As a homeowner, you may be reluctant to spend money to fix up a house you are selling.  But the other way to consider it is:

Can you afford NOT to invest in selling quickly or for top dollar?

Especially in slower markets, you'll have lots of competition from other homes in your price range.  Ask yourself:

• What is costing you to carry this house month after month?

• Are you putting the rest of your life on hold while waiting to sell?

• What's it like trying live in a house that's spotless and "Buyer Ready" all the time?  (take-out meals, restaurants, cleaning services, boarding pets, etc.)

It costs less than your first price reduction.

Even in the most expensive home staging scenario - where your home is completely empty and you need to repaint and furnish it with rental furniture, your cost will be considerably less than your first price reduction if the house doesn't sell when you need it to.

Staging is a small investment with big dividends.

The bottom line is that with an investment of only a few hours and less than a thousand dollars, you'll either have a comprehensive plan of what needs to be done or the rooms staged beautifully and ready for buyers.

If you home needs rental furniture, art and accessories, your investment may run into the $3,000 to $8,000 range.  Again, the investment will still be less than the typical price reduction if your house doesn't sell.  Spend a weekend going to Open Houses.  Notice how drawn you are to the homes that show beautifully.

If you leave your home as is, how will it be remembered by potential buyers after a long day of seeing 8 or 10 homes on the market?  Make sure your home leaves the buyer excited!

Home "staging" is the term used to describe the process of preparing a home for sale by giving it a model home look. Most home sellers cannot view their house objectively. If you can’t see objectively, you can’t package it effectively. Staging a home statistically has been proven to boost its selling price. Your home will be shown in its best light to potential buyers. Well staged homes are a win-win situation for both the listing agent and the seller. Failure to capitalize on this advantage is unfortunate for both - so take advantage of the opportunity.