Interior designer Arlene McIntyre ( 087-244 6464) has created stylish showhouses for a number of new developments such as the recent Belmayne on the Malahide Road, Dublin 13, and knows what currently appeals to buyers.

"Consider investing at least 1% of the selling price as a yardstick cost to make your home more attractive to viewers. In terms of decor, a fresh coat of paint on walls in neutral, warm colours throughout has broad appeal. Also touch up woodwork with fresh paint to hide wear and tear.

Throws, cushions and rugs liven up a tired room, and you can bring these with you to your next home.

Have floor carpets cleaned professionally rather than replacing them. And don't forget bedrooms - tired, worn, crumpled bedlinen is a big turn-off.

Will installing a new kitchen or bathroom add extra value to the price?

Top estate agent Felicity Fox's advice is 'no' in most instances. "If I walked into a house and all of it was perfect save for the kitchen, then perhaps there might be sense in installing a new one - but it would have to be pretty bad. But my experience, in terms of buyers, is that kitchen design is such a matter of personal taste, that it's something you can never second-guess. The emphasis is on hygiene, and basically just freshening up, which goes for every room in the house. If your kitchen is handpainted you could give it a fresh lick of paint, replace handles perhaps and clean grouting."

When it comes to the bathroom, a number of agents say that if it's really grubby, or one of those l970s avocado or peach efforts, it puts buyers off.

This is where it's worth investing in new bathroom furniture - which can be bought inexpensively and can completely transform the room. At the very least, a brand new toilet seat, fluffy towels and a few key accessories will enhance the feeling of freshness.

How crucial is de-cluttering to the overall presentation?

Lovely as all your possessions may be, they can be a turn-off for potential buyers. But decluttering can be a major dilemma and one that holds owners back . . . many people move in the first place because they feel they've run out of space due to what is just clutter. But there are specialist spaceplanning consultants to give an objective view.

"People who have a problem with hoarding generally recognise they have an issue, but not everyone realises there is professional help available particularly in relation to presenting their home to the market, " says architect and space planning expert Eva Byrne (info@evabyrne. ie), who runs a special two-hour consultation service costing 300.

An average brainstorming session for presenting a property to the market can involve serious paring back, better furniture arrangements, placing of art work and also considering how the house looks from the outside.

Can hiring a home stager increase the property's value signi"cantly?

Yes. A professional home stager can not only advise on the decor - they can also arrange for the hire of key items of furniture, furnishings and art work to give 'wow' factor. Manny O'Hara of House & Garden Presentation Services ( 01201 1712) has successfully staged numerous properties prior to sale. A recent commission was staging a home in Dublin where the owners invested 9,000.

"That covered removal of existing furniture and subsequent storage, short term furniture rental, and my own design set-up skills.

As a result the house achieved an additional 436,000 above the asking price." Manny maintains that as the market becomes tougher to sell in, it is more important to ensure your home is looking its best during the sale process and hiring a home stager will make it stand out.

Should I replace windows?

The overall condition of the house should be your guide here. Anna Rossi, senior negotiator with Sherry FitzGerald's Terenure branch advises that if a property needs full refurbishment, then installing new windows won't sell it any quicker, or re-coup the expense. "On the other hand, if it's a period red-brick, for example, that has been restored, then the cost of fully restoring sash and bay windows brings the property up to another level and the money can be recouped."

Do top name home entertainment systems add value?

These are more personal items that most owners will take with them rather than include as part of a sale, says agent Felicity Fox. "I wouldn't consider buying plasma screens or high-end systems to increase value.

The important thing to consider, before ever thinking of spending a fourfigure sum on anything new, is the type of property you own. If it's a modest enough house, then expensive systems are not going to affect a buyer's decision."

Should I give my garden a makeover?

It's always worth sprucing up the front garden as this is the first impression a viewer has of the property - but it's an inexpensive task that can be easily carried out by the vendors themselves, say the top selling agents. Both the front and rear garden should be neatly presented.

Lawns should be neatly mown and shrubs pruned.

Is it worth creating offstreet parking or building a garage?

Off-street parking is always an added bonus when selling a property as more families are safety conscious about getting in and out of their cars, says Clodagh Barry, senior negotiator with selling agents Colliers JacksonStops. "Will you get your money back? Difficult to equate. Parking space does make a home more appealing and therefore more viewers would be interested. I would not recommend construction of a garage; you are not likely to get your money back."