Staging your home in the current real estate market is one of the most important things you can do to get it sold. "Staging" is presenting your home to a home-buyer in the best of light that will mesh with most home-buyers wants, needs, and living style. As a listing agent, people always ask me "what is my home worth?". The answer is always, "Well it depends on how we can stage it."

If you really look at it, staging is not that hard or expensive, many but I do see homeowners that have a hard time being objective with their own home since they have lived there for years. If you get in this mode, you can be pulling thousand out of your own bank account at closing, and with the real estate market the way it is, you are going to need to pull out all the stops.

If you take a look at homes that are "model" homes for Boise area builders, you will see how much better it feels inside the home and how their staging effects the feel of the home. They obviously think that the benefits outweighs the cost, because it does almost every time.

Basic Home Staging Rules

#1 - Clean. In the real estate market, your home has got to be clean and sparkling! The is your first staging step. The best way to do this is to hire a good cleaning crew. Even if the crew comes in every week or two, it is probably a good way to go. Make sure your windows are clean too.

#2 - Fix. Do you have leak or cracked tile? These problems will give the buyer a bad impression of your house right off the bat. Make sure to get these things fixed. Have you thought about getting a pre-listing inspection from a licensed real estate inspector?

#3 - Get rid of Clutter. When staging, Live by the "50% Rule" which requires that you get rid of clutter by at least half. This can be tough! Even though some of our clutter brings back memories and gives comfort, it does not sell homes! In the Boise market, clutter makes homes seem much smaller and unorganized and it can cost you thousands too.

#4 - Neutral, Neutral. Neutral colors help you sell and I see this everyday in my Boise market. If you are in New York city, it might be a bit different or more liberal, but it is a fact that you need to appeal to the most buyers you can. Neutral colors and decor make it more likely that someone will pay more for your Boise home.

#5 - Get rid of the "personal". When staging, get rid of things that most real estate buyers don't relate to. For example, religious and political items may turn off entire groups of potential buyers. I have seen someone walk away from their perfect home because it had an elk head mounted in the family room. They must have been a vegetarian.:)

A good comparison tool for your house is to visit some model homes and try to match their styles, configurations, colors, and feel. Most of them will be a great tool for you to copy. Don't reinvent the wheel, look at what real estate buyers are purchasing and duplicate it. Use the MLS as a guide and a resource.

Make your house worth thousands and thousands more just by spending a bit of time and money upfront. You could even get a pre-offer inspection. We can save that topic for another time. Happy staging, and happy home selling!