PROPERTY: THE problem with selling your own home is that you tend to be blind to its faults.

After all, you'll doubtless have spent years turning your flat or house into the home of your dreams, and so it is perfectly natural that you should think it boasts all that is stylish and desirable.

But just remember how you felt when you last were looking for a property to buy. The houses you visited when Dick and Barbara's DIY improvements left with you cold with fear; when June and Fred's Caribbean style patio made you break out in a sweat; or remember how you laughed at Madge and Conrad's 'snuggle' room, complete with red felt walls.

Which is why the services of home stager Helen Silver might come in very handy.

What is home stager you ask? Well, it's from North America, but don't let that put you off. It is a huge industry over there and will soon be so over here.

Basically, a home stager is a trained professional who takes a dispassionate view of your home to identify those features which might not best showcase it for potential buyers. In short, the type of person who'll tell you how best to maximise the positive and eliminate the negative.

Which is precisely what Bath-based Helen Silver offers to do. Already a fully qualified interior designer, Helen says she decided to become a home stager last year after reading about the subject in a magazine. "I thought it was a brilliant idea and I love helping present people's homes in the best possible light."

On each viewing, Helen arrives armed with cushions, throw-overs and whatever else is needed to immediately make an impression.

Most initial consultations take about two-and-a-half hours and cost upwards of £160.

For further information, ring 0800 5428952 or contact www.homestagers.co.uk

Here are Helen's top 10 home stager tips for preparing your home for sale:

1 Kitchens & Bathrooms can make or break a sale. Make your kitchens clean, clear and clutter free. When it comes to bathrooms you need to consider one valuable word clean, clean, clean. If needed, replace the sealant around the bath or shower. Remember if you buy a new shower curtain, bathmat, and fluffy towels that you can take these things with you to your new abode.

2 First impressions count. Ensure your house name or number is visible from the road. Give the front door a fresh coat of paint and fill your window boxes or tubs with as many colourful flowers as you can.

3 Empty all waste bins especially the kitchen bin smells linger here!

4 Fix the things you have never got round to doing oil door hinges, put washers on dripping taps and remember to fix the door bell if it's broken!

5 Storage cupboards will be opened so make sure the contents don't fall out on to your unsuspecting viewers.

6 Garages a real plus for Bath homeowners! Park the car on the drive and clear the garage. A tidy garage can really stick in the mind.

7 Fresh flowers and fruit provide a nice fragrance and add needed touches of colour. Pot pourri, scented candles or incense sticks can enhance the ambience, but remember less is more! A gust of good old fresh air helps to dispel any unwanted odours.

8 Thoroughly clean the windows. Make them sparkle and remove those nets to let the natural light flood in.

9 A home buyer usually makes a decision to buy within the first 10 seconds so make every second count start with an inviting hallway. Make it bright, clean and clutter free and put a mirror in a dark hallway to increase the sense of space.

10 Lighting allow no bare bulbs and switch on table lamps even during the day for a cheerful glow.