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"Dianna Lenz, 32, and her husband were ecstatic the day they got the permit to start building their dream house in Saratoga Springs, New York. One catch: They had to unload their current home first. &amp;quot;I was really nervous,&amp;quot; admits Lenz. &amp;quot;We needed to sell quickly so we could use the proceeds for the new construction.&amp;quot; She needn&amp;#039;t have stressed: The house sold to the first person who looked at it, and for several thousand dollars more than its appraisal price. The credit, says Lenz, goes largely to Joanne Hans, a real estate enhancement expert in Mechanicville, New York. In this new but rapidly-growing specialty, professionals help clients &amp;quot;stage&amp;quot; their homes \u2014 either for sale or just for a face-lift \u2014 by using little more than the furnishings and accessories that the client already owns. &amp;quot;A well-staged house creates a vision of a beautiful life,&amp;quot; says Donna Marie Baldwin, a top agent, in Hillsborough, California, for Re/Max Realtors. &amp;quot;When buyers walk through a house, they feel like they&amp;#039;re going to have the same life as the people who live there. So the picture has to be a happy one \u2014 clean, uncluttered, and tranquil.&amp;quot; As Lenz discovered, making small adjustments in furnishings and presentation can determine how fast your house sells.  So how do you create that &amp;quot;buy me&amp;quot; feel? GH mined the top enhancement experts for their best-kept secrets and came up with a package of tips that will take your abode from ho-hum to Hollywood-perfect. Maybe you&amp;#039;ll be so impressed with your home&amp;#039;s new look, you&amp;#039;ll decide you really don&amp;#039;t want to move after all!  5 Easy Fixes to Make Your Home More Inviting  Place a box of chocolates and a water pitcher with lemon slices in the kitchen. Hide pet toys, bowls, and litter boxes. Heat an apple pie in the oven. Studies show that the smell of baked goods makes people nostalgic for childhood. Light candles in every room to create a glow. Put away toilet brushes, plungers, sponges, toothbrushes, and medications.   Fake More Space Buyers always want more for their moola. Seven sneaky ways to create the illusion of extra square feet.   BEDROOM: Remove one piece of furniture \u2014 an ottoman or a second nightstand. Too-tight spaces are a major buyer turnoff. WINDOWS: Take down worn drapes. Don&amp;#039;t worry about replacing them \u2014 bare windows always make your home look bigger. CLOSET: Empty closets by two thirds to create a plenty-of-storage feel. Box and store out-of-season clothes and shoes. DEN: You can double other people&amp;#039;s perception of your home&amp;#039;s play space \u2014 just pack up and put away half of your kids&amp;#039; toys. KITCHEN: Clear small appliances off your counters. Experts say reducing the number of items visually triples the workspace. CABINETS: Stop buying in bulk at the warehouse club. Reducing inventory lets you arrange supplies so that the shelves seem roomier. DINING ROOM: Create a feeling of uninterrupted flow by taking out dining-room table leaves and removing all but four chairs.   Hot ticket! This big celeb trend could help you sell your house. When stars go house hunting, they search high and low for homes that have been feng shui-ed \u2014 a Far Eastern philosophy that is said to create &amp;quot;good aura.&amp;quot; Here, five tricks to try. Get a fruit bowl. &amp;quot;In feng shui, the kitchen symbolizes prosperity,&amp;quot; explains Feng Shui Master Carole Swann Meltzer, one of the leading practitioners in the United States. According to Meltzer, a bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen sends a subliminal message that the buyer&amp;#039;s life will be both bountiful and abundant.  Head east. That&amp;#039;s the side of the room where people seek warmth and relaxation, say experts \u2014 so place a comfy sofa on that side of the den. Go green. The color symbolizes new opportunity. Position a green mat outside your front door.  Avoid red. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s the color of discord,&amp;quot; cautions Meltzer. Too much crimson causes mental fatigue and argumentative feelings. Neutral colors keep prospective buyers calm and interested. Make mirror magic. Capturing light is only one benefit of hanging mirrors around your house. Experts say buyers will &amp;quot;see&amp;quot; themselves in the home when they walk by a mirror, helping them feel a connection. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/advice/a16963/sell-your-home-jun03/>