Ask most home owners how they feel about selling their home and their first response is "Stressed Out!" What if there was a way, however, to make the sale of you home less chaotic, hassle free, and more profitable? Real Estate Staging can help you to prepare your home for a more successful sale. Staging has largely been used for over 30 years in other parts of the country but has just recently become a popular marketing tool in our area.

An Accredited Staging Professional can help you with the preparation process of putting your home on the market. Stagers can provide you with a thorough consultation that will evaluate your home room by room and leave you with a guide of what you can do on your own to make your home more appealing. No time to do the work yourself? Stagers can also come in and help you to arrange your furnishings, declutter your rooms and reaccessorize your space to give your home a new look in a matter of hours.

In addition to making your sale less stressful, staging will also make your sale faster and more profitable. Studies show that staging can decrease the number of days your home is on the market. According to Stagedhomes.com the largest organization of professional stagers, homes that have been staged sell in 10-12 days vs. non-stagedhomes. Locally, homes that our company has staged have sold in as little as 1-4 days! You will feel the effects of staging in your wallet too- Homes that are staged sell for almost 7-10% more than non-staged comparable homes. On a $500,000 home that is an additional $35,000-50,000 profit! Considering the reasonable cost of a staging consultation ($300-$500) the return on your investment is incredible! Most people will think nothing of having their car detailed before they sell it. Similarly you should detail your home with a staging evaluation before you put it on the market.

Thinking about selling? Consider the following recommendations before beginning to market your home:

1. Your house is no longer your home! When you are selling your home you are not selling your personal taste, collections or memorabilia. You are selling the features of your house that cannot be packed up and moved to your next home. You are selling the custom built-ins in your office and the fabulous fireplace in your living room- not your figurines and baseball card collection. Pack up your personal items and you will instantly make your home more appealing to more potential buyers.
2. Your home is like a can of Diet Coke! Corporations spend millions branding their products, designing packaging and advertising to potential buyers. How disappointed would you be if you went to your local convenience store and purchased a Diet Coke only to find the can dented, and someone else's lipstick on the rim? You would not purchase it. Just like a can of soda, your home has to be pristine, clean and unused. Take a look at model homes in new developments. This is your competition. Take the stress out of selling and invest in a professional cleaning service to do the dirty work for you.
3. See your home through not so rose colored glasses! When selling your home take a step back analyze the color palate selected for your interior design. Are the colors of your home more to your specific taste or are they neutral and appealing to the masses. Today's buyers want homes that are move in ready and decorated so their things will fit right in. Consider painting rooms that are non-neutral and removing outdated or peeling wallpaper. The investment you make will be returned to you in a successful sale.

Kate Hart, is an Accredited Professional Stager and President of Hart & Associates- Staging and Design Services. Her work has appeared on HGTV, CNN, CN8, Main Line Today Magazine, PA Realtor Magazine, Main Line Times, Suburban and Wayne Times.