If you've a PVC front door, a grotty carpet and dreary interiors, no amount of caffeine is going to get potential buyers digging deeper into their pockets. On the other hand no matter how small your home, if you're willing to spend a small amount of money on preparing your property for sale, you could add as much as 5% onto the sale price.

Estate agents say that even with a budget of about 5,000 for small improvements, you could get a return of 15,000 to 20,000 in the form of a higher price for your home.

"You're not just selling a house, you're presenting a lifestyle, " says Christopher Bradley of Sherry FitzGerald in Terenure. "The difference in selling a well presented home and a poorly presently one is unbelievable.

"If you have a 5,000 budget, I would suggest spending a good portion of that budget on a good paint job in neutral colours, a garden clean-up and a trip to IKEA to give the property a good lift. We find that these days kitchens, bathrooms and gardens are the focus for potential buyers. A clean white bathroom suite goes down so much better than a grotty coloured one, and a nice fresh kitchen always impresses viewers.

"The other thing which costs very little . . . but is very important . . . is investing in new white or cream bed-linen.

You'd be surprised the difference even this can make to a bedroom, " says Bradley.

Presentation makes a huge difference, agrees Paul Menton of Gunne Residential in Fairview. "We have often had two houses on the same road and achieved about 5% more for the home which is presented nicely. First impressions last, and if a property looks smart from the outside you will automatically get more viewers, and therefore competition for your home will be better. "You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money but we would suggest a general smartening up to include cleaning, decluttering and painting. And it's very important to clean up the garden and get rid of kids' toys and bins from out the back. If there's something that's very off-putting like a bad front door or very poor kitchen presses, then we might suggest replacing them, " says Menton.

Shane Desmond of Sherry FitzGerald in Bray agrees that presentation is the key to getting the top price possible.

"Nowadays people are timepoor and they do most of their house-hunting over the internet, so basic things like the visual impact of the front of the house can have a big influence over whether or not they make an appointment to view that property, " explains Desmond.

"We generally recommend changing things that are going to put viewers off, but most of it is common sense things like getting your carpets cleaned, cleaning windows, getting rid of clutter and family memorabilia, painting, and tidying up the garden.

"We recently sold a house in Priory Rise in Delgany which we guided at 450,000, but because the owners had styled it so well for selling, it sold for well in excess of what we were expecting. The owners knew their market and had a good idea of how to package it accordingly, " says Desmond.

Help is on hand from 'house doctor' Deirdre Coleman of Escale Design, who specialises in preparing properties for sale or rent.

"Working in interior design, I noticed a real need for professional advice on what home improvements actually add value, and what changes could potentially deter buyers when the property is sold on. People are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to investing in property and they want to make sure that they are maximising their profit when selling their home, " she says.

She has taken on projects where homes were not selling simply because they were dark, dreary and dated. But after a few simple changes such as painting, getting rid of excess furniture and reorganising rooms, they sold within weeks for more than the asking price.

One apartment she took on had been on the market for six months with no offers. Coleman completely revamped the place for 12,000 and it sold within six weeks for 45,000 more than the original asking price of 410,000.

"This apartment looked dark, drab and dreary and, as it was unoccupied, had a musty smell . . . not very attractive to potential buyers. It was freshly painted in brighter colours, and with neutral carpet and curtains, the space looked instantly brighter and more airy and, minus the excess furniture, a lot more spacious."

The amount you spend should always relate to the expectations of your buyer.

"You have to be aware of your home's position in the market. If your street appeals mainly to first-time buyers, an attic conversion may not be what they are looking for.

First-time buyers won't expect granite worktops but they may be impressed with simple fitted units, so investing in new presses or countertops might be a good decision, " says Coleman. "You need to consider the buyer's age profile and present your property to meet their needs."

Every property she's taken on has achieved 10% to 15% over the expected price. However, she stresses that not everybody needs to spend a lot of money styling a house.

"It's just common sense.

Every home will look so much better if it's been cleaned, smells nice, and has what we call kerb appeal or in other words looks nice from the outside. Get rid of clutter and things that will make the house smaller-looking and remove family photos and memorabilia. Even simple things like this will draw in viewers."