You're a Realtor or a home seller staging a home for resale. You have been doing all of the usual things: improving street appeal, refreshing paint, removing clutter, thinning out closets, adding greenery--real or artificial, and cleaning the house within an inch of its life.

If the house has a basement, don't miss an opportunity to make a huge impact for a small cost. If the basement has those ugly metal window wells, don't ignore how "in your face" those can be. The large egress window wells that are common in newer homes are especially imposing. Even if the basement has been remodeled beautifully, if the window wells are "au naturel," they are a mass of glaring metal or boring concrete that makes a scar on otherwise attractive walls. If they are hiding behind window blinds or curtains, so is the coveted daylight. A basement without daylight can be very dark, dreary, and unappealing.

Open the blinds, let the daylight in, and not only camouflage the window wells, but gain a decorating asset. For little cost, you can line the window well with a gorgeous scene. The end result is drop dead gorgeous--literally your jaw will drop when you see the daylight illuminate the colors in the scenes. Most viewers perceive one of two effects from a scenic window well liner--either it looks like you are looking out at that view outside the window, or it looks like 3-D art on the wall due to the curve of the window well.

Home sellers can further enhance this new focal point in the basement by decorating the base area of the window well to create a foreground for the scenic image. The viewer will think the house has an outstanding view outside. This just may be the memorable touch that makes the buyer remember--and buy--your home.

Change eyesores into assets. Enhance the basement window wells in your home and bring a view to your basement.