You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2463 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Do The Math: Selling Your House In A Tough Market (NAPSA)—The key to selling your house in today’s tough market might be to think like a retailer. Store owners, unlike most of us, are used to using all the little “tricks” that get buyers to part with their cash. You know, things like pricing something at $49.95 instead of $50. That nickel won’t buy a stick of gum, but there’s tons of evidence that it works. Experts say many of those same tactics can help move a home. Try these tips: Price Pointers Homeowners considering dropping their asking prices to attract bids should understand how buyers perceive those cuts. A recent study found that if the left digit of two prices remains the same after a discount—say the “9” in $9,111, slashed from $9,222—buyers hone in on the right-hand numbers. And they tend to assume the discount is greater if those right-hand numbers drop from two to one, rather than nine to eight or seven to six. The decline is the same in real dollars, but “people think they’re getting a better deal,” Robin Coulter, a marketing professor at the University of Connecticut, recently told The Wall Street Journal. Numbers Game Trying to settle on an asking price? Vicki Morwitz, a marketing professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, says round numbers, such as $495,000, convey quality and prestige, while a specific number, such as $494,863, makes buyers think “deal.” If you’re after that quick sale, she told The Journal, “you want to go for a precise number.” Stand Out This tactic—differentiating your house from the flood of others on the market—has the added advantage of heightening your Blueberry Snacks Take The Cake Cooling Seasonal Heartburn Thinking like a marketer could help you sell your home. own positive feelings toward your home in the (entirely possible) event that you wind up staying put for however many years to come. But remember: In this environment, a new coat of paint on the front door won’t cut it. Instead, Consumer Reports recommends improvements like adding a new roof to enhance the value of your home. For instance, GAF-Elk’s Timberline roof shingles have become North America’s best-selling architectural shingles because homeowners love the wood-shake look they provide without the cost and issues of real wood. And with a Class A fire rating from Underwriters Laboratories (the highest rating possible) and warranties that cover high winds, homes are further protected from nature’s elements. As for “curb appeal”— all-important whether you’re looking to attract buyers now or in the future—selecting from colors like slate, weathered wood and charcoal can only help increase the value of your property. To learn more about these shingles and other GAF-Elk products, visit www.gaf.com. While there, you can use the Virtual Home Remodeler to get more ideas on design elements for the outside of your home. (NAPSA)—Statistics show that more than 60 million Americans have heartburn at least once a month, and about 15 million have it daily. But there are ways to keep heartburn from heating up during barbecues and other warm-weather get-togethers. Experts offer these tips: • Cut down on the things you know cause symptoms, such as fatty foods and carbonated and alcoholic beverages. It can be easy to avoid heartburn at barbecues and outdoor parties. • Drink plenty of water. It dilutes stomach acid. • Wait a little while after eating before engaging in any sports or strenuous activities. For times when you need an over-the-counter antacid, there’s no need to fear that chalky taste. New antacid products such as Ultra Xcid taste great and neutralize acid on contact. In fact, no other antacid relieves heartburn better. The product offers a uniquely creamy yogurtlike texture without the chalky taste of other antacids. One teaspoon is as effective as two teaspoons of the leading antacid, so you won’t need much to feel better fast. Plus, it’s safe to use with over-the-counter acid inhibitors. Each teaspoon has about 30 percent of the recommended daily dose of calcium. For more information, visit www.myxcid.com. (NAPSA)—Kids love to snack! And parents want to give them kidfriendly choices that are light, lowfat and packed with good nutrition. Blueberry-Topped Rice Cakes are quick treats that are so easy to make that the kids can help. These fruity snacks will be family favorites, perfect any time of the day. Two-ingredient Blueberry Frozen Yogurt is so simple, healthful and delicious, you’ll make it for the kids and the grownups! With fresh and frozen blueberries on hand, you can make yummy blueberry treats or pop them on morning cereal or blend in ice-cold smoothies. In the summer, when blueberries are most abundant, take home extra to keep in the freezer. A one-cup serving of blueberries has only 80 calories and is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, fiber and antioxidants that our bodies need to stay healthy. Encouraging children to enjoy fruit can help establish a lifetime of good eating habits. The USDA recommends kids 4 to 8 years old consume 1 to 11⁄2 cups of fruit every day and blueberries contribute to that daily total. Go to www.mypyramid.gov for more information about the USDA dietary guidelines. For bushels of blueberry information and recipes for snacks, breakfast, dessert and more, go to www.blueberry.org. To get a free copy of a leaflet filled with kidfriendly recipes and fun facts, send a SASE to: Welcome Aboard! Leaflet Offer, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, 2390 E. Bidwell St. #300, Folsom, CA 95630. BLUEBERRY-TOPPED RICE CAKES ⁄2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese 2 teaspoons apricot preserves 1 Blueberries can be used to make many tasty treats such as Blueberry-Topped Rice Cakes. 4 apple-cinnamon flavored rice cakes 1 cup thinly-sliced fresh fruit (such as apple, pear, banana or peach) 1 cup fresh blueberries In a small bowl, stir together ricotta and preserves. Spoon an equal amount on each of the rice cakes almost to the edge. On top of ricotta mixture, arrange fruit slices in circles. Top each with 1⁄4 cup of the blueberries; serve immediately. Yield: 4 portions Per Portion: 150 calories, 5 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 39 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol BLUEBERRY FROZEN YOGURT 2 cups frozen (unthawed) blueberries 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the frozen berries and yogurt until smooth. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 (1⁄2-cup) portions Per Portion: 90 Calories, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat, 45 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol