One of the most important things you can do to help sell your home quickly is to "stage" it. Basically, there are five steps to home staging.

• Cleaning
• Getting rid of clutter
• Depersonalizing
• Decorating and accessorizing
• Maintaining

Cleaning

When I say, "cleaning" I don't mean your ordinary, weekly house cleaning. I mean a deep cleansing in which every surface, every window, every nook-and-cranny sparkle and shine. Clean windows, ceiling fans, curtains and blinds, carpet -- in short, everything. Eliminate unpleasant pet odors and even consider having someone else care for pets until the house is sold.

Getting Rid of Clutter

You're to be moving anyway so go ahead and start getting rid of the things you'll never need again and box up the things you can live without for a couple of months. Clean out about 50 percent of the things in closets, most of the knickknacks displayed around the home and enough furniture so that rooms look open and inviting. Kitchen and bath counters should be clean and uncluttered. Even the cabinets and drawers should contain only a few items, because prospective buyers will be opening doors and drawers and will want to see a lot of space.

Depersonalizing

It's important to remove most family photographs and personal collections. Buyers are trying to envision themselves living in every home they tour and it's hard for them to do that when faced with the seller's personal items. Every room of the house should have a general appeal for the majority of buyers. Leaving personal collections for the buyer to see distracts the purchaser by having him or her focusing on your things rather than the house.

Decorating and accessorizing

There are many improvements that can be made with little expense: A fresh coat of paint doesn't cost very much but will add impact. New window treatments, fresh flowers, green plants and pretty accessories all pack a punch without breaking the wallet.

Maintaining

Homes must be spotless as long as they're on the market. The very day someone leaves a dirty towel on the bathroom floor will be the day a prospective buyer walks through. Granted it's not easy to keep a home hotel-clean while someone is living there, but the payoff may be a quicker sale and perhaps a higher price. Keep the outside as clean and neatly maintained as the inside. Have the lawn mowed and place trash cans out of sight. A nice potted plant, a clean doormat, and a front door wreath make the home seem more inviting.

Home staging can include everything from a thorough cleaning to a complete remodeling. The more staging, the better the chance of securing a quick sale. But all homes are unique, so be sure to work with your broker to find the staging tricks that work best for your property.

Written by Jerry Fowler

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