What are buyers looking for? The answer to that question is ultimately important to anyone marketing their home. But it is also important to homebuilders and remodelers.

The number one answer, of course, is storage and lots of it! Surveys over the years have always ended up with this number one request. From walk-in closets to walk-in pantries, homebuyers want to know they have sufficient room to store their stuff. Closet organizers, including baskets and shelving, recycling bins and narrow shelves for canned goods help to utilize every square inch of this precious space.

Another number one request is safety and accessibility. It makes good sense with an aging population to include safety items such as grab bars in the baths, wider doorways and fewer steps. Single floor plans and homes with a main floor bedroom and bath are in higher demand.

Healthier lifestyles call for healthier homes. In the energy crisis of the '70s, homes were constructed to be air tight, sometimes locking in toxic fumes from carpeting, paint and other building materials. There is now increased interest in construction that is more earth friendly, including ultra effective air filtration systems and non-toxic materials. This is especially good for those with compromised immune systems or conditions such as asthma.

Quality over quantity is also the mantra of today's newer homes. Shoppers are looking for quality details such as hardwood floors, moldings, nice woodwork and upscale appliances. Bigger is not always better and buyers want to feel pampered with small luxuries.

Whether a home has a deck complete with a full outdoor kitchen or a small, charming patio, living in the great outdoors is important. Landscaping with water features, outdoor sound systems, pergolas and gazebos give the homeowner increased opportunities for entertaining outdoors. Outdoor living rooms that are suitably furnished with seating, tables, plants and other items add great appeal.

So what are you to do when you feel your home does not measure up? Whatever the style and age of your home, if it is on the market, accentuate the positive. Organize those closets, clear out the clutter and take advantage of what your home has to offer. If you feel your home is less than perfect with respect to the top features, that's OK. Just make sure your home puts out the welcome mat with an eye to comfort, cleanliness and convenience.

Long time home owners often face a tougher task getting their home ready to market. After a few years of enjoying the comfort and security your home offers, it may seem absolutely perfect.

However, when prospective buyers come to view your home, they will move from room to room trying to imagine themselves living there. You want to convey a sense of warmth, comfort, and spaciousness to enhance their imaginings. Portray that feeling by first making your home as clean and fresh as possible. Everything must sparkle right down to the new paint and, if necessary, new carpeting.

Arrange the furniture to take full advantage of your home's attributes and to create a sense of spaciousness. De-clutter and remove everything that doesn't directly contribute to the goal of selling your house. The beloved recliner-the one with your college football blanket over it to cover the huge hole the cat tore in the seat-should be removed from the premises. This is not to say that you can't still love it and take it along to your new home for future lounging, but for the purposes of impressing your buyers, ask a friend if this favorite recliner can spend a few weeks in his garage.

Designers always keep in mind the scale of items and the space they inhabit. You can do the same by paying attention to the size and shape of your rooms and matching that with the furniture you plan to place there. A small night table will be lost against a vast, otherwise empty wall and create a sense of awkwardness for the room as a whole.

Heavy, oversized furniture should be placed opposite similar pieces to create balance in a room. Keep heavier pieces away from doorways and entry sight lines. You don't want the view to the dining room to be obstructed by an enormous armoire in the living room.

Avoid the "wallflower look" by bringing furniture into the center of the room. "Float" the sofa in the room rather than anchoring it along the wall. You can angle furniture in a smaller room to create a more spacious feel.

Avoid competing focal points. If there's a fireplace in the room, don't set a large entertainment center next to it. If possible, balance focal points by positioning them opposite one another. And use area rugs to define specific areas.

Create sight lines in a room by positioning furniture from low to high. In other words, when you enter the room, you want the eye to fall on an end table, then a chair and then onto a bookcase. This progression makes for smooth eye movements and creates a sense of order in any room.

Leaf through decorating magazines and visit furniture stores for ideas. If you're not sure how to arrange a room to its best advantage, ask a friend for assistance. Your real estate professional may well have some ideas about how you can show off the best features of each room.