Top Ten Staging Tips to Help You Sell Your Home

Staging is one of the most important ways to put your home in front of the competition when you are selling your home. It also can be the easiest and the least expensive. Staging creates a pleasing environment and will help buyers imagine themselves living in the home. You may have seen home-selling shows on television where they go all out -- new appliances, furniture, and other expensive trappings arranged by a professional stager. It is fine to go that route, but most sellers are looking for a more inexpensive solution. Before you begin, clean, clean, clean. Once you do that, your are more than half way there.

Here are ten staging tips adapted from the HGTV show "Property Virgins."

1. Get ideas from staging television shows and magazines, not necessarily decorating shows and magazines. You are trying to go for a neutral, clean look to serve as a palette for the buyer's imagination.

2. Work on your curb appeal. Hide toys, bikes, garbage cans, etc. If you can't paint the whole house, maybe just touch up the trim. If the weather is warm, plant some inexpensive annuals and create a nice seating area in the yard or on the patio.

3. Declutter the inside of the house, including drawers, closets, and cabinets. Pack up family photographs, personal collections, etc. Take the opportunity to throw out what you're not taking with you. It's obvious, but so many sellers don't do it.

4. Make sure all the lights are working. Replace heavy drapes with lightweight curtains.

5. Display only a few pieces of furniture. If you have a great feature like a fireplace, make sure it takes center stage. Don't put a large tv right next to it for example.

6. Each room's primary use should be obvious. Don't make buyers guess what a room's function is.

7. Keep tables and countertops as free of clutter as possible. Invest in things that will freshen up your home like towels, pillows, and light colored linens.

8. See if your pets can stay with friends or relatives. If not, try to keep them in one room with food dishes, litterboxes, toys, etc. Stay on top of pet odors.

9. Make sure your laundry room, garage, and other storage areas are neat and organized. It shows buyers that there is plenty of room for their things.

10. When you are done, ask friends or your agent to give you their objective opinion and listen to their comments.

Staging is a great way to make your home appealing to buyers without spending a fortune on expensive upgrades.

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