detracts, from the home's appeal. Keep several lights on at all times, especially in hallways, entryways and small rooms. Make sure all closet lights work. Consider brightening lights by increasing wattage, but be careful -- don't exceed the capacity rating on the lamp or fixture. Re-arrange table and floor lamps to create an even distribution of light around the Prospective buyers frequently drive by properties being offered for sale in the evening. Make sure all outside lights are on and several rooms are lit from within, even if no one is in them. A brightly lit home is a welcoming home. Space, or the perception of it You want to show off all the space your house has to offer.

If your home is small -- or "cozy," as the real-estate agents say -- it's possible to create the feeling that it has more space than it really does. So, start packing before you start selling! Donate and dispose of the things you no longer want, and pack up the rest of everything for storage off site that's not essential to living right now. If necessary, rent a storage unit. Here's what to look for:

• Pack up small photos, decorative items and refrigerator magnets. Clear off horizontal surfaces -- tables, windowsills and shelves.
• Store all off-season clothing, shoes, boots and the like. · De-clutter bookcases and built-ins, and dispose of paperbacks and magazines.
• Clean and organize closets. They will look more spacious if they are relatively empty. Don't forget to paint closets when painting rooms. Leave empty hangers and open shelf or floor space. Suitcases make great places to hide clothes, bedding, etc.
• Remove excess furniture. One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is having too much furniture in their rooms. When selling, leave no more in place than absolutely necessary, and store the rest. Empty floor space makes the room feel bigger.

Atmosphere: the temperature should always be comfortable during showings, so keep the heat on in winter and run the air conditioner during summer months. Bake cookies before an open house. This is so obvious as to be almost a cliché, but it's always a winner. Don't you just love the smell of fresh-baked cookies? Photos of family members, loved ones and good times will help buyers envision their own good times in the future. Don't overdo this, however. If you've got lots of personal pictures framed and hung on the walls, reduce those on display to the best of the bunch and store the rest.

Decorating tips: If your walls have seen better days, give them a fresh coat of paint, and consider refinishing dark paneling or moldings if they are peeling, dingy or dated. Stick with neutral wall colors such as white, cream or light gray. Add new throw pillows in cheery colors to sofas and beds, make sure bathroom towels are clean and well coordinated and place scented candles or soaps in the bathroom. Living-room and den furniture should be arranged to create conversation zones instead of focusing these rooms on the TV set. Replace switch plates, particularly ones made of brass that have seen better days. Add under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, and replace old, dated cabinet knobs and pulls in the kitchen and bathrooms. Place live plants and fresh flowers in the home; large houseplants can even be rented if necessary. Re-paint the front door, and expose or refinish any hardwood floors. Finally, play up all your neighborhood and region has to offer. If you're in a seaside community, coffee table books on the ocean and beaches will set a nice mood, as will magazine titles such as "Coastal Living."

Linda Merrill. "Staging the home for sale". <http://www.respond.com/articles/show_complete_article.jsp?pagenum=1&cont=20056>. Accessed March 5th, 2007.